HKAPA

Renowned Australian-born mezzo-soprano Margreta Elkins enjoys a distinguished international career over the past four decades.  After her successful opera debut with the National Opera Companies of Melbourne and Sydney in the early 1950s, Elkins travelled to England where she was engaged as a resident principal artist with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.  Her performance in the world premiere of Michael Tippett’s King Priam, in which she sang Helen of Troy, won her worldwide acclaims.  Her portrayal of Adalgisa in Norma, sharing the same stage with Dame Joan Sutherland and Montserrat Caballe, established her reputation as one of the great mezzo-sopranos of her generation.

In 1969, Margreta Elkins left the Roya Opera House to pursue an international career.  Her performances weres een all over Europe and the United States at such prestigious stages as the Carnegie Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Royal Albert Hall and the Theatre des Champs Elysée.  Elkins is also actively involved in opera companies in her homeland.  She appeared frequently with the Australian Opera, the Lyric Opera of Queensland, the Victoria State Opera and the Festival of Sydney.  In 1984, Elkins was awarded the Australian Medal for her services to music opera.  In the same year, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the Queensland University, being the first woman to receive this honour in that state.

In 1990, Margreta Elkins accepted the invitation of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts to join as its Senior Lecturer in Singing.  Her contribution to the Academy was remarkable.  Many of her students have been accepted for postgraduate studies in some of the most prestigious universities and conservatories abroad.  She retired from the post of Head of Vocal Studies in 1994.