Susan Bickley

Susan Bickley is a British mezzo-soprano singer who performs in opera, Baroque and contemporary classical music.

Personal life and education Susan Rochford Bickley was born in Liverpool, England. Her father was a primary school deputy headmaster and her mother was a special needs teacher. Her younger brother Graham Bickley is an actor and singer. Bickley and her brother first began singing in church as children, accompanied by their father on the organ. She attended Quarry Bank Comprehensive School She later studied singing with Audrey Langford. In 1984 she married Anthony Castro and they have two children.

Voice Bickley's voice is in the mezzo-soprano range. It has been described as having considerable range and expressivity. When singing the dual roles of Juno and Ino in Handel's Semele with Concerto Köln in 2015, her performance was reviewed in Opera magazine: "... Juno and Ino were both sung by Susan Bickley, a double act which she carried off both vocally and dramatically. Her mezzo tones were smooth and even for the rather downtrodden Ino, and quite ferocious for the vengeful Juno." In May 2011 she received the Singer Award from the Royal Philharmonic Society in recognition of her performance in live classical music in the UK.