For the past few years Emma Bell has slowly become one of the leading dramatic sopranos of her generation. Making a transition from Mozart’s leading ladies those of Wagner, she has garnered acclaim and this week she returns to the Glyndebourne festival for another major role debut.

Bell will have the honor of bringing Barber’s “Vanessa” to the UK for the first time in her role debut. Known as the operatic thriller from the age of Hitchcock, Barber’s Pulitzer Prize-winning first opera boasts one of the 20th century’s most beautiful scores and is known for its iconic soprano role, which has been performed by some of today’s leading ladies. Bell will no doubt have much success as she uses “her beautifully molding and coloring (Harrison Parrot)” to create an unforgettable portrayal of Vanessa.

And for those not in the United Kingdom to see her role debut, Glyndebourne is set to stream the work on August 14 and it will also be live in cinemas as well throughout the UK.

Recordings 

For those not familiar with Bell’s work, she has a recording of Britten’s “The Turn of the Screw” from the Glyndebourne Festival and there is also a recording of Handel’s “Saul” with Harmonia Mundi. And check out this clip of Bell singing from Mozart’s “Idomeneo.”