RUTH THEOBALD

CONTRALTO

Ruth Theobald is a true contralto and is well established as a leading oratorio and recital soloist. Her rare contralto voice has a wonderfully rich, dark tone.

Ruth sings throughout the U.K. and abroad for many choral societies, festivals, music clubs and orchestras. Her repertoire includes most of the major oratorio compositions - Handel's Messiah, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Verdi,s Requiem and Bach,s B minor Mass, St. John and St, Matthew Passions alongside solo songs, lieder and chamber cantatas.

She regularly sings at summer, outdoor "Gala Spectacular" concerts with major symphony orchestras at some of Britains  finest country houses. These include Castle Howard, Longleat, Leighton House, Weston Park, Belton House and Stratfield Saye.

Ruth also performs regularly with the international concert pianist John Briggs. Together they have given many lieder recitals and concerts of operatic arias. These include Wagner,s Wesendonk Lieder sung in their original form for voice and piano.

Ruth has also recorded several CDs with John and produced video programmes with him.

Following an interest in early music, Ruth helped found and sings with the Habsburg. This ensemble specializes in 18th century Viennese music from the Habsburg court. She is also a founder member of Platform 4, ensemble in residence at Staffordshire University.

Opera is also important to Ruth. She performs both in the U.K. and Europe. Her operatic debut was as Mrs. Noye in Britten's Noye's Fludde and she has performed at the Musica Nel Chiostro opera festival, Batignano, Italy, in Stradella,s Salome.

Before singing full time, Ruth was a professional oboist. She performed regularly as an oboe soloist and also played with several professional orchestras and chamber ensembles.

Ruth began her musical studies at the Royal Northern College of Music. After appearing as a wind finalist on television in the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, she continued her training at the Royal Academy of Music, in London. She studied the oboe with Janet Craxton and Celia Nicklin.

While at the Academy she also made an extensive study of Lieder with the renowned accompanist David Willison.

Ruth,s vocal training started, and continues, with her present teacher, Myra Ross, who is one of the countries leading Bel Canto experts.

In 1983 Ruth won the mezzo-soprano/contralto section at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod - one of the few singing competitions she has entered. When not in London, Ruth lives on a small Staffordshire farm and enjoys working with the animals and spending time in her garden.