The 2007 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement In Opera has been presented to soprano Amanda Roocroft for her performance in the English National Opera (ENO) production of Jenufa. Roocroft's win is the second for Jenufa, which also collected the Best New Opera Production Laurence Olivier Award.
This is the first Laurence Olivier Award for Roocroft, who began her professional opera career in a Welsh National Opera production of Der Rosenkavalier in 1990. Since then she has appeared nationally and worldwide with companies including the Royal Opera, ENO and Glyndebourne in productions such as Cosí Fan Tutte, Don Giovanni, La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, Ariodante and Eugene Onegin.
Speaking after collecting her award on stage Roocroft told us: "I’m amazed. Amazed. I put lots of bets down that I wouldn’t win against all those people. I’m just so pleased to be nominated, you know, I’m just so happy that they liked what I did. It was such a special production, it has turned my life around, it really has. It’s been a wonderful, wonderful experience."
MA
