Rebecca Raffell,Claudia Chapa,Nina Romanova,Sarah Castle

Rebecca Raffell
Rebecca Raffell was born in Karlsruhe Germany to GermanEnglish parents and was introduced to opera from very early
age. After moving to Oxford in 1991 she joined the Junior
Drama Department at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in
London.
In 1997 she commenced vocal training with Jean
Allister FRAM FGSM.
Later she won First Prize in the
Oxfordshire Young Performers Competition and the Birmingham
Young Singers. Rebecca was 18 when she auditioned for a place
at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama and won a
scholarship for vocal studies with Professor Rudolph Piernay
and later with Brian Parsons. She performed roles in College
productions such as Erriclea IL RITORNO D’ULISSE IN PATRIA,
Nutrice L’INCORNAZIONE DI POPPEA and in Opera Scenes she sang
Gaea DAPHNE, Dritte Dame DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Principessa SUOR
ANGELICA, and Mrs. Sedley PETER GRIMES. She was Marcellina LE
NOZZE DI FIGARO for Southbank Sinfonia with Simon Over in
France.
There after Rebecca completed the
she performed for the first time
Staatsoper in Stuttgart Germany
ERWIN, DAS NATURTALENT by American
was invited to sing another world
Schwäbisch Hall Cupido FIGARO VOR
Opera course at Guildhall,
with the Junge Oper at the
in the world premiere of
composer Mike Svoboda. She
premiere at the Festival in
HOCHZEIT by Svoboda/Mozart.
Rebecca appeared in yet another world premiere at Staatsoper
Stuttgart singing the role of Mum in Matthias Heep’s opera
TRÄUMER. Other engagements included the Sorceress DIDO AND
AENEAS, the Owl in the German Premiere of THE CRICKET RECOVERS
by Richard Ayres, Fafner SIGURD DER DRACHENTÖTER, Mistress
Quickly FALSTAFF, Dritte Dame DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Filipjevna in
EUGENE ONEGIN, Mistress Quickly FALSTAFF at the Staatstheater
Wiesbaden and Stimme der Mutter LES CONTES D‘HOFFMANN at
Deutsche Oper am Rhein Düsseldorf. She has recently performed
Arnalta L’INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA and Die Stallmagd
KOENIGSKINGER at the Semperoper Dresden. Since 2011 Raffell
has been a member of the ensemble at Staatstheater Karlsruhe
where her roles have included Anna LES TROYENS, Boulotte
RITTER BLAUBART, Cleone ALESSANDRO, Mary DER FLIEGENDE
HOLLÄNDER, Erda, 1 Norn, Schwerleite DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN,
Auntie PETER GRIMES, Marquise de Berkenfield LA FILLE DU
REGIMENT, Amme BORIS GODUNOV, and Der Tod LE ROSSIGNOL.
In 2015 she sang Stallmagd KÖNIGSKINDER by Humperdinck at the
Semperoper in Dresden and Filypjewna EUGENE ONEGIN at the
Aalto Theater in Essen from 2012-2015. Since September 2015
Rebecca is singing ‘The lady of the Lake‘ in Monty Python’s
SPAMALOT, a production due to run until 2018 in Karlsruhe.
Upcoming engagements in 2016 include her debut at the Deutsche
Oper Berlin in the new production of VEC MAKROPULOS by
Janacek, conducted by Donald Runnicles, DIE ÄGYPTISCHE HELENA
by Richard Strauss and in 2017 Mary THE FLYING DUTCHMAN,
Schwertleite DIE WALKÜRE, Bronka DIE PASSAGIEREN by Weinberg
and Stallmagd DIE KÖNIGKINDER.
Contact:
Ambra Sorrentino
Artist manager
[email protected]
Claudia Chapa
Mexican mezzo-soprano Claudia Chapa has
recently been seen in such theatrically
dynamic roles as Azucena IL TROVATORE with
Winter Opera St. Louis and Opera in
Williamsburg and Madame Flora THE MEDIUM
and the Witch HÄNSEL UND GRETEL with Opera
in the Heights.
Upcoming engagements
include Azucena IL TROVATORE with the St.
Petersburg Opera Company, Mary THE FLYING
DUTCHMAN with Austin Opera, ConciertOH! de
Invierno with Opera in the Heights,
Verdi’s Requiem with the Alabama Symphony
and Dryade ARIADNE AUF NAXOS with Austin
Opera. Other recent engagements include
Dame Quickly FALSTAFF with Winter Opera St. Louis and Opera in
the Heights, Marthe FAUST with Indianopolis Opera, the Third
Lady DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE with the Glimmerglass Festival in 2015,
Portland Opera To Go, and Ms. Chapa’s professional operatic
debut in 2011 with Austin Lyric Opera, and covering the Old
Lady CANDIDE with Glimmerglass Festival 2015.
Other roles in Ms. Chapa’s operatic repertoire include Dryade
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, Alisa LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, Gertrude ROMÉO
ET JULIETTE, and Aunt Cecilia LITTLE WOMEN. Her performance
of Madame de Croissy LES DIALOGUES DES CARMÉLITES earned her
the prestigious Silverman Award from the International Vocal
Arts Institute, Tel Aviv.
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Artist Website
Contact:
Robert Gilder
Managing Director
[email protected]
Nina Romanova
Nina Romanova graduated from the St. Petersburg State RimskyKorsakov Conservatoire and was invited as a principal to the
Moldavien National Opera in Kishinev, where she had
outstanding success as Adalgisa NORMA. She has sung all the
principal Russian mezzo-soprano roles at the St. Petersburg
State Mussorgsky Opera House (Maly). As a concert and oratorio
singer, she appears regularly on the Russian concertplatforms, including the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Hall, the
Glinka Concert Hall, the St. Petersburg Capella Hall and the
Tchaikovsky Concert Hall. She has sung the mezzo-soprano parts
in oratorios such as Handel Messiah, Mozart Requiem,
Verdi Messa da Requiem all of the Bach Passions as well as
the B Minor Mass.
Tours with the Moussorgsky Opera Company have brought renown
in the USA, Japan, Italy, France, Germany, Holland, Portugal
and Great Britain. In Paris, she has sung many highly
acclaimed opera performances in concert under Vladimir
Fedoseyev. These include BORIS GODUNOV, QUEEN OF SPADES and
Prokofiev ALEXANDER NEVSKY, a production which has also been
shown at the Arena di Verona.
Following her many tours with Russian productions, she has
become a favourite guest in Nantes, where her engagements have
included Amneris AIDA, Azucena IL TROVATORE, Katlina TILL
EULENSPIEGEL and Marina BORIS GODOUNOV. She has also appeared
as Amneris AIDA in Rennes and Angers.
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Sarah Castle
New Zealand-born mezzo-soprano Sarah Castle has been gaining
attention for her committed and idiomatic performances of a
wide-ranging repertoire spanning over three-and-a-half
centuries of different styles and composers. Based in the UK,
she has developed an ongoing relationship with London’s Royal
Opera House Covent Garden, where she debuted in 2001 as Tisbe
CENERENTOLA and has gone on to sing a variety of roles,
including the Wagner roles of Flosshilde and Siegrune in Keith
Warner’s production of DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN.
A seasoned interpreter of Wagnerian repertoire, Ms. Castle has
appeared at the Bayreuth Festival (Wellgunde and Grimgerde DER
RING DES NIBELUNGEN), Bavarian State Opera (Flosshilde DER
RING DES NIBELUNGEN), Florence’s Maggio Musicale (Siegrune DIE
WALKÜRE, conducted by Zubin Mehta), Opera North (Flosshilde
DAS RHEINGOLD), and State Opera of South Australia
(Flowermaiden in the Australian premiere of PARSIFAL,
conducted by Jeffrey Tate).
Concert performances she has
performed Siegrune DIE WALKÜRE with the BBC Scottish Symphony
Orchestra conducted by Donald Runnicles for her BBC Proms
debut, Waltraute DIE WALKÜRE with the New Zealand Symphony
Orchestra, and both PARSIFAL and Waltraute DIE WALKÜRE with
the Hallé Orchestra. She continues her foray into Wagner with
Flosshilde DAS RHEINGOLD & GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG and Siegrune DIE
WALKÜRE for Opera North’s Ring Cycles (2016) and Waltraute DIE
WALKÜRE in concert with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Jaap van Zweden.
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”contact”
Robert Gilder
Managing Director
London Office
t: +44 (0)20 7580 7758
e: [email protected]
Helene Schneiderman
The American mezzo-soprano Helene Schneiderman was born in
Flemington, New Jersey and began her studies at Westminster
Choir College, Princeton. She completed a Master of Music in
Voice Performance at the University of Cincinnati College of
Music and went on to gain an Artists’ Diploma in Opera in
1981. After graduating, Helene moved to Germany, where in
1982, she joined the Heidelberg Opera Ensemble and since 1984
has been a member of the Staatstheater Stuttgart. As well as
her work with Stuttgart, she has made guest performances with
many major European and American Opera Companies including
Munich State Opera, Karlsruhe, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Orlando,
Florida and New York City Opera.
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”contact”
Robert Gilder
Managing Director
London Office
t: +44 (0)20 7580 7758
e: [email protected]
Rachael Lloyd
“Best of all is Rachael Lloyd’s dignified Dido, rich voiced
and flawlessly delivered”
Dido and Aneas (Signum Records)
Kate Molleson
British Mezzo-soprano Rachael Lloyd continues to enjoy success
in the UK and is also establishing herself as an artist in
mainland Europe. Recent engagements include the title
role CARMEN at the Royal Albert Hall for Raymond Gubbay,
Pitti-Sing THE MIKADO at English National Opera, Sister THE
HOUSE TAKEN OVER at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Aristea
L’OLIMPIADE for the Buxton Festival, Amastre SERSE for English
Touring Opera, Maddalena RIGOLETTO for Iford Arts, her German
debut in the title-role DIDO & AENEAS for TPT Theater
Thüringen in Gera, Cornelia GIULIO CESARE IN EGITTO for the
Glyndebourne Festival, Meg Page FALSTAFF for Glyndebourne on
Tour and Kate Pinkerton MADAMA BUTTERFLY at the Royal Opera
House.
Future engagements include Third Lady THE MAGIC FLUTE and
Pitti-Sing THE MIKADO at English National Opera and Alisa in a
new production of LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR at the Royal Opera
House, directed by Katie Mitchell and conducted by Daniel
Oren.
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”contact”
Samuel Krum
Senior Artist Manager
London Office
t: +44 (0)20 7580 7758
e: [email protected]
Tara Venditti
American mezzo-soprano TARA VENDITTI has been acclaimed on
four continents as a “consummate singing actor” (Frankfurter
Rundschau) in a wide-ranging repertoire spanning over four
centuries’ worth of music.
In the 2015-2016 season, Ms.
Venditti made her Wuhan Philharmonic debut as CARMEN, a role
with which she has become singularly identified in recent
seasons, thus marking the first occasion that a Western opera
has ever been performed in Wuhan. Ms. Venditti went on to
make both her Parisian debut and Théâtre du Châtelet debut in
the French premiere of Sondheim’s PASSION, covering Natalie
Dessay in the role of Fosca and performing the role of Fosca’s
Mother. Future roles include Aldonza MAN OF LA MANCHA for
Portland Opera (US), her role debut as Isabella L’ITALIANA IN
ALGERI for Sarasota Opera and the title-role CARMEN for
Florida Grand Opera.
Sought after for her “richly sung and electrifying” (Metro
London) portrayals of CARMEN which number 72 to date and
counting, Ms. Venditti has performed the role with Opera
Holland Park (London), Staatstheater Mainz, two separate
productions at Staatstheater Darmstadt, Theater Bremen,
Theater Freiburg, Theater Münster, Kentucky Opera, and the
Wuhan Philharmonic Orchestra. Ms. Venditti’s “incandescent”
Carmen portrayals have been hailed by audiences and critics
alike in sold out performances to standing ovations.
In recent seasons, Ms. Venditti has made debuts with several
major international opera houses and orchestras, including
Teatro alla Scala as Frasquita (mezzo-version) CARMEN under
the baton of Gustavo Dudamel, rejoining the maestro for an
ensuing concert version of the opera in Caracas with the Simón
Bolívar Orchestra; Royal Opera House Covent Garden as Handel’s
TAMERLANO with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under
the baton of Ivor Bolton; Capella Cracoviensis (Krakow) under
the baton of Alessandro De Marchi in the title role of
Handel’s SOLOMON and Opéra-Théâtre de Metz as Ophélie in the
world premiere of Pierre Thilloy’s LE JOUR DES MEURTRES.
Other opera companies with which Ms. Venditti has appeared as
a soloist include Opéra National de Lyon, New York City Opera,
Glimmerglass Opera, Opera Memphis, Opera Birmingham, Center
for Contemporary Opera, American Music Theater Festival,
Connecticut Grand Opera, Theater Bielefeld.
For four seasons Ms. Venditti was a soloist at Staatstheater
Nürnberg, where some of her roles included Mère Marie
DIALOGUES DES CARMÉLITES, Suzuki MADAMA BUTTERFLY, Hänsel
HÄNSEL UND GRETEL, Lola CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA, Siebel FAUST,
Aldonza MAN OF LA MANCHA, Rosina IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA,
Maddalena RIGOLETTO, Olga EUGENE ONEGIN, Orfeo ORFEO ED
EURIDICE (Gluck), the title role in DIE GROSSHERZOGIN VON
GEROLSTEIN and the roles of Flosshilde and Schwertleite in the
company’s production of DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN, conducted by
Philippe Auguin. This production also toured to the Beijing
Music Festival, where it was the first ever Ring Cycle
performed in China, going on to earn a “Best of the Fest”
award for the ensemble.
A champion of 20th and 21st century repertoire, Ms. Venditti
is a first choice among composers and new music organizations,
having participated in premieres of numerous new works in New
York (including New York City Opera’s CENTRAL PARK TRILOGY),
Philadelphia, Green Bay, Memphis, Santa Fe, and most recently
Staatstheater Darmstadt’s production of Luigi Nono’s epic work
PROMETEO (July 2015).
Ms. Venditti has proven herself a
unique interpreter of the music of Kurt Weill. In 2015 she
debuted with the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna at the
Wiener Konzerthaus with a compelling program of Weill’s “radio
music”, including his cantata written for radio performance
THE BALLAD OF MAGNA CARTA.
She also bowed at the Israeli
Opera Tel Aviv as Leocadja Begbick in AUFSTIEG UND FALL DER
STADT MAHAGONNY, conducted by David Stern.
An alumna of the prestigious Oberlin Conservatory (Dean’s
Scholar) B.Mus., Manhattan School of Music (Merit Scholar) M.
Mus., Ms. Venditti held the position of Associate Teacher of
Singing for the University Conservatories of Nürnberg-Augsburg
from 2006-2008, continues to lead masterclasses worldwide for
Universities and Opera Companies, and also maintains a
successful private teaching studio of working singers.
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Contact:
Robert Gilder
Managing Director
[email protected]
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Michelle Daly
Dublin born Michelle studied at the RNCM and the GSMD where
she obtained a master’s degree in Vocal performance.
Michelle recently made her Royal Opera House debut last autumn
as Ninetta in the new production of Verdi’s Les Vepres
Siciliennes conducted by Antonio Pappano and directed by
Stefan Herheim. Other roles at the ROH include Third Nymph
(cover) in Dvorak’s Rusalka, Third Innocent (cover) in
Birtwistle’s The Minotaur and Anna (cover) in the David
McVicar Production of Berlioz Les Troyens. Recent performances
include Polly Peacham (The Beggars Opera) for the European
Opera Centre and Cornelia (Giulio Cesare) for the COR as part
of the 2013 Bloomsbury Festival.
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”contact”
Samuel Krum
Senior Artist Manager
London Office
t: +44 (0)20 7580 7758
e: [email protected]
Katherine Pracht
Mezzo-soprano Katherine Pracht’s
recent and upcoming engagements
include her return to Opera
Philadelphia as Flora LA TRAVIATA,
Meg FALSTAFF with Opera on the James
and several concert appearances
including Mahler’s Das Lied von der
Erde with the York Symphony, her
return to Carnegie Hall performing a
program of Sir Karl Jenkins’s works
with
Distinguished
Concerts
International New York, Symphony No.
5 by Philip Glass with The Washington
Chorus, composer Bright Sheng’s The
Intimacy of Creativity 2017 at the Asia Society Hong Kong
Center and her debut with the Grand Rapids Symphony performing
Peter Lieberson’s Neruda Songs. During the 2014/15 season,
Ms. Pracht was highly involved with Opera Philadelphia’s
mission to workshop and perform new American operas,
developing the role of Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter in
workshops of Daniel Schnyder’s CHARLIE PARKER’S YARDBIRD and
covering the role in its world premiere performance, also
developing the role of Glenda in WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED. She
performed the role of Meg LITTLE WOMEN with Opera on the James
and made her role debut as Sharon Falconer ELMER GANTRY with
Florentine Opera. During that season, Ms. Pracht’s concert
appearances included Elijah with the Blacksburg Master
Chorale, Mozart’s Requiem with the Choral Society of Grace
Church, NYC, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Black Pearl
Orchestra, and Prokofiev’s cantata Alexander Nevsky with the
Georgia Symphony.
Ms. Pracht’s 2013/2014 season included performances as Der
Trommler DER KAISER VON ATLANTIS for Central City Opera with
the Colorado Symphony, followed by her Carnegie Hall debut as
Alto Soloist in Verdi’s Requiem, a reprise of Der Trommler DER
KAISER VON ATLANTIS with Chicago’s New Millennium Orchestra,
John Corigliano’s FERN HILL for her debut with the Georgia
Symphony Chorus and Vega Quartet, and the Third Lady DIE
ZAUBERFLÖTE with Opera Company of Philadelphia.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hegKBInjsZc
Tu Ne Sais Pas (World Premier, March 2009) – by John Tavener
Performed with the Chamber Orchestra of
Philadelphia
http://robertgilder.co/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/11-Tu-nesais-pas.mp3
Artist Website
Contact:
Robert Gilder
Managing Director
[email protected]
Elizabeth Pojanowski
American mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Pojanowski is gaining renown
in theaters and concert halls not only for her voice but for
her electric stage presence and keen interpretation of new
works. Opera News writes that in Chautauqua Opera’s production
of CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN, “her Fox provided a charming love
interest and a warm, clear timbre.”
In 2015, she sang
Dorabella in Annapolis Opera’s production of COSI FAN TUTTE
and also originated the role of Sadie in the critically
acclaimed world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s beautiful opera
MORNING STAR with Cincinnati Opera. She began 2016 performing
Cherubino LE NOZZE DI FIGARO with Seattle Opera, and this
summer will perform Isolier LE COMTE ORY with Loft Opera.
Pojanowski made her New York City Opera debut as Shelley in
the American Premiere of ANNA NICOLE in 2013. In 2014, she
also made her Opera Omaha debut as Tisbe in LA CENERENTOLA,
which she then performed with NYCO Renaissance. In 2008 she
was proud to sing the role of Fiona in the workshop of Nico
Muhly’s TWO BOYS with Bartlett Sher at the Metropolitan Opera.
A frequent visiting artist at Cincinnati Opera, she has sung
Nancy T’ang in NIXON IN CHINA, Mercédès in CARMEN, Tebaldo in
DON CARLO and Ensemble in AINADAMAR.
As a young artist at Seattle Opera, she performed Dinah
TROUBLE IN TAHITI, the Child (title role) L’ENFANT ET LES
SORTILÈGES, Hansel HANSEL AND GRETEL and Hermia A MIDSUMMER
NIGHT’S DREAM. Other favorite roles include Prince Orlofsky
DIE FLEDERMAUS (Opera Saratoga), Siebel FAUST (Eugene Opera),
Stéphano ROMÉO ET JULIETTE (San Antonio Opera), Ernestina
L’OCCASIONE FA IL LADRO, (Little Opera Theater of New York),
Olga Olsen STREET SCENE (Chautauqua Opera), Third Lady THE
MAGIC FLUTE (Eugene Opera), Nancy ALBERT HERRING (Aspen Opera
Theater), Cousin Hebe H.M.S. PINAFORE (Dayton Opera) and La
Maestra delle Novizie SUOR ANGELICA (Opera Festival of Lucca).
Also at home as a concert artist, she was the alto soloist in
Strauss’s Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme with Seattle Symphony,
Rossini’s Stabat Mater with Yakima Symphony Orchestra, and
Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the First Presbyterian Church in New
York City where she also sang Mary in Respighi’s Lauda per la
Natività del Signore and the Second Soprano soli in Bach’s
Magnificat.
Pojanowski earned her BFA in vocal performance from Carnegie
Mellon University, her masters in music and artist diploma in
opera from University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of
Music.
She is a three time Metropolitan Opera National
Council Regional Finalist and a Liederkranz Opera Finalist;
she has also received the Palm Beach Encouragement Award, the
top Chautauqua Opera Guild Apprentice Award, an Aspen Opera
Theater Fellowship, a Corbett Scholarship and a Klose Seybold
Scholarship.
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Artist website