This biography has been re-published in full with permission. Licensed by Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 New Zealand Licence.
Born: 1 December 1932, New Zealand
Died: 12 May 2009
Country most active: United Kingdom, Australia
Also known as: Isoleen Heather Begg
As a 21-year-old mezzo-soprano, Nelson-born Heather Begg (1932–2009) auditioned to be part of the National Opera of Australia’s tour of New Zealand in 1954. She was offered three principal roles, including the demanding Azucena in Verdi’s Il trovatore. In 1957 she set off with a New Zealand government bursary for a period of study in London, and in 1959 made her debut at Covent Garden in Wagner’s Die walküre. Superb singing underpinned by brilliant comic acting soon brought her engagements with the Carl Rosa Opera Company, Sadler’s Wells and Covent Garden, all in London. In 1964 she returned to New Zealand for three years and starred in the New Zealand Opera Company production of Rossini’s La Cenerentola. In 1969 Begg went back to London, becoming a principal at Covent Garden in 1971. In 1976 Richard Bonynge persuaded her to accept a principal’s position at the Australian Opera, where she was eventually to sing over 40 major roles.