The mezzo-soprano and harpist, Rachel Ann Morgan, was born and brought up in a Welsh-speaking family in Cardiff, Wales. She began to play the harp at the age of nine and won several harp competitions in Wales. She read Music at the University of Bristol, then studied harp and singing at the Royal Conservatory of Music in The Hague. For five years she was harpist of the Netherlands Ballet Orchestra before embarking on a singing career which started at the Opera Studio of the Netherlands Opera Company. She has performed many opera roles, including the title roles in Rossini’s La Cenerentola and Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia and the role of Minerva in Monteverdi’s opera Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria with the Netherlands Opera in Amsterdam and in New York.

In 1994 she awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for her services to British cultural interests in The Netherlands.

Opera, oratorio and song recitals
As well as singing opera and oratorio she has given many song recitals, accompanied by Tan Crone, Rudolf Jansen, Edward Witsenburg, David Selig and Marjès Benoist, in repertoire ranging from Purcell to twentieth century composers, and was awarded the Silver Garland by the Friends of the Concertgebouw for performance of lieder. She has become well known for her concerts in which she accompanies herself on the concert harp and the Celtic harp.

Rachel Ann Morgan Recordings
She has made many recordings, including three solo CDs for Etcetera accompanying herself on a Celtic harp and a  concert harp .  In 1989 the first complete recording of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas with its Prologue, was released on CD by Globe featuring Rachel Ann Morgan as Dido. In 1994 she recorded a world premiere disc of songs by the rediscovered Dutch composer, Anna Cramer…read more >

Extracts from international reviews

“Sweet indeed: Rachel Ann Morgan sings both simply and beautifully, and plays the harp (on this occasion a splendidly resonant Celtic one) in similar fashion. The result is a very great pleasure for the ear.”
GRAMOPHONE (UK)

“One is immediately struck by the true line of Miss Morgan’s singing and her beautifully clear diction. Anyone who enjoys folk music with a touch of refinement will enjoy this program.”
AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE (USA)

“Morgan is not only a harpist of quality. She has a magnificent mezzo-soprano voice with a golden and alluring timbre, which she uses with emotion, expression and feeling.”
REPERTOIRE (FRANCE)
…read more reviews >