Biography

British/Australian Mezzo-Soprano Deborah Humble gained a Bachelor of Music Performance from the University of Adelaide and a Masters Degree in Music Research from the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne before becoming a Young Artist at the Victoria State Opera.  After further study in London and Paris Deborah was appointed Principal Artist at Opera Australia in 2002. In 2004 she won the coveted Dame Joan Sutherland scholarship and in 2005 she relocated to Germany and became Principal Mezzo-Soprano at the State Opera of Hamburg. After reaching the finals of the International Wagner Competition in Seattle in 2008, Deborah embarked upon a freelance career which has taken her all over the world.

Recognised internationally for her performances of Wagner and the dramatic mezzo repertoire, recent engagements include Erda in Das Rheingold and Siegfried with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Branngäne in Tristan and Isolde with the Mexico City Symphony, Amneris in Aida for Opera Australia, Alisa in Lucia di Lamermoor for the Teatro Mario del Monaco in Treviso,  Erda in Siegfried for the Boston Symphony, Verdi’s Requiem at the Sage Concert Hall, UK, and for Orchestra Wellington, Mahler’s Symphony No 8  at the Esplanade Theatre in Singapore, Elgar’s The Kingdom for Melbourne Bach Choir, Erda in Das Rheingold and Waltraute in Die Götterdämmerung for Saffon Opera UK, Mary in The Flying Dutchman with Opera Lille, Mahler’s Symphony No 3 for Queensland Symphony, Klytamnestra in Strauss’ Elektra for Edinburgh Opera, and Victorian Opera, Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder for Orchestra Wellington, Messiah for New Zealand Symphony and Ring Cycles in Hamburg, Halle, Bari, Ludwigshafen and Melbourne.

In the 2022/23 season Deborah sang the mezzo solo in Mahler’s Symphony No.2 with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Simone Young and presented live on ABC TV. These performances of the Resurrection Symphony celebrated the reopening of the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. She received a Greenroom Award nomination for her performance of Klytamnestra (Elektra) for Victorian Opera and critical acclaim for her interpretations of Erda and Waltraute in three cycles of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen for Melbourne Opera conducted by Anthony Negus. She was mezzo soloist in Mahler’s Symphony No.3 for Queensland Youth Symphony, Rossini’s Petit Messe Solenelle with the Melbourne Symphony and Messiah with New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. She sang Waltraute and made her role debut as Fricka in three complete cycles of the Ring for Opera Australia. Other role debuts in 2023 included Clarion in Strauss’ Capriccio conducted by Simone Young, and La Cieca in La Gioconda alongside Jonas Kaufmann, Saioa Hernandez and Ludovic Teszier. She also performed Brigitta in Die Tote Stadt in Auckland, New Zealand.

Her recordings include Clarissa in The Love for Three Oranges with Opera Australia (Chandos Records conducted by Richard Hickox), Erda, Schwertleite and 1st Norn in Der Ring des Nibelungen with the Hamburg State Opera (Oehms, conducted by Simone Young) and Erda in the Hong Kong Philharmonic’s Ring Cycle (Naxos, conducted by Jaap van Zweden). In 2021 she was included on the CD Marvellous Mezzo-Sopranos and Contraltos released by Naxos.

“Deborah Humble’s performance was one to remember. Waltraute’s Monologue was sung with lavish tone and excellent colour throughout - low notes darkly despairing and the climactic high notes superb in their resonance and beauty of tone. This vocal splendour and dramatic presence distinguish her as a singer of exceptional gifts.”

Melbourne Opera, Waltraute in Die Götterdämmerung, Heather Leviston, Classic Melbourne, April 2023