Open Features: Anna Pollak
Peter Wintersgill summarises the life of Manchester-born Anna Pollak, formerly principal mezzo soprano at Sadlers Wells.
Born
1915 in Manchester.
Adult life
Studied in Manchester & Holland.
She started as an actress, then studied singing with Joan Cross, who engaged her for Sadlers Wells. Debut there in 1945 as Dorabella in Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte. She created the roles of Bianca in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia,also Ruth in Berkeley's opera of the same name & Lady Nelson in Berkeley's Nelson.
She sang at Glyndebourne & Covent Garden. She was the principal mezzo soprano at Sadlers Wells from 1945 - 62.
She was created O.B.E. in 1962. She died in 1996 aged 81.
