Elisabeth Meister (formerly Elizabeth Franklin-Kitchen), Kathleen Ferrier prize winner, trained at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Cardiff International Academy of Voice, where she studied with Dennis O’Neill and received coaching from ROH’s David Gowland, Michael Pollock and Paul Wynne Griffiths, ENO’s Phillip Thomas and WNO’s John Fisher, Andrew Greenwood and Julian Smith. She has participated in masterclasses with Roberta Alexander, Richard Bonynge, Ileana Cotrubas, Jane Eaglen, Della Jones, Philip Langridge, Tina Ruta, Suzanne Murphy, Ingrid Surgenor, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Sarah Walker. She is a recipient of the 2008 Susan Chilcott Scholarship and in 2009 Elisabeth joins the two-year Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
Opera
In 2006 Elisabeth created the lead rôle of Amy Davenport in Pete M Wyer’s Cremenville. Other rôles include Fiordiligi (Cosí Fan Tutte), Elisabetta (cover) (Maria Stuarda) both for English Touring Opera, Countess (Figaro) for Amici Opera, Judith Weir’s King Harald’s Saga (all eight rôles) for the London Contemporary Music Festival, and in 2008 Elisabeth performed the rôles of Mimí (La Bohème) and Marianna (Il Signor Bruschino) for Opera Barga in Tuscany.
Concert
Elisabeth has appeared as a soloist with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under Marin Alsop. She has performed and recorded Mahler’s 4th Symphony at St John’s, Smith Square under George Corbett, Mozart’s Requiem at the Royal Albert Hall under Sir David Willcocks, and a performance of arias from Figaro at St John’s, Smith Square with The Hanover Band, under Paul Brough.
Other recent solo concert appearances include performances of Haydn’s Nelson Mass, Dvorák’s Stabat Mater, Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius and The Kingdom (the latter after which was written of her, “Such poise and confidence…Her rendition of ‘The sun goeth down’ was heart-achingly beautiful, and she was spot on with every nuance of Elgar's pedantically shifting pulse.”), Jenkins’ A Mass for Peace, Mahler’s 4th Symphony, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Mozart’s C Minor Mass, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle and Stabat Mater, Tippett’s A Child of our Time, Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony and Verdi’s Requiem.
Discography
Elisabeth has recorded Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms for Naxos Records, teaming up again with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, under Marin Alsop. She records frequently for the BBC, and has been a guest artist on Radio 3’s In Tune. In 2005 Elisabeth recorded, for Hyperion Records, the soprano solos in Tippet’s A Child of our Time and Mozart’s Requiem under Jeremy Summerly as part of a fundraising concert for the Tsunami Earthquake Appeal. In 2007 she recorded the role of The Mother in Pete M Wyer’s new opera 57 Hours for English National Opera.
4BP
Elisabeth is one half (occasionally two fifths) of the comedy opera duo 4BP. Together with pianist and singer Louisa Ridgway, their highly acclaimed act combines their love for comedy and audience interaction with their passion for opera and song. 4BP have been described as “hilarious”, “incredibly talented”, “exciting” and “fearless”. In 2006 they joined the west end variety show Scarlet Fever, with whom they perform in a number of prestigious venues in and around London.
Reviews
“I believe Elisabeth Meister is a singer of real importance – her ‘Turandot’ is quite stunning
Dennis O’Neill CBE
“A very exciting young singer, she has a glorious voice…she has a tremendous ability to extract the greatest dramatic effect without for one moment overstepping the bounds of good taste – Judith Weir’s one-woman blockbuster King Harald’s Saga was a wondrous achievement!”
Sarah Walker CBE
“[Her] Come Scoglio was absolutely fabulous, terrific!”
Philip Langridge CBE
“Fiordiligi [was] beautifully portrayed by Meister.”
The Opera Critic
“I was thrilled by [Elisabeth's] performance and her evident mastery of the role. Here was a truly beautiful and expressive voice used with great taste and musicianship equal to the demands of this difficult role. The moments of coloratura sung with great panache, the cantabile moments as in Per pietà, sung with tremendous "Innigkeit" and quietly spun tone which had the audience enraptured. Judging by their justifiable enthusiasm after the aria, they were living every moment of it with her. In ensemble she was a very aware and considerate colleague.”
Robert Dean on Fiordiligi (Cosí)
“[Elisabeth] transported us to a musical realm that was simultaneously beautiful, formidable and healing…Her delivery of Musetta's waltz from La Bohème was a total success. Engaging, virtuosic, and passionate.”
José L. Elizondo, composer
“Meister shone in Musetta's aria and wrung the comedy out of Hely-Hutchinsons Old Mother Hubbard.”
The Daily Telegraph
