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Gladys Ripley

Gladys Ripley (Contralto)

Born: 9th July 1908, London, England

Died: 21st December 1955, Chichester, England

Nationality: English

English contralto Gladys Ripley was born in Essex in 1908 and was essentially a self-taught singer, whose career was launched in 1925 when she sang Elijah under Albert Coates at the Royal Albert Hall; oratorio (particular the role of the Angel in Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius) would play a significant role throughout her career, though she sang regularly at the Royal Opera House, where appearances included Schwertleite in Die Walküre under Wilhelm Furtwängler, with Kirsten Flagstad as Brünnhilde.

Ripley’s discography includes Vaughan Williams’s Serenade to Music (with the composer conducting), Gerontious under Sir Malcolm Sargent (‘Ripley is a natural and communicative Angel, her flexible and appealing tone always a pleasure’ – Gramophone Guide), and Sea Pictures with the London Symphony Orchestra and George Weldon.

Ripley died of breast cancer whilst still in her forties, two years after the same illness claimed her contemporary and fellow contralto Kathleen Ferrier.

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