Connell, Elizabeth (1946- )

Irish mezzo-soprano, later soprano. She made her debut as Varvara (from Katya Kabonová) at Wexford in 1972, then sang with the Australian Opera, and appeared as a mezzo-soprano with the English National Opera Ensemble 1975-80, as Eboli and Herodias. In 1976 she made her debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, as Viclinda in I Lombardi. She sang Ortrud at Bayreuth in 1980, and other mezzo-soprano roles including Lady Macbeth, Venus, Kundry, and La Vestale. She performed in Geneva in 1984, as Norma, and made her New York Metropolitan Opera House debut in 1985, as Vitellia. She returned to Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 1985-86 to sing Leonora in Il trovatore/The Troubadour Leonore in Fidelio. She sang Isolde in concert in London in 1993, and Abigaille in Nabucco at Geneva in 1995.