138:. June's last professional appearance as a singer came in 1983 and retired the following year to enter into a coaching role for the next generation of singers. She also taught with various musical organisations and brought her opera experience to directing productions until 1999.
178:, she met the composer in person and encouraged her to take formal lessons. June's first lessons came when she was 16 with the contralto Kate Opperman. In an interview in 2005, she described her as "the founder of my voice". She studied at the
134:. June left the company in 1963 and also won a gold medal at the Sofia International Competition for young opera singers. She rejoined Sadler's Wells Opera seven years later and made her first performance in the United States in 1974 with the
802:
952:
564:
to a quieter location in
Twickenham Green. June passed on her experience to the younger generation of signers of the English National Opera as a coach and also gave masterclasses for several organisations including the
341:
to
Bulgaria to take part in the Sofia International Competition for young opera singers, winning the gold medal, and giving her wider recognition. At the start of the 1963 season, she sang the part of Agathe in
514:'s Otello in Lohengrin's armour. Among her final assignments for the English National Opera (renamed from Sadler's Wells Opera in 1974), were the creations of roles for her of Grande Blanche in
1023:
942:
1129:
647:. Following the death of her husband of more than 30 years, the architectural engineer David Cooper in 1982, she became an active member of the London Spiritual Mission in
791:
1169:
1134:
218:
in 1955. June's performances in the chorus led to her appointment as a principal soloist for the 1957–58 season. Her solo career began with “a promising
Musetta” in
842:
1124:
628:
416:
214:
chorus. June was initially a mezzo but was later persuaded by her teacher Clive Carey to switch to soprano roles. She won the Queen's Prize at the
522:
in 1977. June's final years with the
English National Opera saw her return to mezzo-soprano rules, and she played the role as a strident Katy in
602:
582:
753:
566:
456:
130:(now called the English National Opera). She joined the Opera in 1953 and switched from a mezzo to soprano on the persuasion of her teacher
994:
1159:
1149:
890:
362:
towards the conclusion of 1964. She left Sadler Wells Opera in 1963. June's 1965 performance as the countess in the production of
1144:
652:
1164:
1154:
1044:
586:
373:
269:
159:. Her father, George Oliver Wiggins, was a tailor and carpenter and her mother, Violet Grace, was an employee of the
1139:
419:'s production with Mackerras acting as the conductor. She rejoined Sadlers' Wells Opera in 1970 as a member of the
792:"Ava June; Operatic soprano and principal with Sadler's Wells Opera who excelled in the works of Wagner and Verdi"
1114:
590:
832:
532:
with
Mackerras again acting as conductor. She created and played Countess Vronskaya in the world premiere of
1109:
273:
644:
383:
881:"Ava June obituary; Leading soprano who moved freely between Romantic Italian opera, Mozart and Strauss"
484:
She made her first appearance in the United States in 1974 as Ellen Orford in a production of
Britten's
655:, London from sepsis brought about by an infection and pneumonia on 22 February 2013 at the age of 81.
282:
with concert performances in
Edinburgh and Glasgow. Also in 1960, June participated in a production of
261:
1119:
743:
288:
593:
in
Manchester in 1985 and remained in the post for the next fourteen years. June's pupils included
537:
533:
310:
151:
She was born Ava June
Wiggins on 23 July 1931 at the East End Maternity Home, Commercial Road, in
1028:
640:
501:
349:
1036:
984:
401:. June was united with her mentor Joan Cross the next year and reprised her 1965 performance of
578:
515:
434:
364:
304:
215:
211:
127:
1066:
570:
461:
315:
293:
528:
1104:
1099:
748:
433:
and her voice was heard on the recording. She sang Frau
Schomberg in the world premiere of
392:
126:(23 July 1931 — 22 February 2013) was an English opera singer noted for her roles with the
611:
523:
8:
943:"Ava June: Lyric soprano equally at home with Britten, Wagner and Italian romantic opera"
880:
491:
253:
179:
135:
73:
594:
327:
231:
175:
1084:
1040:
648:
548:
496:
494:, and also toured Germany and Eastern Europe. June performed in a 1976 production of
472:
369:
344:
268:
as the conductor. That same year, she made her first (and only) appearance with the
1032:
695:
605:. She also brought her experience of opera to directing by creating productions of
505:
430:
338:
239:
199:
1071:
947:
543:
511:
420:
171:
152:
45:
699:
1062:
686:
606:
574:
378:
359:
249:
160:
425:
1093:
598:
477:
447:
406:
300:
283:
235:
191:
687:"June, Ava [real name June Cooper, née Wiggins] (1931–2013), singer"
885:
837:
486:
411:
319:
in the same year. The following year, June gained the part of Violetta in
220:
643:
and latterly took on the direction of a choir of senior citizens for the
617:
452:
397:
321:
265:
195:
170:
Upon leaving school at the age of 14, June worked as a dressmaker at the
164:
163:
whisky company. She was known to June to her family and was evacuated to
156:
131:
1080:
561:
560:
She retired from signing in 1984 after losing her voice and moved from
244:
226:
187:
183:
542:
in 1981. June made her last appearance as a singer in a production of
264:, June sang Marcellina and repeated this performance in 1960 but with
989:
797:
442:
632:
467:
354:
174:
for the conductor's productions. While working on the costumes for
337:. Despite being firmly established, June travelled with the tenor
210:
In 1953, when she adopted the stage name Ava June, she joined the
198:. It was at the school where June was introduced to the operas of
1075:
623:
278:
257:
348:, and the following year, with Davis conducting, played Ilia in
333:
388:. Other roles she played were Donna Elvira and Marzelline.
376:. The following year, she sang the part of Rosalinda in
936:
934:
932:
930:
928:
465:
and then played Queen Elizabeth in Benjamin Britten's
926:
924:
922:
920:
918:
916:
914:
912:
910:
908:
325:
and followed this with a performance as a Marenka in
1130:
Academics of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
738:
736:
471:
in 1972. June reprised her role as Elizabeth but in
734:
732:
730:
728:
726:
724:
722:
720:
718:
716:
1021:Forbes, Elizabeth (1 December 1992). "June, Ava".
905:
874:
872:
870:
868:
866:
864:
862:
860:
826:
824:
822:
820:
790:
785:
783:
781:
779:
777:
775:
773:
771:
685:
224:and followed this by playing The Foreign Women in
510:, revealing herself to be Fidelio about to shoot
423:ensemble. That same year, June sang Sieglinde in
299:In 1961, she played the role of the May Queen in
1170:Singers from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
1135:Academics of the Royal Northern College of Music
1091:
713:
978:
976:
974:
972:
970:
857:
817:
768:
238:debut saw her perform as the Heavenly Voice in
583:Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
982:
567:International Association of Wagner Societies
1016:
1014:
1012:
967:
679:
677:
675:
673:
671:
669:
667:
146:
1037:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.O007457
1009:
940:
441:. June also made her first appearance in
983:Anthony Baker, Richard (26 March 2013).
664:
1125:Academics of the Royal College of Music
692:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
555:
372:received strong praise from the critic
182:and received coaching from the soprano
114: 1952; died 1982)
1092:
1020:
830:
756:from the original on 11 September 2017
683:
997:from the original on 5 September 2017
955:from the original on 5 September 2017
893:from the original on 5 September 2017
845:from the original on 5 September 2017
805:from the original on 5 September 2017
186:. She later studied with the soprano
878:
684:Webber, Christopher (January 2017).
455:as the conductor. She sang opposite
651:and became a soloist. June died at
587:Guildhall School of Music and Drama
13:
1160:21st-century English women singers
1150:20th-century English women singers
941:Humphreys, Garry (11 March 2013).
831:Steven, Alasadir (11 March 2013).
14:
1181:
1056:
270:Royal Scottish National Orchestra
589:, she became a professor at the
591:Royal Northern College of Music
409:. She later sang Donna Anna in
391:Her first performance with the
111:
395:came in 1968 as Marguerite in
167:when World War II broke out.
1:
1145:British women music educators
879:Hall, George (5 March 2013).
833:"Obituary: Ava June, soprano"
658:
260:returned the next year under
1165:21st-century English singers
1155:20th-century English singers
504:, she stripped as Salone in
358:. June sang Butterfly under
190:and with bartone performers
141:
7:
645:University of the Third Age
10:
1186:
445:in 1970 by performing in
205:
95:
87:
79:
69:
53:
27:
20:
573:. After stints with the
311:Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
276:as Abigaille in Verdi's
147:Early life and education
1140:British music educators
1029:Oxford University Press
700:10.1093/ref:odnb/106228
641:Carl Rosa Opera Company
502:Hoffnung Music Festival
350:Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
1115:English mezzo-sopranos
579:Royal College of Music
435:Richard Rodney Bennett
403:The Marriage of Figaro
365:The Marriage of Figaro
289:Les pĂŞcheurs de perles
216:Royal College of Music
985:"Ava June — Obituary"
635:. June also directed
571:National Opera Studio
309:, and was Tatyana in
252:and was conducted by
749:The Sunday Telegraph
556:Later life and death
393:Welsh National Opera
374:Desmond Shawe-Taylor
212:Sadler's Wells Opera
128:Sadler's Wells Opera
1110:People from Stepney
744:"Ava June obituary"
507:Let's Fake an Opera
500:and in that year's
492:San Francisco Opera
415:at the Coliseum in
385:The Queen of Spades
254:Carlo Maria Giulini
180:London Opera Centre
136:San Francisco Opera
74:London Opera Centre
1024:Grove Music Online
595:Rosalind Plowright
462:Bluebeard's Castle
382:and later Lisa in
328:The Bartered Bride
232:Gian Carlo Menotti
1046:978-1-56159-263-0
752:. 17 March 2013.
653:Kingston Hospital
649:Notting Hill Gate
612:Roméo et Juliette
549:Der Rosenkavalier
497:Der Rosenkavalier
473:Gaetano Donizetti
370:Charles Mackerras
242:'s production of
121:
120:
88:Years active
1177:
1120:English sopranos
1051:
1050:
1027:(8th ed.).
1018:
1007:
1006:
1004:
1002:
980:
965:
964:
962:
960:
938:
903:
902:
900:
898:
876:
855:
854:
852:
850:
828:
815:
814:
812:
810:
801:. 9 March 2013.
794:
787:
766:
765:
763:
761:
740:
711:
710:
708:
706:
689:
681:
431:Reginald Goodall
339:Alberto Remedios
274:Alexander Gibson
240:Luchino Visconti
200:Benjamin Britten
124:Ava June Wiggins
115:
113:
60:
57:22 February 2013
41:
39:
32:Ava June Wiggins
18:
17:
1185:
1184:
1180:
1179:
1178:
1176:
1175:
1174:
1090:
1089:
1074:discography at
1059:
1054:
1047:
1019:
1010:
1000:
998:
981:
968:
958:
956:
948:The Independent
939:
906:
896:
894:
877:
858:
848:
846:
829:
818:
808:
806:
789:
788:
769:
759:
757:
742:
741:
714:
704:
702:
682:
665:
661:
558:
544:Richard Strauss
512:Kenneth Woollam
421:London Coliseum
331:and Micaëla in
292:with the tenor
208:
176:King's Rhapsody
172:Novello Theatre
149:
144:
117:
109:
105:
102:
70:Alma mater
65:
64:London, England
62:
58:
49:
46:Stepney, London
43:
37:
35:
34:
33:
23:
12:
11:
5:
1183:
1173:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1157:
1152:
1147:
1142:
1137:
1132:
1127:
1122:
1117:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1088:
1087:
1078:
1069:
1058:
1057:External links
1055:
1053:
1052:
1045:
1008:
966:
904:
856:
816:
767:
712:
662:
660:
657:
637:Die Fledermaus
629:Wilmslow Opera
607:Charles Gounod
575:Morley College
557:
554:
526:'s production
417:John Blatchley
379:Die Fledermaus
360:Mario Bernardi
345:Der FreischĂĽtz
306:Merrie England
262:Rudolf Schwarz
250:Giuseppe Verdi
234:. June's 1958
207:
204:
161:Johnnie Walker
148:
145:
143:
140:
119:
118:
107:
103:
100:
99:
97:
93:
92:
89:
85:
84:
81:
77:
76:
71:
67:
66:
63:
61:(aged 81)
55:
51:
50:
44:
31:
29:
25:
24:
21:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1182:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1141:
1138:
1136:
1133:
1131:
1128:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1097:
1095:
1086:
1082:
1079:
1077:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1064:
1061:
1060:
1048:
1042:
1038:
1034:
1030:
1026:
1025:
1017:
1015:
1013:
996:
992:
991:
986:
979:
977:
975:
973:
971:
954:
950:
949:
944:
937:
935:
933:
931:
929:
927:
925:
923:
921:
919:
917:
915:
913:
911:
909:
892:
888:
887:
882:
875:
873:
871:
869:
867:
865:
863:
861:
844:
840:
839:
834:
827:
825:
823:
821:
804:
800:
799:
793:
786:
784:
782:
780:
778:
776:
774:
772:
755:
751:
750:
745:
739:
737:
735:
733:
731:
729:
727:
725:
723:
721:
719:
717:
701:
697:
693:
688:
680:
678:
676:
674:
672:
670:
668:
663:
656:
654:
650:
646:
642:
638:
634:
630:
626:
625:
620:
619:
614:
613:
608:
604:
600:
599:Susan Bullock
596:
592:
588:
584:
580:
576:
572:
568:
563:
553:
551:
550:
545:
541:
540:
539:Anna Karenina
535:
534:Iain Hamilton
531:
530:
529:Káťa Kabanová
525:
521:
517:
513:
509:
508:
503:
499:
498:
493:
489:
488:
482:
480:
479:
478:Maria Stuarda
474:
470:
469:
464:
463:
459:as Judith in
458:
454:
450:
449:
448:Das Rheingold
444:
440:
436:
432:
428:
427:
422:
418:
414:
413:
408:
407:Phoenix Opera
405:but with the
404:
400:
399:
394:
389:
387:
386:
381:
380:
375:
371:
368:conducted by
367:
366:
361:
357:
356:
351:
347:
346:
340:
336:
335:
330:
329:
324:
323:
318:
317:
316:Eugene Onegin
312:
308:
307:
302:
301:Edward German
297:
295:
294:Charles Craig
291:
290:
285:
284:Georges Bizet
281:
280:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
255:
251:
247:
246:
241:
237:
236:Covent Garden
233:
229:
228:
223:
222:
217:
213:
203:
201:
197:
193:
192:Denis Dowling
189:
185:
181:
177:
173:
168:
166:
162:
158:
154:
139:
137:
133:
129:
125:
98:
94:
90:
86:
82:
78:
75:
72:
68:
56:
52:
47:
30:
26:
19:
16:
1022:
999:. Retrieved
988:
957:. Retrieved
946:
895:. Retrieved
886:The Guardian
884:
847:. Retrieved
838:The Scotsman
836:
807:. Retrieved
796:
758:. Retrieved
747:
705:27 September
703:. Retrieved
691:
636:
622:
616:
610:
603:Janice Kelly
559:
547:
538:
527:
524:Leoš Janáček
519:
506:
495:
487:Peter Grimes
485:
483:
476:
466:
460:
446:
438:
424:
412:Don Giovanni
410:
402:
396:
390:
384:
377:
363:
353:
343:
332:
326:
320:
314:
305:
298:
287:
277:
243:
225:
219:
209:
169:
150:
123:
122:
101:David Cooper
83:Opera singer
59:(2013-02-22)
42:23 July 1931
15:
1105:2013 deaths
1100:1931 births
618:La traviata
516:David Blake
457:Don Garrard
453:Georg Solti
426:Die WalkĂĽre
398:La traviata
322:La traviata
266:Colin Davis
196:Clive Carey
165:Oxfordshire
157:East London
132:Clive Carey
1094:Categories
659:References
562:Kensington
245:Don Carlos
227:The Consul
188:Eva Turner
184:Joan Cross
80:Occupation
38:1931-07-23
1001:28 August
990:The Stage
959:28 August
897:28 August
849:28 August
809:28 August
798:The Times
760:28 August
552:in 1983.
520:Toussaint
490:with the
443:The Proms
313:'s opera
221:La bohème
142:Biography
91:1953–1984
48:, England
1081:Ava June
1072:Ava June
1067:AllMusic
1063:Ava June
995:Archived
953:Archived
891:Archived
843:Archived
803:Archived
754:Archived
639:for the
633:Cheshire
585:and the
569:and the
468:Gloriana
355:Idomeneo
22:Ava June
1076:Discogs
624:Nabucco
439:Victory
279:Nabucco
258:Fidelio
256:. When
153:Stepney
116:
108:
104:
1043:
621:, and
577:, the
429:under
334:Carmen
272:under
206:Career
96:Spouse
451:with
110:(
106:
1085:IMDb
1041:ISBN
1003:2017
961:2017
899:2017
851:2017
811:2017
762:2017
707:2017
627:for
601:and
194:and
54:Died
28:Born
1083:at
1065:at
1033:doi
696:doi
631:in
609:'s
546:'s
536:'s
518:'s
475:'s
437:'s
352:'s
303:'s
286:'s
248:by
230:by
1096::
1039:.
1031:.
1011:^
993:.
987:.
969:^
951:.
945:.
907:^
889:.
883:.
859:^
841:.
835:.
819:^
795:.
770:^
746:.
715:^
694:.
690:.
666:^
615:,
597:,
581:,
481:.
296:.
202:.
155:,
112:m.
1049:.
1035::
1005:.
963:.
901:.
853:.
813:.
764:.
709:.
698::
40:)
36:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.