Beverley Bergen
Beverley Bergen is a New Zealand soprano opera singer and concert performer who was born in Dunedin and began her singing studies while a student at the University of Otago. Career She worked first as a television presenter and broadcaster for the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation before moving to Australia and an appointment as a news anchor for ABC-TV in Sydney under her former married name of Beverley Bohan, while continuing musical studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. In 1963 she was awarded a scholarship to the London Opera Centre and in 1966 won first prize in a Royal Overseas League competition which was the launchpad for her performing career under the professional name of Beverley Bergen. The following years saw her in roles with Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Sadler's Wells and Welsh National Opera. She also performed many concerts in the UK and throughout Europe. In 1973, Bergen returned to New Zealand to sing the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor with New Zealand Opera and sang a series of concerts with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Back in Europe she became a member of Deutsche Opera Berlin and guested at numerous European houses, including Brussels, Munich and Dusseldorf