SINGER MARGARET BRIDGE IS VOICE OF NORTHERN IRELAND
AFTER A weekend of intense coaching and rehearsals, mezzo-soprano Margaret Bridge from Bray won Northern Ireland Opera’s Festival of Voice competition, hosted in the picturesque seaside town of Glenarm.
The singer was awarded the Deborah Voigt Opera Prize, named after the internationally-acclaimed American opera singer. Margaret performed Que fais-tu blanche tourterelle from Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette among others and was chosen from a highly competitive field of young singers by a jury of world-renowned opera professionals.
Northern Irish soprano Catherine Donnelly won the audience prize. Both singers receive a scholarship to the Canto Al Serchio summer school 2019, founded by Northern Ireland-born baritone Bruno Caproni and pianist Julian Evans.
‘I’m delighted and honoured to have been named the Deborah Voigt Opera Prize winner 2018 at NI Opera’s Festival of Voice,’ said Margaret. ‘I had a wonderful and inspiring four days in Glenarm working with the team of internationally-renowned coaches. The atmosphere over the entire weekend was so supportive and collaborative, and this award is truly just the icing on the cake of an incredible weekend of music-making!’
Margaret just returned home from three years in Boston where she completed graduate studies in opera performance.
Since returning home, I have been busy performing with Opera Collective Ireland at the Kilkenny Arts festival, a performance which got five stars in the Financial Times, and which was then repeated in the Pavilion in Dun Laoghaire.