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Averil Mary Thomas (2 August 1932 – 17 April 1997) was a Welsh soprano.

Career

After studying at the Royal Academy of Music,[1] she established herself in the 1960s as a successful early music performer. She appeared as a soloist as well as a member of the Deller Consort. She was also notable for her work in contemporary music. Peter Maxwell Davies wrote pieces with her voice and dramatic ability in mind.[1][2]

Notable performances

She gave the first performances of a number of works by Peter Maxwell Davies, accompanied by the Fires of London.

• Revelation and Fall (premiered February 1968, adapted 1980).[3]
• Missa super l'homme armé (premiered February 1968, revised 1971).[4]

She appeared at the Proms between 1962 and 1983 singing music ranging from Baroque to Maxwell Davies.[5]

Selected recordings

• Thomas' vocals appeared on the 1976 ELO track, "Rockaria!", which was released as a single in 1977 and reached the Top Ten in the UK Singles Chart.[6][7]
• Revelation and Fall (reissued on CD in 2004)[8]

References

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