The Leanne Benjamin Awards are to be launched at The Royal Ballet School on Thursday June 12th with Leanne Benjamin OBE teaching a Royal Ballet School Student one of her famous solos in front of a live audience.
We do hope you will be able to join us for this most special event. The masterclass has been put together for us by The Royal Ballet School to help us launch our new awards for young Australian dancers and we are enormously grateful for its support.
The awards recognise the great Australian, Leanne Benjamin, arguably the most successful Australian ballerina ever to have come from Australia. Leanne danced with four of the world’s leading companies (Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, London Festival Ballet, Deutsche Oper Ballet and The Royal Ballet) and worked directly with many of the legends of 20th and 21st century ballet, in a career that spanned 30 years. She is an example to any aspiring Australian professional dancers. The Tait Memorial Trust is delighted to name our new ballet awards The Leanne Benjamin Awards
I hope this event will prove to be a turning point for the Tait Memorial Trust and will see us become more involved with the prestigious Royal Ballet School where so many promising young Australian dancers have completed their training.
We are thrilled that Leanne Benjamin OBE,an alumna of The Royal Ballet School who recently retired as a principal dancer with The Royal Ballet after a 21 year career, will appear on the night. She and Mark Annear, Head of Outreach and Teacher Training with The Royal Ballet School, will work with the students, who will include three TMT awardees.Highlights of the evening will include the Tait Awardees and other Australian students performing a selection of classical solos and pas de deux and Leanne Benjamin coaching a student in one of her favourite solos from the classical repertoire.
This is a unique opportunity, not only to see some fabulous dancing, but also to help promising Australian ballet students who come to London to study at what is widely regarded as one of the world’s top three ballet schools. Don’t miss it.
It has been awhile since I last wrote with an update on things happening in London so hope you enjoy some of my news and developments.
Lauren Fagan – Soprano, Pinnochio, GSMD 2014
It seems like a long time ago now but less than a month ago we had the performances of my final opera at Guildhall ‘The Adventures of Pinocchio’. We were lucky enough to have Jonathan Dove the composer come to many of the rehearsals and also to work with Eilene Hannan on the English as they riskily decided to have no surtitles for the performances. Overall the opera was very well received as it was the first time a conservatoire had performed it. I have included some photos from the show – the Blue paint was very hard to get off every night and my elbows have only just come clean.
Glyndebourne chorus rehearsals started two weeks ago, I have moved from London to the beautiful town of Lewes (the main town closest to Glyndebourne).
I am living in a big house with my friend Josh, another singer from Guildhall – although there are lots of singers all scattered around the town.
We each have our own room and big living space but share the house with an older couple. I’m very glad I chose to live in Lewes as it makes it possible to go in early to practice and also spend time with all the other singers (however in saying that, it is just over an hour to get back into London by train so will be going back most weekends to keep singing lessons up).
The first opera I am a part of is Eugene Onegin – last week the main challenge was working on all the Russian but it has all come together very quickly and the sound is very impressive already. Shortly we will begin work on La traviata (where I will be covering one of the small roles ‘Annina’) and then later on Don Giovanni.
A few days ago The Royal Opera House announced the coming season for next year. I have been giving some nice little roles that will allow me to ease into the intense year coming up.
My biggest role will be singing Giulia in Rossini’s ‘La scala di seta’. This opera won’t be on the main house stage but is a chance to perform with the other new Young Artists and with orchestra. I have already started working hard on this role as Giulia rarely leaves the stage and the role involves a fair amount of coloratura (fast passages of notes), which my voice is currently not particularly attuned to doing!! I’m feeling very motivated to develop this technique as I think if I can master this role a whole new area of repertoire will be opened up to me and I also want to make a good first impression.
For the Opera house main stage I’m very excited to be singing Papagena in Die Zauberflote and will also be one of the ‘Girls’ in The Rise and Fall of Mahagonny.
The roles that I will be covering include Gianetta in L’elisir d’amore, Oskar in Un ballo in maschera and Jemmy in Guillaume Tell – there are a lot of big names singing the lead roles in these operas so will be great to see them at work.
Just before heading to Glyndebourne I had the Jette Parker Induction week. The other 4 young artists selected had come from all over to be there; it was a funny experience to be the only girl with four extremely tall boys but I’m sure I will get used to it 🙂 It was also nice to see the two other Australian’s Sam and Sam who I know well from my time with the Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust
We launched straight into a week of sessions to give us a taste of the various coaches and services we have access to – now and for the rest of our lives!
Over the week we were involved in sessions including Stage Fighting, Media and Interviews, Stagecraft, Movement, Alexander technique, Vocal Coaching with a number of regarded teachers (including Yvonne Kelly), and Mind Skills – which I found particularly interesting as the woman taking the session is able to help with things from organisation, to calming nerves, building adrenalin and switching off after performances to fall asleep.
So far I am loving my first real taste of singing work – although sometimes it’s hard to think of Glyndebourne as work when you are singing in such a beautiful environment.
Hope all of you are well, and would love to hear any news from back home.
Love Lauren
The Trust are thrilled for Lauren and for the two Sams, Sam Sakker and Sam Johnson, for gaining 3 of the 5 coveted positions at Covent Garden. They will be joining Australian soprano Kiandra Howarth and stage director Greg Eldridge in the programme.
On Tuesday March 18th the Trust invited our Friends to the home of the Australian High Commissioner, Stoke Lodge. The evening was hosted by Sasha Carruozzo, wife of Mike Rann CNZM the Australian High Commissioner, and by Tait Memorial Trust Chairman, Isla Baring OAM. The Trust are terribly grateful to Mike and Sasha and want to publicly thank them for their generosity in allowing us to use their home to entertain our guests.
Isla Baring OAM giving her welcome speech to our guestsLindsay Birrell, President of Legacy UK, Isla Baring OAM and Mrs Jenny DunnTait Friends, Mr and Mrs Ian Tegner and Mrs Karen Goldie-Morrison with TMT Awardee 2013, Benjamin Mellefont
We were delighted to welcome many of our most valued and generous supporters, the Deputy Australian High Commissioner, Mr Andrew Todd and his wife, and the Agents’ General of Western Australia, Queensland and Western Australia.
Awardees present included: Greta Bradman, Soprano; Benjamin Mellefont, Clarinet; Xenia Deviatkina-Loh, Violin; Sophie Moffatt, Ballet; Kevin Penkin, Composition (2013/14 Tait Scholar); Calvin Richardson, Ballet and Adam Szabo, Cello.
Greta Bradman TMT Awardee with Sasha Carruozzo
Joining us was Sam Sakker, a young Australian tenor who is to sing at the Royal Opera House in their Jette Parker Young Artist Programme from September 2014, who sang Lehar’s classic, Dein is mein ganzes Herz and the Australian National Anthem all a capella. He has the most thrilling voice with the richest/warmest tone. Adam Szabo, Tait Awardee 2013, played some selections from JS Bach’s cello suites…incredibly beautifully.
TMT Awardees 2013, Calvin Richardson & Sophie Moffatt with Miss Leanne Benjamin OBE and Tait Friend, Mrs Sue Lloyd
Tait Friends
We launched our new Friends scheme which includes a new initiative called, Adopt a Performer. The scheme would link a donor, or a group of donors, to one awardee for three years ( the length of the typical undergraduate degree or course) For a minimum subscription of £75 Tait Friends receive discounts to Tait events and an invitation to an annual reception. The greatest benefit to all donors is the knowledge that they are making a tangible difference to the life of a young Australian performing artist. More information about our new Friends scheme can be found here
Julian Gavin, new Tait Patron
Our new Patron, Australian international tenor, Julian Gavin was introduced to our Friends and has agreed to join our Music Board (the selection process for the 2014/15 awards begins soon. Applications for music awards close on Monday 31st March. More info here
The Leanne Benjamin Awards
Isla Baring OAM with Leanne Benjamin OBE
An honoured guest was Australian principal ballerina, Leanne Benjamin OBE. Recently retired from The Royal Ballet after a 21 year first class career with the company, Miss Benjamin has agreed to join us to create a new award(s) in her name which will help fund the studies of young Australian dancers in the UK. Called The Leanne Benjamin Awards the Trust are producing a gala reception with a masterclass taken by Miss Benjamin and Australian senior teacher at the school, Mark Annear, at The Royal Ballet School, Floral Street, Covent Garden. This fundraising event will be held in the Linden Studio at The Royal Ballet School on Thursday 12th June. We are very grateful to the staff and students at the school for allowing us to use this excellent venue for our event.
Tickets to this special Tait event are available here
Tait Patron, Julian Gavin with Tait Committee member, Jan Gowrie-Smith and Tait Trustee, Susie ThorntonAdam Szabo, Cello. Awardee 2013 playing at the Tait Friends eventTenor, Sakker with TMT Executive Director, James Hancock and the Queensland Agent General, Ken Smith OBETait Friend, Mrs Pamela le Couter; TMT Awardee 2013, Greta Bradman and Tait Trustee, Mrs Shirley BarrGroup shot of Awardees with Isla Baring OAM, Julian Gavin, Sam Sakker and Leanne Benjamin OBE
A recording of Dame Joan Sutherland, live in Australia 1965 (Vol. 2) Desiree Records is available via this link
Volume 1 sold out (let’s hope they press some more CDs). These recordings have particular significance for the Trust as Isla Baring’s father, Sir Frank Tait, produced this tour as part of the JC Williamson/ Sutherland Opera Company. It was Sir Frank’s ambition to present Dame Joan Sutherland to the Australian public after her international acclaim. The Sutherland Williamson Opera Company was formed in 1963. Richard Bonynge as Artistic Director engaged a team of world renowned principals and internationally successful Australian artists. One of the principals was Luciano Pavarotti, a young tenor from Modena. The chorus was all Australian. There was no government subsidy and the fate of Williamson’s future rested on the success of the venture.
Sir Frank lived to see his ambition fulfilled. The triumphant Melbourne opening heralded the return of Dame Joan to her homeland. It was a season never to be forgotten. In Richard Bonynge’s words: “Sir Frank Tait has done the greatest service to Australian Theatre and to the arts of anyone we know.”
Sir Frank died at the age of 81 after the Melbourne season finished and while the company were in Adelaide. It was the end of an era in the history of Australian theatre.
Final night of La Sonnambula. Sutherland/ Williamson tour 1965
Following the enormous response to the initial Joan Sutherland Live In Australia 1965 (unfortunately no longer available), Desiree Records brings us a sequel which includes Sutherland performing the entire role of Lucia di Lammermoor, plus other rare and unknown recordings including alternate casts.
NOTE: These historical recordings derive mainly from old reel-to-reel quarter-inch tape, recorded with, sometimes, primitive methods. Studio efforts have been made to keep any unnecessary surface noise to a minimum without harming the clarity of sound reproduction.
Also available from Desiree Records are these two collections of Robert Allman and Nance Grant.
Robert Allman
Nance Grant
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti):
– Introduction
– Ancor non giunse!
– Regnava nel silenzio
– Quando, rapito in estasi
– Egli s’avanza…La vicina soglia
– Sulla tomba che rinserra
– Qui di sposa eterna fede
– Verranno a te sull’aure
– Il pallor funesto, orrendo
– Soffriva nel pianto
– Se tradirmi tu potrai
– Ebben? Di tua speranza
– Ah! Cedi, cedi, o più sciagure
– Al ben de’ tuoi qual vittima
– Dov’ è Lucia?
– Piange la madre estinta…
– Chi mi frena in tal momento?
– T’allontana, sciagurato
– Il dolce suono
– Ardon gli incensi
– S’avanza Enrico!
– Spargi d’amoro pianto.
Joan Sutherland (Lucia), John Alexander (Edgardo), Cornelis Opthof (Enrico), Clifford Grant (Raimondo), Dorothy Cole (Alisa), Sergei Baigildin (Arturo) – Richard Bonynge – Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, July 10th 1965.
CD2:
Semiramide (Rossini):
– Bel raggio lusinghier
– Se la vita ancor t’è cara
– Ebben, a te: ferisci.
Joan Sutherland (Semiramide), Spiro Malas (Azzur), Lauris Elms (Arsace) – August 1965 exact date unknown.
La Traviata (Verdi):
– Libiamo ne’ lieti calici
– Che è ciò?
– Un di felice.
Joan Sutherland (Violetta), Alberto Remedios (Alfredo) Andrè Montal (Gastone) – exact date unknown.
Faust (Gounod):
– Seigneur, daignez permettre à votre humble servante.
Joan Sutherland (Marguerite), Richard Cross (Méphistophélès) – cond. William Weibel – August 10th 1965.
La Sonnambula (Bellini):
– Care compagne….Come per me sereno
– Sovra il sen la man mi posa
– Prendi: l’anel ti dono.
Joan Sutherland (Amina), Luciano Pavarotti (Elvino) – Richard Bonynge – Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney – October 9th 1965. Encore: Home Sweet Home. Richard Bonynge (Pianoforte), Closing Night – Melbourne.
Bonus Tracks: The Alternate Sopranos
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti):
– Sulla tomba che rinserra
– Qui di sposa eterna fede
– Verranno a te sull’aure.
Elizabeth Harwood (Lucia), Luciano Pavarotti (Edgardo). Faust (Gounod):
– Alerte, ou vous ètes perdus!
Doris Yarick (Marguerite), Alberto Remedios (Faust), Joseph Rouleau (Méphistophélès)
Andrew Sinclair was born in Melbourne and has directed productions for all the major Australian opera companies. Following engagements with Welsh National Opera, English National Opera (then Sadler’s Wells) and a London season of the Bolshoi Ballet, he was appointed Deputy Stage Manager for the Royal Opera, Covent Garden and is currently a Resident Director with the company. Today he began rehearsing a production of Pagliacci in San Diego, USA. More about the production here San Diego Opera | Pagliacci.
A recent review for Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci with West Australian Opera
“Director Andrew Sinclair has done wonders in deploying his forces, not least in relation to a crowd of excited children and adults who swarm around for a performance none will ever forget..”
Neville Cohn – The West Australian, 9 August 2010
Thrilled to be able to announce that 2013 Tait Awardee, Lauren Fagan has been offered a place in the Royal Opera House, Jette Parker Young Artists Programme to begin in September 2014. The news is even sweeter as two other young Australian singers have also been offered a place; Tenor, Sam Sakker and Baritone, Samuel Johnson. Congratulations to you all
I was very privileged to perform at John Amis’s memorial concert on 8th October. A wonderfully colourful and lively event which was a fitting celebration for a colourful and lively man. I met John for the first time very near the end of his life at a concert I gave at the home of Bob and Elisabeth Boas, great supporters of the Tait Trust. I will cherish my memory of chatting to John, hearing him recount stories about Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Ravel and Britten as if he had seen them only the day before. Above all his enthusiasm for music was infectious and inspiring. Thank you Isla for introducing us then, and for letting me be a part of his celebration concert. Performing Grainger’s Handel in the Strand was a fun – and at times nerve-wracking – experience, and it was wonderful to work with the great Steuart Bedford who is known for his close association with Benjamin Britten.
As I look ahead to my performance schedule in 2014, I would particularly like to inform you all about a very special Wigmore Hall recital I will be giving soon on 27th January, kindly supported by the Keyboard Charitable Trust www.keyboardtrust.org. The programme is as follows:
Beethoven Two Rondos, Op. 51 Beethoven Sonata No. 28 in A major, Op. 101 Schumann Etudes symphoniques
It is a very interesting and appealing programme because it takes us on a journey through three great structures of Classical music – the Rondo, the Sonata and the Variation. At the same time it documents the rapid development of the piano, which in the space of a few decades in the early 1800s evolved from a light and graceful domestic instrument into an orchestral powerhouse capable of filling large halls on a symphonic scale.
Another interesting point is that I will be performing a unique version of the Schumann Symphonic Etudes. Many of you will know that the piece is simultaneously a set of variations and a set of etudes. Some will be aware of five variations which Schumann did not publish during his lifetime and were rediscovered and published by Brahms. When incorporating these ‘posthumous’ variations, as I will be on 27th, it is up to the performer to decide where they should be placed. Some play them all together in a group, and others dot them throughout the piece. As far as I know, the order I have chosen is unlike any other. I have various reasons behind the order which I have chosen, the main one being that I want to highlight the extreme characters of Schumann’s writing – the so-called Florestan and Eusebius which we hear so much in Kreisleriana, Carnaval and indeed most of Schumann’s early piano compositions.
Elena Xanthoudakis, Tait Memorial Trust Prize winner at the Performing Australian Music Competition 2008 this year has been busy in New York City covering in Le Comte Ory and Rigoletto for the Metropolitan Opera as well as performing in Concert with the Melbourne Symphony amongst other engagements. This year, she was fortunate to record a solo Orchestral Disc with Maestro Richard Bonynge with the Support of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust and the Tait Memorial Trust. The CD of Bel Canto arias will be released next March 2014 on Signum records. Elena is also looking forward to performing Gilda in Rigoletto for Opera Queensland in the the new year along with recitals at the Melbourne Recital Centre with TrioKROMA.
Last night two Tait awardees; Lauren Fagan, Soprano 2013 and Lauren Zolezzi, Soprano 2012 sang the lead roles in the Guildhall School of Music & Drama double bill at the Silk Street Theatre, The Barbican.
Lauren Fagan, Soprano singing the Countess, The Marriage of Figaro 2012
Lauren Fagan appeared first in Debussy’s l’enfant prodigue. Her singing was of the highest standard, ravishing tone and an impeccable technique. Her performance as the despairing Mother was full of pathos…lovely. Lauren displayed a maturity of performance not often seen in student productions. We look forward to hearing her sing again in a TMT concert in 2014. Read more about Lauren here
Lauren Zolezzi stole the show in the second opera performed last night, Donizetti’s, Francesca di Foix. Glittering top notes, easy production and a stage presence that was simply divine. Earlier in the year Lauren sang in the first concert of the Trust series at the Foundling Museum, London and gave this interview
All in all it was a golden night for the Trust. Thrilling for us at the Tait Memorial Trust to see Lauren Fagan and Lauren Zolezzi performing to such a high standard in one of the most prestigious music schools in the world.
We are very grateful for the steadfast and loyal; support we receive from our many donors. Last night was their triumph.
Initially stepping onto the stage as a young ballerina, Australian born soprano Lauren Zolezzi has now moved into the world of opera and is at the outset of an exciting career.
In September 2012, Lauren took up her scholarship on the Opera Course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London under the tutelage of Susan Waters. Before that,Lauren completed her Master of Arts (Preparatory Opera) with Distinction and scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music, London. Her musical training alongside previous ballet training as well as her study of the Italian language, has led to a well-rounded performer who manages to capture the attention of audiences internationally.
Lauren has been most successful in many singing competitions and scholarships, having won over one hundred awards and scholarships over the years. Recently she won the National Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge Scholarship in Australia. Lauren also placed first in Sydney Eisteddfod open age Oratorio and Russian Song sections as well as the Lieder and Oratorio Sections (21-25 yrs). She placed 3rd in both the Female Voices and the Operatic Aria Sections. Other scholarships and prizes include The Sainsbury Award at the Royal Academy of Music and The Marion Macaulay Bequest Scholarship for overseas study from the University of Sydney.
Lauren is an extremely busy performer both in the UK and Australia. Roles include Armida Rinaldo, Drusilla L’Incoronazione di Poppea, Despina Cosi’ fan tutte and Journalist 1 The Last King of Scotland, The Princess L’enfantet les sortilèges, Norina Don Pasquale, Sophie Der Rosenkavalier, Jano Jenufa, Melisande Pelleas et Melisandeand Barbarina The Little Green Swallow (Dove) in Guildhall Opera Scenes. She also performed the role of Barbarina Le Nozze di Figaro (GSMD) in February 2013 and covered the role of Susanna as well as receiving a solo recital of artsong at the Foundling Museum in London.
Before arriving in the UK she sang as soloist for the Australian ‘Opera and Arts Support Group’ soiree in Sydney Australia. During the 2008 World Youth Day celebrations, she sang to great acclaim as the featured soloist at the Evening Vigil liturgy with Pope Benedict XVI, held at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney. She was also featured soprano in a concert of excerpts from The Messiah at St Mary’s Cathedral in December 2008. Lauren was invited by the Honorary John Aquilina to perform at the National European Day ball held at Government House in 2008 to an audience of foreign representatives.
Lauren’s past featured operatic roles have included Naiad Ariadne auf Naxos and Ellen Lakme’ (Academy Opera Scenes). She also played the title role of Carmen in ‘Carmen – The Musical’ at the State Theatre and a member of the chorus for Dead Man Walking – The Opera at the Lyric Theatre in 2007. She partook in all of the Mid-Summer Operas held at the Conservatorium of Music from 2005-2008, in all of which she featured as a soloist performing roles such as Virtu’ L’Incoronazione di Poppea and Papagena Die Zauberflöte.
Lauren’s continued development is generously supported by the Tait Memorial Trust, the Opera and Arts Support Group Australia, The Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers, the Worshipful Company of Barbers and the Australian Government through the Australian Council of the Arts, it’s Arts Funding and Advisory Body.
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