Soprano Susan Bullock Bestowed With Order Of The British Empire

"Opera singer Susan Bullock holds her Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) medal which was presented to her by The Princess Royal, for services to opera, during an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace, 13 February 2015." [Source] Read more about the soprano after the jump.

QE2 to Be Celebrated with Britten's "Gloriana" for Jubilee

Her Majesty (Photo: Annie Leibovitz)

"The Royal Opera House will mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation with a new staging of Benjamin Britten's opera Gloriana, which explores the relationship between the aging Queen Elizabeth I and the Earl of Essex. The work, poorly received when it first appeared in 1953, will be directed by Richard Jones, the man behind Anna Nicole, the Royal Opera House's controversial opera about the life of celebrity Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith. The 2013 production will also mark the centenary of Britten's birth in 1913. Susan Bullock will sing the role of the 'Virgin Queen' while Toby Spence will portray the "hot-headed" Essex, the opera house said Wednesday. The opera includes a 'haunting' scene in which the queen meditates on her reign and on death." [Source]

Susan Bullock Versatile as Brünnhilde and Mother Abbess

(Photo: Anne-Marie Le BlÇ)

This summer, dramatic soprano Susan Bullock takes on the role of Brünnhilde in Acts 2 & 3 of Wagner's Die Walküre for the Manchester International Festival on July 15 under conductor Sir Mark Elder. She then makes her way to the BBC Proms Festival for August 13 performances of this year's first "Comedy Prom" hosted by Tim Minchin. The highlight will be the "Last Night of the Proms" on September 10 when she will sing the Immolation Scene from Wagner's Götterdämmerung, "Climb Every Mountain" from The Sound of Music and "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Carousel (both musicals are by Richard Rogers). The evening will end with her leading Arne's "Rule Britannia."

With the BBC coverage of the BBC Proms, singing isnt' the thing the soprano is most concerned about, “...everyone asks me now is ‘What are you going to wear?’ If I had a pound for every time that’s been said, I’d be a rich lady!” [Source]