Sophie Bevan

Sophie Anna Magdalena Bevan (born 1983) is a British lyric soprano appearing in concerts, recitals, and opera.

Early life Bevan was born in Somerset in 1983, the first-born of eight siblings. Her father was a singer and all of her siblings are musically gifted. Her father was one of 14 siblings; they formed a choir under the direction of her grandfather. “They formed the Bevan Family Choir”, performing and making records.

Bevan appeared as Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier for English National Opera; the title role in The Cunning Little Vixen for Welsh National Opera; Susana Le Nozze di Figaro for Garsington Opera; Michal Saul for Glyndebourne Festival Opera; and Waldvogel Siegfried, Pamina and Ilia for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Engagements include Susana and Antigone Oedipe at Covent Garden; concerts with the Sao Paulo State Symphony, CBSO, and recitals at the Wigmore Hall; Pamina for the Teatro Real, Madrid. Her debut at the Salzburg Festival as Beatrice in the world première of Thomas Adès’ The Exterminating Angel met with good reviews. She sang that role in her debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York.

Sophie is also the recipient of the 2010 Critics’ Circle award for Exceptional Young Talent, The Times Breakthrough Award at the 2012 South Bank Sky Arts Awards and the Young Singer award at the 2013 inaugural International Opera Awards.

Bevan was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to music.

Operatic repertoire Gluck: La clemenza di Tito (Publio) Handel: Riccardo I (Costanza) Monteverdi: L'Incoronazione di Poppea (Poppea/Amor) Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro (Susanna/Barbarina); Don Giovanni (Zerlina); Così fan tutte (Despina); Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots (Worldly Spirit) Vivaldi: L'Incoronazione di Dario (Alinda)

Personal life Sophie Bevan is married to conductor and composer Ryan Wigglesworth. They have two children.

Discography Perfido! (with Ian Page (conductor) and The Mozartists), Signum Records (2017) Max Reger: Songs (with Malcolm Martineau (Hyperion Records, CDA68057, 2016) Paul Carr: Requiem For An Angel (with Mark Stone - baritone, Chorus Angelorum, the Bath Philharmonia, Gavin Carr - conductor), Stone Records (2010) Hail Windsor, Crown'd with lofty towers - with Café Mozart (Derek McCulloch), DanubiaDiscs CM003, 2005 Haydn & the Earl of Abingdon - with Café Mozart (Derek McCulloch), Naxos 8.570525, 2007 Begone dull care! Music from Jane Austen's library - with Box&Fir Co (Jenny Thomas), DanubiaDiscs DD006, 2009