Margaret Haggart Explained

Margaret Haggart OAM is an Australian operatic soprano and community arts founder based in Melbourne, Australia.[1] Her career spans over 90 operatic, operetta and cabaret roles, performed in the United Kingdom, Italy, France, the United States of America, South America, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.[2] [3] She is a board member of Melbourne Opera, Green Room Awards and a committee member for the now finished Mietta Song Competition.[4] [5] [6]

In June 2023 she was awarded an Order of Australia for services to the performing arts.[7]

Early life

Haggart grew up in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray, her father a Scottish coal miner migrated to Australia and met her mother of English heritage when they were working at a zip factory in Deer Park.[3] Haggart attended North Footscray Primary School and Footscray Girls High School. In her teenage years, she participated in choir and light opera opportunities in her local community. She studied voice with Antonio Moretti-Pananti.

Haggart performed regularly with the Williamstown Light Opera, Hawthorn Light Opera, and was a founding member of the Victoria State Opera.[3]

International career

In 1972, Haggart moved to the United Kingdom where she regularly performed with the English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, Opera North and Scottish Opera. She was particularly known for singing Mozart's German: Königin der Nacht|italic=no from the opera Die Zauberflöte.

She sang for the BBC Proms at Royal Albert Hall in 1976.[8] In France she sang with the Opéra national de Lorraine (formerly known as Opéra de Nancy) and Chorégies d'Orange.[9]

Association with Gian Carlo Menotti

Haggart was invited by Gian Carlo Menotti to perform in his Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto in 1986. This included the recorded-to-video performance of Menotti's La santa di Bleecker Street for the festival. She then travelled to the US and performed in the same production for the 10th U.S. Spoleto Festival.[10] [11] [12] Menotti founded the Spoleto Festival Melbourne, where she was invited to perform in its opening season.

Discography

Filmography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Living Museum of the West – hear our voices . 2023-04-05 . www.livingmuseum.org.au.
  2. Web site: Meet the soloists: Margaret Haggart – MonUCS . 2023-04-05.
  3. Web site: Maggie Haggart Interview . 2023-04-05 . operafolks.com.
  4. Web site: About . 2023-04-05 . Melbourne Opera . en-AU.
  5. Web site: Opera – The Green Room Awards . 2023-04-05 . en-US.
  6. Web site: Committee Mietta Song Competition – an Australian Classical Singing Competition . 2023-04-05 . www.miettafoundation.com.au.
  7. Web site: jimjin . 2023-06-12 . King's Birthday honours for service and dedication . 2023-07-07 . Maribyrnong & Hobsons Bay . en-US.
  8. Web site: BBC Proms . 2023-04-05 . BBC Music Events.
  9. Web site: 2016-03-05 . Winfried Maczewski und seine Frau Sophie verstorben . 2023-04-05 . Städtischer Musikverein zu Düsseldorf. de.
  10. Web site: Omaggio a Gian Carlo Menotti . 2023-04-05 . RAI Press Office.
  11. News: Page . Tim. 1986-05-25 . Opera: U.S. Spoleto Festival Opens. The New York Times. 2023-04-05.
  12. Spoleto Festival USA . Program History 2018–1977 . 1–157.