British-born Elspeth Franks is known for her unusually wide vocal range, and performs a wide array of operatic and concert roles throughout the mezzo, alto and soprano repertoires. A frequent soloist with many concert groups including the San Francisco Bach Choir, SF Choral Society, and Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra, she recently stepped in at the last minute for an indisposed mezzo soloist for performances of Handel’s Messiah with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, under the baton of Nicholas McGegan, to excellent reviews. She made her European debut in 2004 in performances of Haydn’s Harmoniemesse in Munich, Prague, Budapest and Vienna. Awarded a Virginia Best Adams Fellowship at the Carmel Bach Festival for the 2002 & 2003 seasons, Ms. Franks returned there in 2005 as soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and the seldom heard Trauer-Kantate. On the West coast, Ms. Franks has also appeared with the Berkeley Symphony; Sacramento Opera; Bear Valley Music Festival; the San Luis Obispo Mozart Festival; Rogue Opera (OR); Rimrock Opera (MT); West Bay Opera, Pocket Opera and Lamplighters Music Theater. She recently returned to Eugene Opera as Berta (Il barbiere di Siviglia) and as Hänsel in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel. On the East coast, she made her debut with Virginia Opera in the role of Prince Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus), and her New York debut with the Mark Morris Dance Group in the role of Commère (Four Saints in Three Acts), a role she repeated in New York in March ‘06. Her training has included scholarship study at England’s prestigious Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester) and as a Rotary International Foundation Scholar at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She was also designated as the James Bird Anderson Young Artist on the prestigious young artist program with Florida Grand Opera. She continues her vocal training with noted tenor, David Gordon. An active performer on the concert stage, Ms. Franks has also given recitals throughout the U.K. and the U.S. featuring the music of contemporary English, French and American composers. Upcoming engagements include mezzo soloist in Mass in C (Beethoven) with Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra; Mahler’s Rückert Lieder with the Prometheus Symphony Orchestra; soprano II soloist in Mozart’s Mass in C minor with both Santa Clara Chorale and with Cantabile Choral Guild; Mozart’s Requiem at Music in the Mountains (mezzo soloist). Ms. Franks dedicates her performances in Memento mori to the memory of the many friends that she has lost through AIDS, and in honor of those courageous friends who continue to live with HIV/AIDS and its effects on a daily basis.