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News + ReviewsAnna Leese - Soprano
Anna has just been named as a semi-finalist in the very first Paris International Opera Competition. Of the 350 entries, just 20 singers were accepted to this stage. Information on the competition can be found on this link: www.cioperaparis.com. The competition takes place in Paris, Theatre des Champs-Elysees, on October 17th 2010.
Anna is currently in London, performing in Opera Holland Parks' new production of Zandonai's 'Francesca di Rimini'. The last time this opera was performed in London was in 1917. Next season Anna returns to OHP to sing her debut of the role of Suzel in Mascgani's 'L'Amico Fritz'. 
NZ Minister for arts, Chris Finlayson announced recently that Anna will be the first ever artist in residence at the New Zealand Singing School in January 2010. Read more hereOn Sunday 14th March Anna performed with the Prince Consort at the Wigmore Hall. The recital received rave 5 star reviews. The Prince Consort have recently released an entire disk of Rorem repertoire, titled "On an Echoing Road". Available here. Anna spent November in Cologne, performing the role of Antonia in "The Tales of Hofmann", a role debut and her first performance with Opera Koln. Anna's latest solo CD, recorded for Michael Storrs Music, was released in May on iTunes- "Life is a Dream" CD of Haydn's songs. The disk was given a five star review in the UK's Classical Music Magazine. (June issue) "Anna Leese's performances of a splendid selection of Haydn's song repertoire are outstanding. In "The Wanderer", "Der Gleichsinn" and "Fidelity", she sings with a flair and brilliance that matches the great interpreters of the past." - Dominic McHugh, MusicalCriticism.com, April 2009 You can purchase the CD at iTunes.com or msm-cd.com "Life is a Dream" is Anna's first CD with MSM and she just recorded a second disk which is currently being edited. On this disk disk Anna and New Zealand pianist Stephen de Pledge perform a mixture of rare and well-known Italian love songs, composed by Bellini, Puccini, Verdi, Leoncavallo, Arditi and Tosti What Anna Leese is doing now, find out via: 
REVIEWS
LEXUS SPONSORSHIPAnna is proud to annouce her continued sponsorship from Lexus New Zealand, who provide her with a vehicle when she is home in New Zealand. Lexus have generously supported Anna since 2003, when she won the Mobil Song Quest- now the Lexus Song Quest.BIOGRAPHYSoprano Anna Leese graduated from the RCM Benjamin Britten Opera course in London, 2007, under tenor Ryland Davies. Upon graduating she won a major award from the RCM, the coveted Queen Elizabeth Rose Bowl, for representing the College in the community. Anna has previously completed a MusB degree with First Class Honours at the University of Otago in her native New Zealand, in 2002, under Isabel Cunningham. Anna is currently studying privately with Lillian Watson in London.Anna had a predominantly choral introduction to music through singing in church choirs, and was a member of the New Zealand Secondary Students choir, and the Tower New Zealand Youth Choir before she decided to concentrate on solo voice. Anna has won an impressive list of awards and aria prizes, including the 2001 Dame Sister Mary Leo Scholarship, the 2002 Mobil Song Quest, the 2002 Lockwood Aria scholarship and the 2003 McDonalds Aria Scholarship in Sydney, held in the Sydney Opera House. 
Anna's solo performances include the Strauss' Vier Letzte Lieder, Brahms Requiem, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, Mendlessohn's Elijah, Bach's St John Passion, Handel's Messiah, and Faure's Requiem. Anna won the 2004 Royal Overseas League Vocal competition, was named best overseas competitor in the same competition, has performed, Mahler's second symphony with Bernard Haitink, and Donna Anna in excerpts from Mozart's Don Giovanni with the London Mozart Players under Andrew Parrot.Anna has sung a fair amount under the baton of Canterbury-based Richard Cooke, who conducted her first performance of Richard Strauss' Four Last Songs in Canterbury Cathedral in 2007. Operatic roles include Ilia in Mozart's Idomeneo with the Auckland Opera Studio, Female Chorus in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia, Fiordiligi in Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte and Rosalinde in Strauss's Die Fledermaus, all for the Benjamin Britten Opera School and Juliette in Gounod's Romeo et Juliette with the British Youth Opera. She has performed the role of Tamiri in Mozart's Il re Pastore at the Linbury theatre, Royal Opera House (where she made her debut at age 24) and three Mozart heroines Fiordiligi, Countess Almaviva and Tamiri with the Classical Opera Company. In 2006 Anna performed in her first Prom concert with SCO and Norrington. With the Royal Opera House, understudied Arminda in Finta Giardiniera, Musetta in La Boheme and in January 2007 she sang the role of Michaela in Bizet's Carmen with ROH. Since then, at the Royal Opera House, Covent garden, she has performed Musetta in La Boheme, Erste Dame in Die Zauberflote and Echo in Ariadne auf Naxos. 
On the concert stage Anna has sung with several of the World's most-loved singers. She peformed with Andrea Bocelli in Auckland -August 2008, and with Jose Carreras in Newcastle, Seoul and Taipei. Another highlight (Anna is an avid All Blacks fan) was performing with Dame Kiri te Kanawa in Twickenham Stadium in 2005 for Jonah Lomu's return to rugby sevens.Anna toured NZ with pianist Terence Dennis, for NZ Chamber Music Society in August 2008. UPCOMING ROLES include Tatyana for Flanders Opera, Antonia (Hoffmann), Nelson Opera in the Park 2010, an Opera Gala with Heldentenor Simon ONeill in Matakana (postponed till 2012), 'Francesa di Rimini' with opera Holland Park in London in July/August 2011, and Mahlers' 8th Symphony with the Halle Orchestra and Mark Elder. Anna's Performances
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