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Margaret Medlyn

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Margaret Medlyn
ONZM
Medlyn in 2012
Born (1955-10-07) 7 October 1955 (age 68)
Falmouth, Cornwall, England
CitizenshipNew Zealand
Occupations
RelativesHelen Medlyn (sister)
Academic background
Alma materVictoria University of Wellington
Thesis
Doctoral advisor

Margaret Medlyn ONZM (born 7 October 1955) is a New Zealand opera singer and voice teacher. In 2012, Medlyn was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to opera.

Early life and education

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Medlyn was born in Falmouth, Cornwall, England, on 7 October 1955,[1] and emigrated with her family to New Zealand in the early 1960s when she was five.[2] She grew up in West Auckland and was educated at Henderson High School.[2] Medlyn studied music at the University of Auckland, earning a Bachelor of Music degree.[2] She became a naturalised New Zealand citizen in 1978.[1]

Medlyn's sister, Helen Medlyn, is also an opera singer.[2]

Career

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Medlyn made her operatic debut in London, singing Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier with Opera Viva, and then spending four years with Kent Opera.[3] Although she started out as a mezzo-soprano, her voice gradually moved upwards and she began to perform as a soprano.[4] Medlyn has performed with the Royal Opera at Covent Garden, the English National Opera, the Vienna State Opera and Opera Australia, and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony and the Malaysian Philharmonic.[5][2] Her roles have included Salome in Salome, Leonore in Il trovatore, Kundry in Parsifal, Aida and Amneris in Aida, the title roles in Tosca and Turandot, and Isolde in Tristan und Isolde.[6] Her performance of Grandmother Kostelnicka in Janáček's Jenůfa was considered notable.[7][8]

Medlyn joined the New Zealand School of Music in 2007, and was head of voice at Victoria University of Wellington. She has also taught at the New Zealand Opera School.[9][2] Medlyn completed a PhD titled Embodying Voice: Singing Verdi, singing Wagner at Victoria University of Wellington in 2016, which was later published by Routledge.[10] She is a national recording artist for Radio New Zealand, recording a number of recitals and releasing four CDs.[6]

Medlyn is a vice patron of the Orpheus Choir in Wellington.[11]

Honours and awards

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In the 2012 Queen's Birthday and Diamond Jubilee Honours, Medlyn was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to opera.[12][13]

Selected works

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  • Burning Bright featuring the work of four New Zealand women composers, Kiwi Pacific label (1999)
  • In a strange land: the songs of Richard Fuchs, for Rollover Productions (2011)
  • From Garden to Grave Jenny Macleod's settings of text by Katherine Mansfield, Waiteate Music Press (2011)
  • Sojourn, Cages for the Wind, Stephan Prock’s setting of poems by Alistair Te Ariki Campbell
  • Medlyn, Margaret (2019). Embodying Voice: Singing Verdi, Singing Wagner. Routledge. ISBN 9781138585546.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Margaret Medlyn in the New Zealand, naturalisations, 1843–1981". Ancestry.com Operations. 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Bridgeman, Shelley (10 September 2008). "Sister act". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Margaret Medlyn". thebigidea.nz. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  4. ^ Lees, Heath (30 June 2000). "Margaret Medlyn – scaling the heights". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  5. ^ Walls, Peter (22 October 2014), "Classical musicians - New Zealand-based musicians", Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, retrieved 24 September 2024
  6. ^ a b "Margaret Medlyn - SOUNZ". sounz.org.nz. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  7. ^ Westwood, Matthew (25 September 2008). "Janacek's masterpiece of restraint". The Australian.
  8. ^ Wilson, Roger (15 October 2008). "As good as it gets". Capital Times. p. 9.
  9. ^ Wellington, Victoria University of (20 April 2016). "Meet Margaret Medlyn—Head of Classical Voice | News | Te Herenga Waka". Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  10. ^ Medlyn, Margaret (2016). Embodying Voice: Singing Verdi, singing Wagner (PhD thesis). Victoria University of Wellington.
  11. ^ "Two very special additions to our lineup – Orpheus Choir Wellington". orpheuschoir.org.nz. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  12. ^ "The Queen's Birthday and Diamond Jubilee Honours List 2012". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Queen's Birthday present for Margaret Medlyn". Scoop. 5 June 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
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