Alison was born in Glasgow. She read music at Durham University and trained at the Royal Northern College of Music where she was awarded a scholarship and the Professional Performance Diploma. At the RNCM Alison won the Claire Croiza Competition and sang the role of Hermia in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. In 1990 she won the Shell Scottish Opera John Noble Bursary.
Operatic roles for Glyndebourne include Zita “Gianni Schicchi” (GFO), Florence Pike “Albert Herring” (GTO), Clo-Clo “Die Lustige Witwe” (EMI Recording), The Beggar Woman “Death in Venice” and Priestess “Idomeneo”. Understudies at Glyndebourne - Josefa Miranda “Love and Other Demons” (World Premiere 2008), Dorabella “Cosi fan Tutte”, Sesto “La Clemenza di Tito”, Ghost in Sir Harrison Birtwistle’s “The Last Supper”, Pauline “ The Queen of Spades” and Varvara “Katya Kabanova”. Engagements for other companies include Rosina “The Barber of Seville” English Touring Opera, Dorabella “Cosi fan Tutte” Holland Park Festival, Madame de Croissy “ Les Dialogues des Carmelites” Aldebrugh Festival, Laura “Luisa Miller” Chelsea Opera Group, The Hostess “Boris Godunov” New Sussex Opera with John Tomlinson in the title role, Suzuki “Madam Butterfly” for New Devon Opera. Understudies at ENO - Ofglen “Handmaid’s Tale” (UK Premiere), Emilia “Otello”, Charlotte “Die Soldaten” (UK Premiere) and Dresser/Schoolboy/Waiter “Lulu”. Alison has recorded the role of Wirtin in Korngold’s “Die Katrin” with Martyn Brabbins and the BBC Concert Orchestra.
Outside Opera, Alison has been a member of the BBC Northern Singers and is an experienced Oratorio singer. In 1997 she was the alto soloist in the Russian Premiere of Sir Michael Tippett’s “A Child of Our Time” with the Choir and Orchestra of the St Petersburg Philharmonic. Other concert engagements include Mozart’s “Requiem” with Leonard Slatkin and The Philharmonia at the Brighton Festival and with Andre Bernard at the Festival de Musique d’Auch, Handel’s “Messiah” in Madrid and Singapore, Berlioz’s “L’enfance du Christ” conductor Sian Edwards at Dartington, Vivaldi’s “Gloria” with the ECO, Handel’s “Samson” at the Snape Proms, Mahler’s “Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen” at the Edinburgh Festival, Beethoven’s “Choral” Symphony No. 9 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio” at the Queen’s Hall Edinburgh and John Dankworth’s “Thy Kingdom Gone” for alto solo with the London Mozart Players at St John’s Smith Square. Alison has also sung a series of concerts with the Orquesta Filarmonica de Gran Canaria, conductor Adrian Leaper. Recent engagements include de Falla’s “El amor brujo” at Dartington.
Operatic roles for Glyndebourne include Zita “Gianni Schicchi” (GFO), Florence Pike “Albert Herring” (GTO), Clo-Clo “Die Lustige Witwe” (EMI Recording), The Beggar Woman “Death in Venice” and Priestess “Idomeneo”. Understudies at Glyndebourne - Josefa Miranda “Love and Other Demons” (World Premiere 2008), Dorabella “Cosi fan Tutte”, Sesto “La Clemenza di Tito”, Ghost in Sir Harrison Birtwistle’s “The Last Supper”, Pauline “ The Queen of Spades” and Varvara “Katya Kabanova”. Engagements for other companies include Rosina “The Barber of Seville” English Touring Opera, Dorabella “Cosi fan Tutte” Holland Park Festival, Madame de Croissy “ Les Dialogues des Carmelites” Aldebrugh Festival, Laura “Luisa Miller” Chelsea Opera Group, The Hostess “Boris Godunov” New Sussex Opera with John Tomlinson in the title role, Suzuki “Madam Butterfly” for New Devon Opera. Understudies at ENO - Ofglen “Handmaid’s Tale” (UK Premiere), Emilia “Otello”, Charlotte “Die Soldaten” (UK Premiere) and Dresser/Schoolboy/Waiter “Lulu”. Alison has recorded the role of Wirtin in Korngold’s “Die Katrin” with Martyn Brabbins and the BBC Concert Orchestra.
Outside Opera, Alison has been a member of the BBC Northern Singers and is an experienced Oratorio singer. In 1997 she was the alto soloist in the Russian Premiere of Sir Michael Tippett’s “A Child of Our Time” with the Choir and Orchestra of the St Petersburg Philharmonic. Other concert engagements include Mozart’s “Requiem” with Leonard Slatkin and The Philharmonia at the Brighton Festival and with Andre Bernard at the Festival de Musique d’Auch, Handel’s “Messiah” in Madrid and Singapore, Berlioz’s “L’enfance du Christ” conductor Sian Edwards at Dartington, Vivaldi’s “Gloria” with the ECO, Handel’s “Samson” at the Snape Proms, Mahler’s “Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen” at the Edinburgh Festival, Beethoven’s “Choral” Symphony No. 9 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio” at the Queen’s Hall Edinburgh and John Dankworth’s “Thy Kingdom Gone” for alto solo with the London Mozart Players at St John’s Smith Square. Alison has also sung a series of concerts with the Orquesta Filarmonica de Gran Canaria, conductor Adrian Leaper. Recent engagements include de Falla’s “El amor brujo” at Dartington.