Coming Soon, Introducing Greta Bradman…

I was rather excited to receive a sneak preview of a Decca Classics's latest signing earlier this week, shortly after she finished recording her debut album, My Hero, for the label in London with veteran bel canto conductor Richard Bonynge and the English Chamber Orchestra: the young Adelaide-born soprano Greta Bradman (grand-daughter of cricketing legend Donald 'The Don'!) already possesses a rare combination of agility, dramatic power and range of vocal colours that recalls Bonynge's late wife Joan Sutherland, and should allow her to tackle a similarly wide range of repertoire.

Five years into a career which has so far been based on the concert-stage rather than in the opera-house, Greta has performed and recorded widely in her native Australia (including collaborations with some of the country's foremost composers such as the late Peter Sculthorpe) where she's already attracted critical attention for the 'distinctive colours and enunciation' (Canberra Times), 'richness and depth' (The Australian) and 'flawless intonation and fluid phrasing (Sydney Morning Herald) which characterise her singing. A move to Cardiff in 2013 to study with the great Welsh tenor Dennis O'Neill at the Wales International Academy of Voice brought her to the notice of Bonynge, who works closely with the Academy and was captivated by her 'old-fashioned bel canto sound – the sort we only dream about today'.

Following an acclaimed role-debut in the title-role of Handel's Rodelinda in October at the Melbourne Recital Centre (conducted by Bonynge and prepared from the vocal score used by Sutherland herself, who sang the role regularly for almost three decades), Greta's forthcoming disc will include excerpts from this opera as well as Die Zauberflöte, Il Trovatore, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Norma, I Vespri Siciliani and Carmen and lighter fare including 'When you wish upon a star' and Michael William Balfe's 'I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls' (a Sutherland staple!).

My Hero is due out in August on Decca Classics.