{{Short description|British operatic mezzo-soprano (1941–2022)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Anne Howells | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date|1941|01|12|df=y}} | birth_place = Southport, England | death_date = {{death date and age|2022|05|18|1941|01|12|df=y}} | death_place = Andover, England | education = Sale Grammar School for Girls | occupation = Operatic mezzo-soprano | spouse = Ryland Davies (1966–1981)<br> Stafford Dean (1981–1988)<br> Peter Fyson | children = 2 }}
'''Anne Elizabeth Howells''' (12 January 1941 – 18 May 2022) was a British operatic mezzo-soprano.
==Biography== Howells was born in Southport, Lancashire, on 12 January 1941, the daughter of Trevor Howells and Mona Howells (née Hewart).<ref name="Millington">{{cite news | title=Anne Howells obituary | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jun/05/anne-howells-obituary | work=The Guardian | author=Barry Millington | date=2022-06-05 | access-date=2022-06-14}}</ref><ref name="Publications2003">{{cite book|author=Europa Publications|title=The International Who's Who 2004|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sR4Ch1dMe8IC&pg=PA761|accessdate=20 May 2017|year=2003|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-1-85743-217-6|page=761}}</ref> She was educated at Sale Grammar School, where her teachers included Alfred Higson. She further studied music at the Royal Manchester College of Music (now the Royal Northern College of Music),<ref name="Publications2003"/> where her teachers included Frederic Cox.<ref name="Shenton">{{cite news | title=Anne Howells: British mezzo-soprano who conquered the world stage | url=https://news.yahoo.com/anne-howells-british-mezzo-soprano-230000599.html | work=The Independent | author=Kenneth Shenton | date=2022-06-05 | access-date=2022-06-14}}</ref> Howells continued singing studies with Vera Rózsa.<ref name="Shenton"/>
Howells sang in productions at Glyndebourne, the Royal Opera House, and with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the opera houses of both San Francisco and Los Angeles, the four Parisian opera houses, the Grand Théâtre de Genève, the Salzburger Festspiele, the Vienna Staatsoper, the Carnegie Hall, and the Musikverein of Vienna. She sang in the premieres of Rolf Liebermann's ''Forêt'' (as Régine),<ref name="OperaNews">{{cite news | title=Anne Howells, 81, British Mezzo of Formidable Charm and Histrionic Ability, has Died | url=https://operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2022/5/News/Anne_Howells,_81,_British_Mezzo_of_Formidable_Charm_and_Histrionic_Ability,_has_Died.html | work=Opera News | author= | date=2022-05-24 | access-date=2022-06-14 | archive-date=5 June 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220605011623/https://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2022/5/News/Anne_Howells,_81,_British_Mezzo_of_Formidable_Charm_and_Histrionic_Ability,_has_Died.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> Nicholas Maw's ''The Rising of the Moon'' (as Cathleen)<ref name="Millington"/> and of Richard Rodney Bennett's ''Victory'' (as Lena).<ref name="Shenton"/> Following her retirement from public performance, Howells taught at the Royal Academy of Music.<ref name="OperaNews"/>
Howells was married three times. Her first marriage to Ryland Davies was from 1966 to 1981. Her second marriage was to Stafford Dean, from 1981 to 1988, and produced a son, Matthew, and a daughter, Laura. Both marriages ended in divorce. Her third marriage was to Peter Fyson, which lasted until his death in 2005.<ref name="Millington"/><ref name="Shenton"/> Howells died from myeloma in Andover, Hampshire on 18 May 2022, at the age of 81. Her children survive her.<ref name="Millington"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|0398084}} * {{discogs artist|Anne Howells}} * [http://www.bruceduffie.com/dean.html Bruce Duffie, 2 December 1980 interview with Anne Howells and Stafford Dean] * [http://operascotland.org/person/232/Anne+Howells Opera Scotland page on Anne Howells]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Howells, Anne}} Category:1941 births Category:2022 deaths Category:Deaths from multiple myeloma in England Category:20th-century British women opera singers Category:English mezzo-sopranos Category:Musicians from Southport Category:British operatic mezzo-sopranos