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Samantha Crawford (soprano)

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Samantha Crawford
File:Samantha-Crawford Photo-Frances-Marshall.jpg
Portrait of Samantha Crawford by Frances Marshall.
Born
Sheffield, UK
Alma materGuildhall School of Music and Drama
OccupationOperatic soprano
Years active2012–present
Websitesamanthacrawford.com

Samantha Crawford is a British-Australian soprano recognized for her versatility and critically acclaimed performances on the opera, oratorio, and concert stages. Praised for her "unconstricted soprano radiance" by Opera (British magazine)[1] and her "crystalline tone and diction" by The Arts Desk[2], Crawford has become a leading figure in contemporary opera and concert performance[3].

Early life and education

Samantha Crawford studied with Yvonne Kenny AM as a Baroness de Turckheim Scholar at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama[4], where she earned both a Bachelor and Master of Music. She graduated from the prestigious Opera Course with Distinction[5].

Awards and recognition

During her training, she won numerous awards, including the Golden Medal with Honours at the 2017 Berliner International Music Competition[6], the 2017/2018 NSW Wagner Society Award for Emerging Wagner Singers, the First Prize at the Wagner Society Singing Competition in London in 2016[7] and received the prestigious Julian Baring Award in 2017[8].

Operatic career

Crawford has performed in some of the most prestigious opera houses and festivals across Europe. Her repertoire spans both classic and contemporary works, with notable roles including:

She has worked with renowned opera companies including the English National Opera (ENO), Glyndebourne, Scottish Opera, Teatro Real Madrid, the Aldeburgh Festival and the Edinburgh Festival. Notable productions include Robert Carsen's Die Walküre and Claus Guth's Parsifal at Teatro Real, both of which were filmed and broadcast across Spain.[10][11]

Concert career

In addition to her opera work, Crawford is equally at home on the concert stage. She has performed in iconic venues such as Wigmore Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Barbican Centre, Hong Kong City Hall, and Schlosstheater Schönbrunn. Her concert repertoire includes:

Recordings and recent work

In 2023, Crawford released her debut album, dream.risk.sing: elevating women's voices, on Delphian Records, to critical acclaim. The album features works by Charlotte Bray, Libby Larsen, and Judith Weir, including the world premiere recording of Bray's Crossing Faultlines[13], a song cycle that explores women's experiences in the workplace. Supported by Arts Council England and the RVW Trust, the album was described as "one of the most arresting recording-debuts" by Presto Music[14].

In 2024, Crawford began collaborating with pianist Gavin Roberts on a new project titled Freedom Cries Out, a program centered around stories of displacement and refugees. The project includes the world premiere of Raymond Yiu's specially commissioned song cycle and the UK premiere of Shawn Okpebholo's Words Like Freedom. The premiere is set for November 2024 at the St. Marylebone Festival in London[15].

Philanthropy and leadership

Crawford is deeply committed to supporting the next generation of artists. From 2016-2020, she co-founded and directed the Creative Professionals Network Australia[16], organizing charity events with support from the High Commission of Australia in the UK to benefit causes like Home For Good and the International Justice Mission. In 2024, she joined the Board of Trustees at the Australian Music Foundation[17].

References

  1. ^ "Peter Reed – Opera Magazine", Saffron Opera Group. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Owen Wingrave/ Pavel Haas Quartet, Aldeburgh Festival", The Arts Desk, 16 June 2016. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  3. ^ "World Ballet Day, plus Jean-Efflam Bavouzet and Samantha Crawford", BBC Radio 3 In Tune, 19 Oct 2021. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  4. ^ "High drama and hilarity: Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama", The Arts Desk, 4 March 2013. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Guildhall School of Music & Drama – Le nozze di Figaro [Cast A"], Classical Source, 28 February 2013. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Soprano Samantha Crawford wins Golden Medal in Berlin", Limelight Magazine, 17 May 2017. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Winners of 2016 Singing Competition", The Wagner Society. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Samantha Crawford, soprano | 2017 Julian Baring Award", Tait Memorial Trust. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Opera: The Handmaid's Tale by Poul Ruder (ENO)", Church Times, 13 April 2022. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Samantha Crawford / Reviews", Operabase. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  11. ^ "The Valkyrie – Teatro Real (2020) – Die Walküre", Opera Online. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Past Events: VERDI REQUIEM", All Saints Chorus and Orchestra , 20 September 2022. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Exceptionally fresh & beautifully curated: dream.risk.sing at Oxford Lieder Festival 2021", Daily Info, 21 October 2021. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  14. ^ "dream.risk.sing: Elevating women's voices", Presto Music. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Freedom Cries Out: Samantha Crawford and Gavin Roberts", bachtrack. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  16. ^ "AMF Supports Launch of new Creative Professionals Network", Australian Music Foundation, 11 May 2024. Accessed 2 October 2024.
  17. ^ "Patrons and Trustees", Australian Music Foundation. Accessed 2 October 2024.
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