Cancer claims leading opera teacher, 72
RIPThe popular and influential British soprano Kathryn Harries died this weekend after a prolonged struggle with cancer. An immensely empathetic personality, she was director of the National Opera Studio from 2009 to 2017.
Her singing career embraced more than sixty roles, including Marie in Wozzeck, Judith in Duke Bluebeard’s Castle and Kundry at the Met.
RIP to a fine singer. I’ve enjoyed Kathryn’s artistry in so many productions, going all the way back to the 1980s, when she was regular with WNO.
A wonderful, kind and marvellous artist.
This is sad news. She was a fine singer, teacher and administrator. I first met her in 1985 in Glasgow where she was singing the title role in ‘Hedda Gabler’ and I was covering the role of her husband. Subsequently our lives and careers would intersect the World over. She was totally professional in her performances and encouraged her colleagues to give of their best at all times. She will be remembered fondly.
And I see the Guardian has announced the death of John Dobson. That truly seems to be the end of an era! I imagine we will see an appreciation of him soon on this site.
A wonderful musician, colleague and friend. Kathryn will be hugely missed by all of us who were lucky enough to know her or be touched by her artistry.
I shall always be grateful to Kathryn Harries for taking me on as a student while she was a full time opera star. This was some years before she took up the National Opera Studio and I was her sole pupil having approached her in a pub and asked for a consultation. She was infinitely generous and kind and intelligent. I shall never forget the warmth and dramatic insight of her Sieglinde.
This is very sad news. Kathryn Harries was an accomplished opera singer and singing teacher. A very kind lady who gave much time to raising funds for a number of charities.
A talented, hard-working and compassionate person.
http://www.bruceduffie.com/harries.html
Lovely interview with her and Bruce Duffie in Chicago transcribed from WNIB radio station.
Remembered with much affection. A remarkable artist and a good friend.
So shocked and very saddened at the news that our beloved friend and golden singer has passed away!
We were flower maidens together on her very first job in the opera scene, Parsifal, at WNO. She was an extraordinary colleague! Sadly missed , what more can I say? Much love , Kathryn from Rita Cullis and Richard Kauffman. xx
That was indeed her debut. I was Klingsor and I remember it well. She then sang Leonora in Fidelio when I sang Pizarro. It was a startling performance. She was made for the stage. A lovely lady and fabulous singer.
So very sad to hear this,I was of her generation,and sang with her on many occasions. She was a total,but kind and compassionte colleague. RIP ❤️
So sorry to hear about Kathryn Harries – a beautiful, funny and talented lady. A wonderful performer and a matchless teacher.
So so sad that my wonderful, beautiful, incredibly talented singing teacher has passed away. We last worked together in February, on the role of Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos – a role I am currently covering at Garsington Opera. Kathryn, you are in, and will forever be, in every note. ❤️
I find it hard to find the words to express my deep sorrow over Kathryn’s death. She was a wonderful artist and a generous colleague and friend. We spent a long time together at WNO getting to grips with the Ring, with her singing her first Sieglinde in a complete cycle and me as Brünnhilde. It was hard work, but there was also much fun and laughter. My husband remembers his surprise at discovering the two of us at a Cardiff furniture auction during a rehearsal lunch-break, bidding away and completely oblivious of the cloud of cigarette and pipe smoke produced by fellow bidders that was enveloping us. After Wales came complete Ring cycles of a new co-production for Nice Opera and the Théatre de Champs-Elysées in Paris, when we shared a flat for two and half months of rehearsals without a cross word between us – not bad going for a pair of ambitious sopranos!
Dearest Kathryn. I see you up there knocking a bunch of Angels into Valkyries. You were always an inspiring force of nature.
So sorry to hear of her death. She sang the role of Eva in Meistersinger at ENO in about 1986, the first opera my wife and I went to (we were a little surprised it started at 4.30pm and finished at 10pm, but we assumed all operas did). It was her acting that set her apart from many singers. In concert, before singing an aria, she would put the fingers of both hands together, look briefly at the floor, and she immediately absorbed the essence of the character she was portraying. We went to the first annual Coverwood Concert she set up (a friend we bumped into said he was surprised to see us, he had been told it was for the great and good of Surrey) and again every year after that. If there was an ENO performance with her in it, we would go, also to her performances at ROH.
I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of my friend and colleague Kathryn Harries . She was a shining example to us all ,I remember her performances at WNO and at ROH Covent Garden which were extraordinary .Vale