Mary Nelson

Vocal Studies professor

Born in Northern Ireland, Mary studied at The Royal Academy of Music where she was elected a Fellow in 2019.

Mary was appointed as a company principal with English National Opera, where her roles included 'Susanna', 'Pamina', 'Dalinda', 'Atalanta' , 'Belinda', 'The Fairy Queen' (including performances in the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona) and Lucia in David McVicar’s production of The Rape of Lucretia for ENO and the Aldeburgh Festival, which was also broadcast on BBC 2. Other roles include 'Carolina' in The Secret Marriage for Opera North, 'Ismene' in Mitridate for the Classical Opera Comapany and 'Piacere' in Il trionfo del Tempo e de Disinganno for The Early Opera Company, 'Gilda', 'Micaela' and 'Nedda'. She also performed Poulenc’s Gloria at The Royal Opera House.

An experienced oratorio and concert soloist, Mary has performed Mozarts Requiem and Bachs St. Matthew Passion with the City of London Sinfonia, Vivaldis La Senna Festeggiante with The Kings Consort in The Netherlands and Spain, Purcells Dido and Aeneas and Handels Gloria with the Irish Chamber Orchestra and Bachs St. John Passion with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

In addition she has performed Mozarts C Minor Mass, Bachs Magnificat and Vivaldis Gloria with the English Chamber Orchestra, Handels Messiah with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Orffs Carmina Burana with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Handels Athalia with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Engagements have also included performances of Handels Alexanders Feast with the Music of the Baroque in Chicago, Mozarts Requiem with the Halle, Mozarts Regina Coeli with The Academy of Ancient Music, Brahms Requiem with the Dutch Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hansel and Gretel and Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Nights Dream for the BBC Proms, Mozarts Exsultate Jubilate with the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra, Faure's Requiem with the Northern Sinfonia, Handel's Messiah with the Brno Philharmonic, Britten's Les Illuminations with the Israel Camerata, Mahler’s 4th Symphony with the RTE Symphony Orchestra and Haydn’s Creation with The Prague Philharmonic. She has collaborated with conductors such as Sir Richard Hickox, Jakub Hrusa, Nicholas McGegan, Thierry Fischer, Christian Curnyn, Jane Glover, Takuo Yuasa, Paul Daniel, Harry Christophers, Harry Bicket and John Nelson.

An experienced recitalist, Mary has given concerts at the Wigmore Hall and also undertook a recital tour of Argentina to great critical acclaim. Her recordings include Vivaldi Cantatas with The
Band of Instruments, Mendelssohns Symphony 2 and Songs by Georg Schumann.

In 2015, Mary became a Professor of Singing at the Royal Academy of Music.

Faculties / departments: Vocal Studies