Anna-Louise Cole
Anna-Louise Cole
[SYDNEY]
Hailed as “an exceptional young soprano” by Opera Magazine and one of the “next generation” of Australian opera singers, Anna-Louise Cole is a young dramatic soprano, and currently a member of Opera Australia’s Moffat Oxenbould Young Artist Program. She has also been nominated as one of Australia’s 21 Hottest Creative Artists of 2021 by The Australian.
In 2020 Anna-Louise will make her role debut as Sieglinde in Opera Australia’s new Ring Cycle, and will understudy the role of Brünnhilde in all operas.
For Opera Australia, Anna-Louise made her title role debut as Aïda for Griffith Opera on the Beach in 2017. She has also performed the roles of Crobyle in Thaïs, Gerhilde in Die Walküre and the Dritte Norn in Götterdämmerung in the 2016 Melbourne Ring, and was nominated for a 2017 Green Room Award for best Female in a Supporting Role for these performances.
In 2018 she made her debut in the Joan Sutherland Theatre at the Sydney Opera House as a soloist in Opera Australia’s Great Opera Hits concert series. In 2019 Anna-Louise continued regular concert appearances for Opera Australia at the Sydney Opera House, with the Opera Australia Orchestra at Mazda Opera in the Domain, broadcast live on ABC Classic FM and with Orchestra Victoria at Mazda Opera in the Bowl.
For Opera Australia, Anna-Louise has understudied the title roles in Turandot, Salome and Aïda, Sieglinde in Die Walküre and Praskovia Osipovna / Bubliki / Presenter in Shostakovich’s The Nose.
As the winner of Opera Foundation for young Australians Vienna State Opera Award, Anna-Louise worked in the principal ensemble of the Wiener Staatsoper from January–June 2017, where she performed the role of Melanie in the new Kinderoper Patchwork, and understudied numerous roles including the title role in Tosca, Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) and Amelia (Un Ballo in Maschera).
With other companies, Anna-Louise has performed roles including the title role in Tosca, Erste Dame (Die Zauberflöte) and der Friedensbote (Rienzi) with companies including the Victorian Opera and Melbourne Opera.
Anna-Louise has appeared in numerous opportunities on the concert platform and in recital in Melbourne, Sydney and Vienna. Highlights have included performances of the soprano solos in Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Mozart’s Mass in B Minor and recitals of operatic arias and Lieder, including Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder and Berg’s Sieben frühe Lieder.
“...Signalling what should be more big roles to come, soprano Anna-Louise Cole is exquisite in the title role as Aida…, depicting her with an affecting multi-dimensional spirit that captures everything from the gently feminine to the defiant and coercive... ”
Anna-Louise stars alongside Natalie Aroyan, Diego Torre, the Opera Australia Chorus, the Opera Australia Orchestra and Chorus in Opera is back: our longest interval is finally over, a short musical film celebrating our return to the stage, featuring some of our treasured artists and staff members. Anna-Louise performs the aria Dich, teure Halle from Wagner’s Tannhäuser with the Opera Australia Orchestra, conducted by Tahu Matheson.
ROLES
For further information please visit the artist’s profile on the Opera Australia website.
Sieglinde, Die Walküre (under preparation)
Brünnhilde, Die Walküre, Siegfried & Götterdämmerung (under preparation)
Title role, Aida
Third Norn, Götterdämmerung
Gerhilde, Die Walküre
Title role, Tosca
Crobyle, Thaïs
Melanie, Patchwork (Kinderoper)
Title role, Salome (understudied)
Title role, Turandot (understudied)
Amelia, Un Ballo in Maschera (understudied)
Donna Anna, Don Giovanni (understudied)
TRAINING
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Anna-Louise holds a BA Hons in German and a BMus Hons in Music Performance (Voice) from the University of Melbourne. During her degrees, Anna-Louise also studied at the Kunst Universität Graz, Austria and Karl-Ludwigs Universität, in Freiburg, Germany, through scholarships from Melbourne Abroad and the Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst.
AWARDS
Anna-Louise was nominated for a Green Room Award in 2017, for best Female in a Supporting Role for the roles of Gerhilde/Third Norn in The Ring Cycle (Opera Australia).
She has been a winner and finalist in many singing competitions, including the Opera Foundation for Young Australians’ Vienna State Opera Award, AIMS and Sundell Study Awards, the Elizabeth Connell International Singing Competition for Dramatic Sopranos, the Herald Sun Aria, the German Opera Scholarship and the Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship.
REVIEWS
Aïda, Opera Australia, September 2017
“Signalling what should be more big roles to come, soprano Anna-Louise Cole is exquisite in the title role as Aida…, depicting her with an affecting multi-dimensional spirit that captures everything from the gently feminine to the defiant and coercive.”
“Cole sings with highly attractive vocal richness, expression and poise while exhibiting an easy comfort across a broad range to elevate the demands on every account.”
“If there was just one moment to keep close in Cole’s performance, it would be the burning tenderness brought to Act 3’s Qui Radamès verra .. O patria mia / “Oh, my dear country!”, in which Aida waits for Radamès outside the Temple of Isis on the eve of his wedding to Amneris, daughter of the King of Egypt. The crowd acknowledged it enthusiastically.”
“In fact, Act 3’s entirety is a riveting and emotion-charged highlight both in direction and delivery, centring around Aida’s cornered heart that faces loyalty to her father Amonasro and love for Radamès.”
Paul Selar, The Opera Chaser, 1 October 2017
Thaïs, Opera Australia, July 2017
“Anna-Louise Cole and Anna Yun’s liquid mocking laughter at Athanael in the first act was delightful and richly deserved…”
Peter McCallum, Sydney Morning Herald, 24 July 2017
“Anna-Louise Cole and Anna Yun were wonderful in the thankless roles of Thaïs’ fellow courtesans…”
Deen Hamaker, Sounds Like Sydney, July 2017
The Melbourne Ring, Opera Australia, November – December 2016
“The local cast provided, among others, splendid Rhinemaidens, Valkyries and Norns (note the name Anna-Louise Cole, an exceptional young soprano)…”
Deborah Jones, Opera Magazine UK, February 2017
“As the three Norns, Tania Ferris, Jacqueline Dark and Anna-Louise Cole sewed up an ominous start with nurturing vocal care with Cole’s gleaming soprano projecting superbly in particular…
Paul Selar, Herald Sun, 29 November 2016
“Tania Ferris, Jacqueline Dark and Anna-Louise Cole begin the evening’s musical splendour with gentle, sweet singing as the Norns gossip away their workday…Emerging soprano Cole portends a promising future, delivering luscious golden tones.”
Simon Parris, Man in Chair, 29 November 2016
“The Norns are nearly as successful… Anna-Louise Cole reveals a Wagnerian soprano to be reckoned with as Third Norn”
Clive Paget, Limelight, 29 November 2016
“Amidst a war-weary looking press of humanity trudging on the revolving stage Neil Armfield had fallen heroes laid low then Valkyries descend from trapezes to collect them. Of the eight Valkyries it is difficult to single out any for special mention since they all sang well and acted with fiery conviction. It was, however, particularly exciting to hear the next generation of Australian singers make such a favourable impression; Anna-Louise Cole for one is definitely a new talent to watch further.”
Heather Leviston, Classic Melbourne, 3 December 2016
Tosca – Sydney Independent Opera / Opera Van Diemensland, September 2015
“Anna-Louise Cole’s beautiful soprano voice brings vibrant anguish to this cunningly staged production of Puccini’s story about love, jealousy, gloating lust and violent retribution. The theatre resonates with the carefully controlled notes that ring of her obvious passion for her art and her wide training and experience. From her very first aria, where jealousy fights against love and devotion, to the desolate grief of the finale, Cole gives a thrilling performance.”
Carol Wimmer, Stage Whispers, 9 October 2015
“Cole sang Vissi’ d’arte with poise and elegance, and she is no doubt a talented singer with a large voice which was possibly too large for the Independent Theatre with its extremely resonant acoustic … overall this was a very good performance.”
Eliza Eggler, Australian Stage, 15 October 2015