Bernadette Greevy (3 July 1940 – 26 September 2008) was an Irish mezzo-soprano.[2] She was founder and artistic director of the Anna Livia Dublin International Opera Festival.[3] She was the first artist-in-residence at the Dublin Institute of Technology's Faculty of Applied Arts.
However, Greevy never developed the acting skills necessary for true operatic success, and made her musical mark instead in the world of oratorio and song recitals. She was introduced to works such as Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius and Handel's Messiah by Sir John Barbirolli, and later recorded music by Mahler, Bach and Haydn.[6]
A 1966 review by Howard Klein in The New York Times of Greevy's recording of Handel arias stated: "The voice has the firm, compact resonance of a true contralto. She has endless breath and can move her voice with agility and precision."[7]
Greevy had a special affinity with Mahler, in particular his orchestral song cycles. In 1966, she performed Kindertotenlieder in London with the then RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. The Times praised the 26-year-old Greevy's "full, glowing voice, rich and firm at the bottom, radiant at the top, and gloriously expressive phrasing".[8] Later, in the 1990s, she performed all Mahler's vocal works with orchestra over a four-year period in the Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Greevy chose to live in her native Dublin throughout her career rather than be based in one of the world's major music centres. She maintained confidently that "if you're good enough you can live where you like". Nevertheless, this decision undoubtedly curtailed her opportunities in the recording studio and on the concert stage.[5]
Bernadette Greevy died aged 68 following a short illness.[9] She was married to Peter Tattan, who predeceased her in 1983. They had one son, Hugh.[4]
^Greevy, Bernadette (21 October 1983). "PETER TATTAN [sic]". The Irish Times. p. 10. ProQuest529774768. We looked forward to our 18th anniversary on August 16th — we made great plans for the future. Then, two years to the very day after his first coronary, Peter suffered another heart attack just before last Christmas. Again he seemed to be rallying, when quite suddenly in the early afternoon of March 3rd, the great and gallant heart of my beloved husband stopped forever.
