British born mezzo-soprano Elspeth Franks
is pleased to make her debut performance with City Concert Opera Orchestra in
the role of Erato in Gluck’s Il Parnaso confuso.
She made her European debut in 2005 singing Haydn’s Harmoniemesse in Munich, Prague, Budapest, and Vienna. Named a Virginia Best Adams Fellow at
the Carmel Bach Festival in 2002 and 2003, Ms. Franks will return there in 2005
as a soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and the seldom-heard Trauer-Kantate. She recently made her
debut with the Virginia Opera in the role of Prince Orlovsky (Die Feldermaus), and with the Mark
Morris Dance Group in the role of Commère (Four
Saints in Three Acts). As a young artist with the Florida Grand Opera, she
was heard in the role of Bianca (The
Rape of Lucretia), the Aunt (Madama
Butterfly), and as Mrs. Nolan (The
Medium).
Elspeth is
familiar to Bay Area audiences, having appeared as a soloist with Philharmonia
Baroque Orchestra, the Berkeley Symphony, the San Francisco Bach Choir, the
Sacramento Opera, the Bear Valley Music Festival, the West Marin Music
Festival, Rogue Opera (Oregon), Rimrock Opera (Montana), West Bay Opera, and Pocket Opera.