Handel’s Messiah - Music for All Ages

• Evening Performance: The full Messiah performance will bring a fresh musical and visual experience to this masterpiece. The concert will feature young professional singers and instrumentalists

• Family Matinée: This interactive abridged adaptation will introduce a young audience to Messiah through storytelling and visual illustration of how music can convey emotions and ideas, and introduce a love for music at an early age.

Please note: This production includes sequences of flashing lights.

Tickets:  £25 for adults & £12.50 for under 18s

Thursday 5th December at 7.00pm (doors open at 6.40pm) full Messiah performance (3hrs)

Saturday 7th December at 3.30pm (doors open at 3.00pm) family matinée (approx. 90mins)

MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Alex Norton

Alex is a British pianist and continuo player, who trained as a Young Artist at the National Opera Studio (2023/24). As a repetiteur recent productions include the UK premiere of Salieri’s La fiera di Venzia and the Danish premiere of Mascagni’s Zanetto, and multiple premieres with the Music Troupe. Other highlights include various projects with the Royal Opera House’s Learning and Participation programme, English Touring Opera, Welsh National Youth Opera and Lyric Opera Dublin. As a collaborative pianist Alex has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Wigmore Hall, various European venues, and made his concerto debut with the Leeds Symphony Orchestra.

MEET THE PERFORMERS

Sopranos

Meliza Metzger-Gómez
Colombian 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 a project “Clasicamente” 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. Future projects include concerts in Logatec, Slovenia and taking part in the Mozarteum Summer Academy 2024.

Patricia Ninian

Patricia began her solo career a few decades ago in Westminster Abbey, but more recently, she 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 the SPO 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 SPO’s Schools Outreach Programme.

Victoria Price

Victoria is a British soprano from Yorkshire, currently based in London. Victoria’s passion for singing started at a young age when she performed with several amateur dramatic societies and joined the Barnsley Youth Choir. Since then, she has undertaken a BA in Music at The University of York and a Postgraduate Diploma in Music also at the University of York. She is currently in her final year at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance completing a MMus in Vocal Performance, London. Victoria made her operatic debut as the First Lady in Mozart’s The Magic Flute with Leeds Youth Opera. She has also performed other roles for LYO which include Captain Alma Andersen (ARC23- commissioned opera for LYO), Old Woman (The Enchanted Pig) and cover for Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni). Victoria’s operatic roles in Trinity Laban's opera scenes include the role of Arabella (Arabella), Antonia (Les Contes D'Hoffmann), Vitellia (La Clemenza di Tito), Alice (Falstaff) and Antonia (Les Contes D'Hoffmann). For Rocket Opera, she has sung the role Captain O’Donnel (The Woodman) as part of the William Shield Festival and as a soloist in Company, a concert with artists from Rocket Opera’s Pandemic Performance Practice Platform. In Summer 2023, Victoria was Chorus for Opéra de Baugés Summer Operas, and also took part in Melophonetica’s Summer School where she played the role of Fiordiligi (Cosi fan Tutte).

AltoS

Alexandra Dinwiddie

Alexandra is a Stockwell-bred mezzo who trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland following studies at the University of Bristol and Morley Opera School. An SPO favourite, Alex had performed roles including Hansel (Hänsel und Gretel) Nancy (Albert Herring), La Ciesca (Gianni Schicchi) and Armelinde (Cinderella) with SPO. Other roles include Lola/Lena in Verismo, Opera on Location’s take on Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, ensemble for Gothic Opera’s Le Loup-Garou and Le Dernier Sorcier, and Olga for ESO’s Eugene Onegin. In concert, Alex has performed the premiere of Edwin Hillier’s Dhātu at Glasgow Cathedral Festival, Elgar’s Sea Pictures at Greyfriar’s Kirk and Dvořák’s Stabat Mater at St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh, and collaborated with the Tim Kliphuis Trio. Forthcoming plans include Sense and Sensibility: The Musical at the Minack Theatre, Cornwall, with Surrey Opera.

Ash Howard

Ash is a mezzo soprano from York who has been singing chorally from the age of six. Now based in London, he is studying 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 came second in the Hearn Foundation Vocal Competition. His operatic roles have included The Voice (Tales of Hoffmann) with Heber Opera, Second Spirit (Die Zauberflӧte) with Cardiff Opera and Smeton (Try me, Good King) with Trinity Laban. As part of Trinity Laban’s opera scenes he has performed multiple roles, including Sesto (La Clemenza di Tito), Tancredi (Tancredi), Mutter (Hänsel und Gretel) and Nicklausse (Les Contes d’Hoffmann). He is now preparing to be part of their side-by-side project with Welsh National Opera working on Olga (Eugene Onegin). This summer he will perform as one of the Waterperry Festival Young Artists. In the choral world, Ash is a regular soloist with Feltham Choral Society, and a member of the choir at Annunciation Church, Marble Arch and Belsize Square Synagogue. Ash is also interested in backstage roles, working as stage management alongside his roles in opera scenes and Try me, Good King. He is now studying as an opera stage manager on British Youth Opera’s Serena Fenwick Programme for Stage Management alongside his vocal studies.

Tenors

Orlando Vas

Orlando Querobino Vas, a Portuguese Indian tenor, was born in Goa, India but grew up in Macau, China. He began his musical journey at Macau Anglican College and the Macau Conservatory of Music, later continuing his studies in the United Kingdom. With a Master’s in Vocal Performance from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Orlando's career reflects a deep dedication to the arts. He currently serves as the Development and Events Coordinator at Opera Rara and performs with the BBC Symphony Chorus. His career is marked by diverse roles in opera and choral settings, with performances across Europe and Macau, and collaborations with notable institutions like the Welsh National Opera and the BBC Proms.

Jean-Max Lattemann

London-based German-British countertenor Jean-Max Lattemann 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, his debuts at the Dvorakova Olomouc Festival in the Czech Republic, the Théâtre National Mohammed V in Rabat in Morocco, at the Internationale Maifestspiele Wiesbaden and the Barockfest Darmstadt in Germany.

Dominic Westwood

Dominic was born and raised in Sydney and has been in London since 2017. Dominic did a bachelors at Trinity Laban Conservatoire where he studied under Neil Baker and was coached by Helen Yorke. Dominic is a young tenor who is building his experience, he has performed with Blackheath opera company, Morley college opera school and Trinity Laban opera scenes. Dominic made his SPO debut in this summer’s production of with St Paul's opera on this summer’s production of Die Fledermaus.

Andi Woodmansey

Andi is a Tenor studying under Neil Baker, supported by the Elliot Rosenblatt Memorial Scholarship, the Prowdes Trust, and the Williams Trust.  Andi is a keen exponent of Contemporary music, having played roles in 8 World and UK opera premieres, including works by Libby Larsen, Michael Gordon, Peter Wiegold, Mark Springer, and Jonathan Dove. They have also performed widely in canon works. Roles have included Tamino and Monostatos (Die Zauberflöte), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) and Rodolfo (La Bohème) Soloist engagements have included Beethoven‘s 9th Symphony, Britten’s Serenade, Handel’s Messiah,  and Bach’s St John Passion (arias and Evangelist).

Ashley Mercer

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 is currently singing the role of Leporello in Regent Opera’s touring production of Don Giovanni.

Chris Murphy
Chris studied at the University of York and is currently under the tutelage of Gary Coward. Previous operatic roles include Sleep in Purcell’s ‘Fairy Queen’ (HGO), Tsar Dodson in Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘Golden Cockerel’ (Orchestra Vox), Sam in Bernstein’s ‘Trouble in Tahiti’ (Cumbria Opera Group), Leporello in Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni’ (Orchestra Vox), Junius in Britten’s ‘Rape of Lucretia’ (Aspect Opera), and Ariodate in Hansel’s ‘Xerxes’ (New Chamber Opera). Beyond his operatic performances, Chris has been sought after for solo engagements, including the John Passion with Christ Church Cathedral Oxford and Wye Choral Society, Faure Requiem with Farnham and Bourne Choral Society, and Duruflé’s Requiem with Sussex Chorus. Chris also sings with a number of choral groups and teaches singing to children of all ages.

CHORUS

Sopranos

Megan Artemova-Thomas

Ruth Eastman

Luci De Nordwall Cornish

Altos

Florence Carruthers

Susan Roberts

ORCHESTRAL ENSEMBLE

Alex Norton: Continuo

Tayfun Bomboz: Violin 1

Sam Hau: Violin 2

Maggie Lamelas: Viola

Jenny Sturt: Cello

David Cumming: Trumpet

Tenors

Roland De Nordwall Cornish

John Hall

Basses

Jonathan Boardman

Llewellyn St David