The reviews are in for the world premiere of ‘The Monstrous Child’ by Gavin Higgins and Francesca Simon, a new production directed by Timothy Sheader and designed by Paul Wills, at the Linbury Theatre, The Royal Opera House. We are thrilled to see that #TaitAwardee, and Chair of the Tait Music Board, Jessica Cottis has received such glowing reviews for her work. Brava Jessica, we are so proud of you.
Isla Baring OAM, Chairman of the Tait Trust
“I had tickets for the opening night of The Monstrous Child, and it was sensational! Jessica Cottis was brilliant the way she handled this modern music, the incredible production, and the singers in this new opera. Bravo to Covent Garden at the newly refurbished Linbury Theatre. The reviews say it all! We are so proud of Jessica who is really making her way Up!! I am sure.”
“Jessica Cottis directs members of the Aurora Orchestra with incisive clarity, deploying her forces strategically, always mindful of the singers who must project Simon’s text without the help of surtitles. It’s no small praise to say that you hardly lose a word.”
Tonight Australian conductor (and Chair of the Tait Music Board) Jessica Cottis conducts the world premiere of Gavin Higgins and Francesca Simon‘s opera The Monstrous Child at the newly re-opened Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House.
Directed by Timothy Sheader, designed by Paul Wills, with singers Marta Fontanals-Simmonds, Daniel Shelvey, Rosie Aldridge, Tom Randle, Lucy Schaufer, Graeme Broadbent, and Elizabeth Karani, and the Aurora Orchestra.
The Monstrous Child is the first opera by Gavin Higgins, a young British composer with a reputation for boldly imaginative music. The text is adapted by bestselling author Francesca Simon from her own darkly humorous novel. Puppetry and the inspiration of the Norse landscape contribute to this theatrical spectacle about one teenager trying to find her place in the world.
To learn more about this production and book tickets click here
I hope you’ve all had a lovely start to your autumn/spring (depending on hemisphere!) – I certainly have! Most especially the start of rehearsals for my debut with the Royal Opera House world premiere of Glare in the role of Lea. Very exciting!! Helping develop a new opera and new story line has been such a creative and different rehearsal experience. I hope that if you’re in London you might be able to come!
Am I am robot?… am I a woman?… am I ‘perfect’?… ’imperfect’?… who knows?! – Come and find out!
Please see the trailer attached and performance dates below…
There’s also lots of exciting stuff in the pipeline for 2015. In particular, (and what I’m currently allowed to reveal), is that I have accepted a La Bohème contract for my debut with English Touring Opera. We will be travelling all around the UK. I can’t wait to visit all the towns that I haven’t had the opportunity to go to yet. I am also excited to be performing in this opera with two fellow Adelaidians; Grant Doyle and Nicholas Lester.
In 2014 Tait Awards have increased by 27% from 2013/14. This increase has largely been due to the excellent response to our new Friends scheme and the increased level of donations from our generous supporters. The names of our Friends and our major donors can be found here
With our new ‘Adopt a Performer’ scheme we have two scholarships of £5,000 per annum over three years. The aim of this scheme is to offer continuity of funding to the artists over the term of their academic studies and to link a donor directly with an awardee.
Kevin Penkin, Tait Scholar
Last year Kevin Penkin, composer, was the inaugural ‘Tait Scholar’ supported by the Baring family. This year he continues his studies at The Royal College of Music. We are delighted that Kevin has agreed to accept our commission for a new piece of music for flute and orchestra entitled, Changing Feet, to be premiered at our Winter Prom 9th December 2014. Tait Awardee, Nicola Crowe is to play the flute solo.
Waynne Kwon, cello, Higgins Family scholar
Waynne Kwon, cello is the inaugural recipient of the Higgins family scholarship. Waynne is about to commence his undergraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music.
This year we are supporting 4 singers, 3 cellists, 2 accompanists, 3 composers, 1 viola, 1 flute and for the first time we are supporting a Trio, The Darian Trio which is based in Vienna.
We have a fund of £8,000 to support The Leanne Benjamin Awards for 2014/15 This fund was the result of The Leanne Benjamin Awards launch at The Royal Ballet School and a generous donation from Lady Roberttson. These awards will be announced later this year.
Australian soprano, Kiandra Howarth, a member of the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme had a great success at the ROH. Blogger and opera reviewer Sarah Noble@primalamusica reporting from London ROH’s “Dialogues of the Carmelites by Poulenc-“.
Thought the Bel Canto crowd would like to hear about another Aussie success – Kiandra Howarth went on this morning as Soeur Constance in the general of Carmelites (replacing an ill Anna Prohaska) and did a truly wonderful job.
Kiandra Howarth, Soprano
A masterclass in how to triumph as a cover – if I hadn’t known, I’d have sworn she’d been in it from the start. Can’t wait to see and hear more from her, here and elsewhere. We also had the luxury of Catherine Carby as Soeur Mathilde!’
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.
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
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