London-based mezzo soprano Vivien Conacher trained on the Opera Works scheme at English National Opera (2013-14) and at the Royal College of Music, where she completed a Masters in Vocal Performance (with Distinction) in 2012. She is also an alumna of the Oxford Lieder Festival Mastercourse with Roger Vignoles (2013) and the prestigious Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme (2014 and 2016).
Her roles include Rivka Fiddler on the Roof alongside Bryn Terfel (Grange Park Opera and BBC Proms 2015), Sorceress Dido and Aenaes (Bowes Muesum 2016), Filippyevna Eugene Onegin (Bloomsbury Opera 2012, and cover for Grange Park Opera 2015), Hortense Koanga by Delius (Wexford Festival Opera 2015), Penelope (cover) Il Ritorno di Ulisse in Patria (Iford Arts Festival 2014), and Wild Goose and Moppet (cover) Paul Bunyan (British Youth Opera 2013). She has also performed in the chorus for Opera Australia in both the 2015 and 2016 summer seasons.
On the concert platform, Vivien has appeared as a soloist for the Iford Arts Festival, Bloomsbury Festival, St-Martin-in-the-Fields lunchtime recital series, Pacific Opera, and The Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Foundation in Sydney.
Vivien grew up in Sydney, Australia and trained in dance and singing from an early age. She attended a performing arts high school and as a soprano, won awards in singing competitions such as the Sydney Eisteddfod, where at 17 years of age she was a finalist in the Joan Sutherland Society Vocal Scholarship. Vivien also performed a variety of musical theatre roles throughout school and university, including Maria (West Side Story), Yum-Yum (The Mikado), Euridice (Venetian Twins), and Miss Bell (Loves Lessons Learned – World Premiere). She transitioned to singing mezzo soprano repertoire in 2010.
In addition to her postgraduate vocal studies, Vivien holds a Bachelor of Arts (English) degree (with Distinction) and Bachelor of Music degree (also with Distinction) from the University of New South Wales, Sydney.
Vivien is grateful to the Tait Memorial Trust, Tillet Trust, Kathleen Trust, PPCA Performers’ Trust Foundation, and Opera & Arts Support Group, Sydney for their generous support of her training.