Anna Pollak

Anna Pollak was born in Manchester in May 1912, the daughter of an Austrian-Jewish father. She studied with Joan Cross at the Sadler’s Wells Opera School and made her début with the company in 1945 as Dorabella in *Così fan tutte*. She remained at Sadler’s Wells for over twenty years as one of the company’s principal mezzo-sopranos.

Her central repertoire was the Mozart and bel canto mezzo roles — Dorabella, Cherubino, Rosina, Hänsel in *Hänsel und Gretel* — and the contemporary British works in which Sadler’s Wells specialised during the post-war decades. She created the title role in Lennox Berkeley’s *Ruth* in 1956 under Mackerras, and parts in operas by Britten (Lucretia in *The Rape of Lucretia*, Bianca Capello in *Owen Wingrave*), Walton, Bliss and Maw. She was also a notable interpreter of the standard French mezzo repertoire — Carmen, Charlotte in *Werther*, the title role in *Mignon* — and a regular concert and recital singer.

Pollak was appointed OBE in 1962. She died in Cyprus in November 1996. Music Preserved’s archive includes a range of her Sadler’s Wells, Britten and concert work.