MEET THE VOICES TAKING PART IN OUR ARIA AFICIONADOS GALA

OLIVIA SINGLETON

Lancashire born soprano Olivia has recently graduated from The Royal Academy of Music with a Master of Arts in Vocal Performance and previously studied her Bachelor of Music with Honours from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Olivia is under the tutelage of Mary Nelson and coach Joseph Middleton and during her time at the Academy worked closely with opera stars including Freddie Detomasso and Lucy Crowe. Olivia has recently performed the role of Harry in Britten's Albert Herring with Royal Academy Opera. Operatic engagements also include the UK premiere of Heggie’s Dead Man Walking at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Stravinsky's The Rake’s Progress with Royal Academy Opera, and L’elisir d’amore and Le nozze di Figaro with the New Generation Festival in Florence, Italy. She has also appeared in opera scenes as Vixen in The Cunning Little Vixen, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, and Marie in La fille du regiment. Olivia has received an Off West End nomination (an ‘Offie’) for her role as Adele in SPO’s summer production of Die Fledermaus.

MELIZA METZGER-GÓMEZ

Colombian soprano Meliza believes in the importance for artists to be committed not only with the personal development of their musicianship and artistry, but also with the development of channels to approach and help our communities through music. Currently she’s developing Clasicamente, a project in her hometown about music initiation and voice development in jails, to encourage the use of music as tool for personal support and coping mechanism for life challenges. Meliza is a Royal Academy of Music and Conservatoire of Bordeaux graduate. Previous performance experience includes Zerbinetta, Ariadne auf Naxos (Three Bridges Festival); Belinda, Dido and Aeneas (Opera al Parque, Colombia); Queen of the Night, Die Zauberflote (Mario Laserna, Bogota); Prima sorella cercatrice, Suor Angelica (Auditorium of Bordeaux, Opera de Bordeaux), Magnificat and Cantatas BW211, BW11, BW4 (Chateau Malagar France); The Imago Sloveniae in Ptuj Castle (Slovenia). Currently she is working on the CD recording of arias for guitar and soprano with “Solent Duo” in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Other projects include concerts in Logatec, Slovenia and the Mozarteum Summer Academy 2024. Meliza played Ida and covered Adele in Die Fledermaus for SPO.

ASH HOWARD

Ash graduated with distinction in his MMus (vocal studies) at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music as the recipient of the Kathleen Roberts Vocal Scholarship, and was the winner of the 2024 Soloist’s Competition and placed second in the Hearn Foundation Vocal Competition. He has participated in several masterclasses, including singing for Thomas Quasthoff at Wigmore Hall and Roderick Williams with Hurn Court Opera. Most recently he performed as a Young Artist at Waterperry Opera Festival, in both a gala show and chorus (Barber of Seville). His operatic roles have included Dr Blind (Die Fledermaus) with St Paul’s Opera, Second Spirit (Die Zauberflӧte) with Cardiff Opera and Smeton (Try me, Good King) with Trinity Laban. He also joined Trinity Laban in its side-by-side project as Olga (Eugene Onegin), and has played multiple roles in its opera scenes such as Nicklausse (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Sesto (La Clemenza di Tito) and T ancredi (Tancredi).

JEAN-MAX LATTEMANN

London-based German-British countertenor Jean-Max is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He appears equally on the opera and concert stage and is praised by critics for his interpretations and vocal expressiveness, his repertoire ranging from early baroque to modern and contemporary music. Recent highlights include concerts in London, Heidelberg, Dresden and Vienna, as well as a return to London’s Tête-à-Tête Opera Festival. He has made recent debuts at the Dvorakova Olomouc Festival in the Czech Republic, the Théâtre National Mohammed V in Rabat in Morocco, the Internationale Maifestspiele Wiesbaden and the Barockfest Darmstadt in Germany. Jean-Max was Prinz Orlofsky in SPO’s summer production of Die Fledermaus.

DOMINIC WESTWOOD

Tenor Dominic was born and raised in Sydney and has been in London since 2017. Dominic studied for a Bachelors at Trinity Laban Conservatoire under Neil Baker and was coached by Helen Yorke. A young tenor who is building his experience, Dominic has performed with Blackheath Opera company, Morley College Opera School and Trinity Laban opera scenes. Dominic played Alfred in SPO’s summer production of Die Fledermaus.

ASHLEY MERCER
Bass baritone Ashley graduated Masters with distinction from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (TCM Trust Scholar & a Kathleen Roberts scholar) and was awarded the Paul Simm Opera Prize. Credits include: Max Kane, Dinner at Eight, Luka, The Bear, German Soldier, Silent Night (Wexford Festival Opera); Blackbeard, Moonfleet (Salisbury Playhouse); Morales, Carmen (St Paul’s Opera); Antonio, The Marriage of Figaro (Waterperry Opera Festival); Guglielmo, Così fan tutte (Opera in Oborne); Enrico, Lucia di Lammermoor, Maestro Spinelloccio, Gianni Schicchi (Fulham Opera); Messiah (Merry Opera). Ashley spent the summer singing the role of Leporello in Regent Opera’s touring production of Don Giovanni and returned to SPO in the role of Frank in this summer’s production of Die Fledermaus.

THOMAS LITCHEV
Bulgarian American baritone Thomas has recently completed his postgraduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music. Credits include: Adario, Rameau’s Les Indes Galantes (Trondheim Barokkfest for Stephanie-Marie Degand); a solo recital with pianist Héloïse Bertrand; Le Dancaïre, Carmen (St Paul’s Opera); Dandini, Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Opera Kipling). His work has been praised as ‘gripping to watch and hear’ (clevelandclassical.com). He made his company debut with Gothic Opera last autumn singing the role of Hudson in their new production of Rip van Winkle and this summer returned to SPO as Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus.

MATTHEW SOTILLO-COOKE

British tenor Matthew is currently studying at the Royal Academy of Music with Richard Berkeley-Steele, having previously received a first-class honours degree in French, Italian and Business Studies from the University of Kent with a year spent at the Université de Neuchatel, Switzerland. He is generously supported by the Leverhulme Arts Trust, The Friends of Music in Winchester and the Josephine Baker Trust scheme. Matthew sang with St Paul’s Opera in our Sacred Voices Resound gala in April.

PATRICIA NINIAN

Soprano Patricia began her solo career a few decades ago in Westminster Abbey, but more recently, completed the Morley College Opera Performance Programme. In 2013, she founded St Paul’s Opera (SPO) and sang Madame Goldentrill, Der Schauspieldirektor and Nella, Gianni Schicchi in the inaugural production. In subsequent years she has sung Liu, Turandot; Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni; Queen of the Night, Die Zauberflöte; Eurydice, Orpheus in the Underworld; Despina, Così fan Tutte; Marcellina, Le Nozze di Figaro; and Miss Wordsworth Albert Herring. In SPO’s summer production of Die Fledermaus, Patricia made a guest appearance in the role of Tawdry Hepburn! Patricia continues to sing regularly with SPO at  galas, Christmas pantos and oratorio concerts, as well as being a regular cantor for St Paul’s Church. However, she gains as much enjoyment in being part of the development of the company, particularly in seeing singers joining SPO and developing their talent through the production process, as well as nurturing the opera community of the future through the Schools Outreach Programme.

BLANCA GRACIA RODRIGUEZ

Spanish pianist Blanca has always been passionate about vocal repertoire, being part of the 2023/24 Young Artist Programme at the National Opera Studio as a répetiteur. Prior to this, she graduated with honours as a Master in Collaborative Piano from the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerpen under the tutelage of Jeanne Minette-Cilliers and Andrew Wise. She has participated on numerous opera productions such as Ernani and Le Nozze di Figaro at the Opera Ballet Vlaanderen under the baton of Julia Jones and Marie Jacquot respectively; as well as working together with such as Julia Mintzer, Keith Warner, Karen Kamensek, Chris Moulds and Rory Macdonald among others. Recent engagements include playing piano off-stage at the production of Suor Angelica at the ENO.