Portlaoise mezzo-soprano Anna Bergin, who has contralto range, hit a high note at the recent annual Feis Ceoil classical music competition held in Dublin’s RDS.
Anna won the contralto/counter tenor solo competition and she spoke to LaoisToday about her incredible achievement.
“The competition was set up in 1896 and has now expanded to more than 180 competitions, covering all ages from seven years upwards. There are multiple competitions that centre around voice type and this was the one for my voice type,” said Anna.
“This was my first time entering the contralto solo competition. In 2021 however, I won the senior musical theatre competition and when I was eleven, I won the Patricia Black Cup,” she said.
“I began singing at a young age and was a member of RTE Cór na Nóg from the age of ten. With Cór na Nóg I had many singing opportunities and sang with the likes of Andre Rieu in the 3 Arena and I sang solo with Aled Jones in the National Concert Hall.
“I began training with Patricia Finnegan Newell in Portlaoise when I was eleven. I trained with Patricia for 12 years. I really owe so much gratitude to Patricia as she set the foundations for my training and I learned an incredible amount from her,” Anna said.
“In secondary school I was exposed to the world of musical theatre and I developed a love and passion for it there,” said Anna who was a boarder at Presentation Secondary School, Thurles.
“I played a number of roles such as Tracy in ‘Hairspray’ and Rafiki in ‘The Lion King.’ There were many music opportunities offered to me at school and it was an incredible experience.”
Anna is currently studying for a BA in music and Irish in Maynooth University.
She also studies voice part time in TUD Conservatoire with Steve Wallace.
Anna said: “Steve has changed my perspective and view of classical singing and has really improved my technique and classical voice.”
She is currently involved in Maynooth University Musical Society’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Into the Woods’.
“I am playing the character of the witch which people may know from the movie as the character played by Meryl Streep.
“It is a mammoth role that is incredibly challenging but I am very lucky to be surrounded by an incredible cast made up of current students and alumni, and an amazing director who has a master’s degree in theatre practice. It is running from April 18-21 in the Aula Maxima on Maynooth Campus.”
Anna is also the secretary of Dublin-based musical society, Entr’acte. She set up the society with four friends during the pandemic.
“In January we performed our first full scale production ‘Spring Awakening’ which sold out and was reviewed by the Journal of Music.”
As for future plans, Anna is keeping her options open.
“I would like to try my hand at making a career from singing but I also see primary teaching in my future as my mother was principal in Timahoe National School for 12 years and a teacher in Portlaoise for 27 years prior to that so it’s in my blood and it’s something I know I would enjoy,” she said.
“I love singing and I love performing, and for now I’m happy to continue my training and see where it leads me. I plan to compete in competitions and gain as much experience as I can and then we’ll figure the rest out in time.”
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