Natalie
Christie was born in Melbourne, Australia, began her vocal studies at the
Victorian College of the Arts in 1993, and was the recipient of numerous
awards and prizes. In 1996 she was accepted into the Australian National
Academy of Music Vocal Program in Brisbane under the auspices of Dame Joan
Sutherland. Natalie Christie has performed with Opera Australia, the
Melbourne International Festival of the Arts, and the Victorian Arts Centre
Celebration Series. She has recorded and broadcast in her native Australia
and for RTE Ireland.
Now based
in London, she studied in the Opera Course at the Guildhall School of Music
and Drama (studying with Rudolf Piernay), supported by The Countess of
Munster Musical Trust and Sybil Tutton Award from the Musicians' Benevolent
Fund. In 1998 she was awarded the Miriam Licette Scholarship for advanced
study in France and was a finalist in the Kathleen Ferrier Awards.
In
concert she has sung Handel's "Jephtha" with RIAS Berlin and Marcus Creed,
Mahler's 4th Symphony with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Dennis
Russell Davies and made her debut at the 1998 Aldeburgh Festival with Skip
Sempé and Capriccio Stravagante.
Her first
UK opera performances included Musetta in “La Boheme” for British Youth
Opera and Miss Wordsworth in “Albert Herring” at the Guildhall. She sang
Susanna ("Le nozze di Figaro") in her debut with Opera Australia and was
soprano soloist in Bach’s “St. John Passion” in her debut with English
National Opera.
Natalie
Christie was a principal artist of Welsh National Opera and the first
recipient of the WNO Sir John Moores Award. Her roles with WNO have
included Constance ("The Carmelites), Sophie (“Der Rosenkavalier”), Euridice
(Gluck’s “Orfeo”), Pamina (“Die Zauberflöte”), Marzelline (“Leonora”), Adele
(“Die Fledermaus”), Adina (“L’elisir d’amore”), Zerlina and Susanna (“Le
Nozze di Figaro”). She made her debut with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden as
Zerlina (“Don Giovanni”) under Sir Charles Mackerras. Her engagements
include Susanna for Opera Australia.
