Patricia Bardon
Biography
Irish mezzo-soprano Patricia Bardon is in demand for repertoire ranging from the Baroque through to Rossini and Wagner and her distinguished career has led to collaborations with conductors, orchestras and opera houses of the highest calibre. Highlights of the 2021/22 season include Cornelia Giulio Cesare for Theater an der Wien and Fricka Das Rheingold for Zurich Opera House and their new ring cycle.
Recent highlights include Ragonde Le Comte Ory for Garsington Opera, her debut for Opéra national du Rhin as Jezibaba Rusalka, her role debut as Kabanicha Káťa Kabanová for Scottish Opera, a return to Glyndebourne for Jezibaba Rusalka, Ulrica Un ballo in maschera at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona and for Opera North, Cornelia Giulio Cesare for Glyndebourne, the title role Agrippina at the Theater an der Wien, Arsace Partenope for English National Opera, and Principessa Suor Angelica for Opera North. On the concert platform, recent highlights include L'enfant et les sortilèges with Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra at the BBC Proms, Zenobia Radamisto with the Orchester Wiener Akademie, Angel Dream of Gerontius with Simone Young at the Royal Festival Hall, Mahler Symphony No.2 with the Maggio Musicale Orchestra and Fabio Luisi, Mahler Symphony No.8 with the LPO and Vladimir Jurowski, and Erda Das Rheingold with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons.
An acclaimed Baroque and bel canto singer, career highlights include the title role Giulio Cesare at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, title role Orlando at the Opéra National de Paris (CD/Erato), Cornelia Giulio Cesare at the Bayerische Staatsoper, Lyric Opera of Chicago and The Metropolitan Opera, Rosmira Partenope for Lyric Opera of Chicago, Theater an der Wien and ENO (earning her a Olivier nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Opera), Andronico Tamerlano for Los Angeles Opera, Washington, Amsterdam and Madrid, Penelope Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria for Dutch National Opera, Maggio Musicale Florence and at the Berlin Staatsoper, and Amastras Xerxes for the Semperoper Dresden and Bayerische Staatsoper (DVD Opus Arte). Bel canto highlights include Tancredi and Arsace Semiramide for La Fenice, Calbo Il Maometto Secondo for Santa Fe Opera, Smeaton Anna Bolena for San Francisco Opera, title role La Cenerentola at La Monnaie, and Malcolm La donna del Lago for the Edinburgh International Festival (CD/Opera Rara). Appearing regularly at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, most recent roles here include Lady Penelope Gloriana, Edwige Guillaume Tell and Baba the Turk The Rake’s Progress (the latter earning her an Olivier nomination).
Having studied in Dublin with Dr Veronica Dunne, Bardon’s career embraces an impressive diversity of roles: Erda in the Grammy-award-winning production of Der Ring des Nibelungen at The Metropolitan Opera (DVD/Deutsche Grammophon), La Nourrice Ariane et Barbe Bleu for Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona (DVD/Opus Arte), her highly-acclaimed interpretation of Azucena Il trovatore at Welsh National Opera, the title role in Saariaho's Adriana Mater for Opera national de Paris, the title role in the staged world premiere of John Adams The Gospel according to the other Mary at ENO, Carmen in Los Angeles, conducted by Placido Domingo - a role she has recorded for Chandos - and her Laurence Olivier Nomination for Maurya Riders to the Sea at ENO are all testament to an exceptional artistic versatility.