ANNA LEESE
soprano
Anna Leese completed a Bachelor of Music
degree with First Class Honours at the University
of Otago before relocating to London. A multiple
award winner she has also represented New
Zealand in the Cardiff Singer of the World
competition.
Anna has performed at the Royal Opera House
Covent Garden, the Classical Opera Company, Opera Köln, Flanders Opera,
Opera Holland Park, Canadian Opera Company, and for New Zealand
Opera.
Anna’s concert engagements include Mahler’s Second Symphony with
Bernard Haitink, BBC Proms with Sir Roger Norrington, Brahms Requiem,
Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Mahler’s Second
Symphony and Messiah, Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony, Freia in Das
Rheingold, and recitals at the Wigmore Hall.
Most recently Anna has sung Messiah with Queensland Symphony,
Mary/Luck in Ross Harris’ Brass Poppies, for New Zealand Festival, High
Priestess (Aida) with the APO, Strauss’ Capriccio (final scene) with
Orchestra Wellington, Mozart’s Mass in C minor with Bach Musica NZ,
Mendelssohn’s Lobgesang (Hymn of Praise), and Symphony No. 2 with
Auckland Choral Society, featured at Nelson’s Opera in the Park, Rotorua’s
Lakeside Concert and SPARKS Christchurch and given recitals in London,
Oxford and at Dunedin Arts Festival. Later this year she will return to
Dunedin Symphony, and Christchurch Symphony, and appear as The
Governess (in Britten’s Turn of the Screw) for New Zealand Opera.
Anna’s recordings include Elgar’s The Apostles, a recital disc with Graham
Johnson, and Haydn: ‘Italian Love Songs’.
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