Greevy, Bernadette (1939–)

Irish mezzo-soprano. Born in Dublin, Ireland, Aug 29, 1939; 6th of 7 children of Josephine (Miller) and Patrick Joseph Greevy; educated at Holy Faith Convent, Clontarf, Dublin and at Guildhall School of Music, London; studied privately with Helene Isepp and later with Nadia Boulanger in Paris; married Peter A. Tattan, 1965 (died Mar 1983); children: one son (b. 1967).

Made professional debut in Dublin (1961) and performed at the Wexford Festival in Mascagni's L'Amico Fritz (1962); made London debut at Wigmore Hall (1964); returned to Wexford in Massenet's Hérodiade and also sang Laura in Ponchielli's La Gioconda in Dublin and Geneviève in Debussy's Pelléas et Melisande at Covent Garden; forged fruitful working relationships with Hungarian conductor Tibor Paul and Radio Eireann Symphony Orchestra in Dublin, and with Sir John Barbirolli and the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester (1960s); with Barbirolli, performed works with which she became particularly associated, notably Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen and the Angel in Elgar's Dream of Gerontius; best known for her recordings of Elgar and Mahler, also made several recordings of French songs, including Berlioz and Duparc; created roles in works by leading Irish composers: Bodley's Meditations on lines from Patrick Kavanagh (1971), A Girl (1978) and The Naked Flame (1987), Boydell's A Terrible Beauty is Born (1965), and Victory's requiem cantata Ultima Rerum (1984); gave the 1st in what was to be a regular series of master classes at National Concert Hall in Dublin (1984).