Career

Ameling was born in Rotterdam. She later sang with Pierre Bernac. She won the first prize during the Vocal Concours in 's-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands (1956) and the Concours International de Musique in Geneva (1958). After her professional début as a concert singer in Rotterdam in 1953, she performed for more than forty years in virtually every major cultural centre in the world. She appeared with most of the leading international orchestras and conductors, including Bernard Haitink, Rafael Kubelík, Carlo Maria Giulini, Benjamin Britten, Seiji Ozawa, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Kurt Masur, Sir Neville Marriner, Karl Münchinger, André Previn, and Edo de Waart.

She made her career mainly as a concert and lieder singer with some excursions into opera (Mozart, Haydn) and became world-renowned for her recitals of French and German songs and for her superlative interpretive gifts. She is equally at home in chamber music, orchestral music, operas, and oratorios. She made her U.S. recital debut at New York's Lincoln Center in 1968 and her opera debut in 1974 as Ilia in Mozart's Idomeneo in Washington, D.C. In 1974, Ameling also performed for the Peabody Mason Concert series in Boston.

Contemporary works, particularly by her countrymen Bertus van Lier and Robert Heppener, are also part of her large repertoire. Ameling has recorded more than 150 albums and has won many coveted recording prizes, including The Edison Award, the Grand Prix du Disque and the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik. For her services to music, Dr. Ameling has been awarded four honorary degrees and has been knighted, in 1971, by Her Majesty the Queen of The Netherlands for her services to music (the Order of Orange-Nassau) and in 2008 she received the highest civil decoration in the Netherlands, the Order of the Netherlands Lion.

Recordings (selection)

• Icon: Elly Ameling, The Dutch Nightingale (8CD), 2012, EMI Classics
• Elly Ameling 75 jaar, Live Concertopnamen 1957-1991, Nederlandse Omroep (5CD), 2008, Radio Broadcasts 1957-91, incl. Richard Strauss "Vier letzte Lieder", Van Omnium audiovisueel, GW 80003.
• The Artistry of Elly Ameling (5CD), Philips (Universal).
• Elly Ameling, After Hours..., Songs von Gershwin, Porter, Prévert a.o.; E.A., Louis van Dijk, Philips (Universal).
• Elly Ameling, Sentimental Me, Songs von Porter, Ellington, Sondheim a.o.; E.A., Louis van Dijk, Polygram Classics.
• Elly Ameling, Sweet Was The Song, international Christmas songs, EMI.
• Elly Ameling, The Early Recordings (4CD), DHM (Sony BMG).
• Bach, Arias from Cantatas for soprano, Oboe and B.C., E.A., Han de Vries (Oboe), Albert de Klerk (Organ), Richte van der Meer (Cello), EMI.
• Bach, Bauern-, Kaffee-, Hochzeitskantate, Non sà che sia dolore, E.A., G.English, S.Nimsgern, Collegium Aureum, DHM (Sony BMG).
• Bach, cantatas, Ein feste Burg, Jauchzet Gott, Wachet auf, English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leppard, Deutsche Bachsolisten, Helmut Winschermann, Philips (Universal).
• Bach, Johannes-Passion, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Karl Münchinger, Decca (Universal).
• Bach, Matthäus-Passion, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Karl Münchinger, Decca (Universal).
• Bach, Magnificat/Osteroratorium, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Karl Münchinger, Decca (Universal).
• Bach, Weihnachtsoratorium, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Karl Münchinger, Decca (Universal).
• Berlioz, Les Nuits d'été, Atlanta S.O., Robert Shaw, Telarc.
• Brahms, Lieder, E.A., Rudolf Jansen, Hyperion.
• Fauré, Lieder, Complete Songs (4CD), E.A., Gérard Souzay, Dalton Baldwin, Brilliant (Joan Records).
• Fauré, Requiem, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Jean Fournet, Philips (Universal).
• Grieg, Peer Gynt, San Francisco S.O., Edo de Waart, Philips (Universal).
• Händel, Messiah, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Sir Neville Marriner, Decca.
• Haydn, Orlando Paladino, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Antal Dorati, Philips (Universal).
• Haydn, Lieder, Elly Ameling, Jörg Demus, Brilliant Classics (3-Disc re-issue)
• Mahler, Symphonie Nr.2 & Symphonie Nr.4, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink, Philips (Universal).
• Martin, Le mystère de la nativité, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet, Cascavelle.
• Martin, Frank Martin interprète Frank Martin, E.A. a.o., Frank Martin, Jecklin Disco.
• Mendelssohn, Elias, Leipziger Gewandhausorchester, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Philips (Universal).
• Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Lieder, E.A., Rudolf Jansen, Sony BMG.
• Mozart, Requiem, Wiener Philharmoniker, Istvan Kertesz, Decca.
• Mozart, Schubert, Opern-und Konzertarien, Rotterdam P.O., Edo de Waart, PENTATONE.
• The complete Mozart-Edition Vol. 24 (Lieder, Notturni), Philips (Universal).
• Poulenc, Edition du centenaire 1899-1963 (Melodien und Lieder), EMI Classics.
• Ravel, Mélodies-Lieder, Shéhérazade, E.A., Rudolf Jansen, Erato (Warner).
• Schubert, Lieder (4CD), E.A., Dalton Baldwin, Rudolf Jansen, Philips (Universal).
• Schubert, Schumann, Lieder, Elly Ameling, Jörg Demus, DHM (Sony BMG).
• Schubert, Duette-Terzette-Quartette, E.A., Janet Baker, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Peter Schreier, Gerald Moore, Deutsche Grammophon.
• Schumann, Frauenliebe- und Leben, E.A., Dalton Baldwin, PENTATONE.
• Vivaldi, Berühmte geistliche Chorwerke, Nulla in mundo pax, English Chamber Orchestra, Vittorio Negri, Philips (Universal).
• Vivaldi, Juditha Triumphans, Kammerorchester Berlin, Vittorio Negri, Philips (Universal).
• Wolf, italienisches Liederbuch, Goethe- und Keller-Lieder, E.A., Tom Krause, Irwin Gage, Rudolf Jansen, GLOBE.
• Wolf, spanisches Liederbuch, E.A., Rudolf Jansen (Piano), Hyperion.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]