Heather Mary Harper CBE (8 May 1930 – 22 April 2019) was a Northern Irish singer best known for her work in opera as a leading soprano. Her professional profile grew rapidly after a notable 1954 appearance in Medea with the Oxford University Opera Club. She remained an active stage artist until her retirement in 1994.
Early life and training
Harper was born in Belfast. She pursued formal musical studies at the Trinity College of Music in London, where she prepared for a career on the operatic stage.
Stage career
In 1956 Harper joined the English Opera Group and sang regularly with them until 1975. Over the following decades she became particularly associated with a handful of central roles. Critics and audiences praised her for the lyrical quality of her voice and her musical intelligence.
Signature roles
- Elsa in Richard Strauss's Arabella
- Ellen Orford in Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes
- The Governess in Britten's The Turn of the Screw
Honours and later life
Harper was appointed CBE in recognition of her contribution to British musical life. After a long performing career, she withdrew from the stage in 1994. She died on 22 April 2019 at the age of 88.