Past Opera Memphis artist, Margaret Bridge, returns to Ireland to perform as Melanto in Opera Collective Ireland's production of The Return of Ulysses by Monteverdi.
You may remember Margaret, a stunning mezzo, from Opera Memphis's 2017 production of Later the Same Evening where she appeared in the role of Elaine O'Neill. She also performed in that season's Midtown Opera Festival. She is now based out of Boston, MA but has performed all over the country with companies like Chautaqua Opera, Handel & Haydn Society, and many more.
Margaret, who came to the United States to study at the New England Conservatory, transitioned from a soprano to a mezzo after working with Lisa Saffer, and has thoroughly enjoyed the change it has brought with the characters she now portrays.
"...one thing I really noticed switching from singing a lot of soprano roles to singing mezzo roles is that there's a different personality. I'd never really been aware of just how conscious I was of being on display in a lot of soprano roles, whereas you look at mezzo roles and it's not about being beautiful or sexy or cute or whatever, it seems much more direct to me--you're not worrying about how you look anymore. There's more nuance and more variation across the mezzo range."
Her role as Melanto will definitely provide the nuance she is looking for. As the handmaid to Penelope, a very eligible bachelorette, Melanto carries the challenge of persuading her mistress to take on one of three suitors who have come to woo her. "It's not a great vocal challenge," says Margaret, "but then it just frees you to concentrate on expression, delivery, and style, you know you can really get into that. I'm very excited to start working on it."
With her husband based in the States, Margaret hopes to balance her time in Ireland with her time here, and "would be happy to make a career in the States if he got a job [here] long-term."
From all of us here at Opera Memphis: Congratulations, Margaret! Safe travels and we hope to see you here in Memphis again soon!
For the full article by Michael Lee at GoldenPlec, click HERE.