Tricia Ninian chats to the hard working Ed Whitehead, one of our accompanists for the DBP Gala evening

I catch Ed Whitehead on a much-earned day off in Cardiff. He’s been flat out recently, as assistant conductor on Welsh National Opera’s (WNO) new opera Blaze of Glory!, his first production with the opera company since joining them in January.

Photo: Andy Griffin

How’s the new role going with WNO?

“It’s been amazing. Blaze of Glory! is at times hugely funny, at times tragically sad, and  so authentically Welsh that I know it resonates with a lot of people here. There are a fair few in-jokes that possibly only people living in Wales will get, but I think it will be well received by our English audiences when we take it on tour as well as the story is pretty universal.

“I’ve heard of some people coming to every show so far, because they’ve loved it so much, so it’s been a hit with the audience as much as it has been with the people working on it. It feels like one big family here – we seem to do so much together, not just the cast, but chorus, orchestra members, backstage staff, too. You’ll often find us all in the pub after rehearsals and performances. I’m really looking forward to going on tour with the team. We’re on the road in a couple of weeks’ time, starting in Llandudno, then Liverpool, Milton Keynes, Bristol, Birmingham, Southampton. I’m conducting the performance in Llandudno, so that’s a real highlight for me – my first with the company!”

And how about living the Welsh life in general?

“I’m really into Cardiff life. I have a great flat which is like double the size of flat I had in London and it’s just 15 minutes’ walk from work. That’s had an immediate impact on how I live – because my commute is so much shorter and more pleasant, I’m in a better space. And that not only allows me more time to practice, but also give me time to explore more repertoire for fun which is extremely important for personal development and, ultimately, good for the soul,” Ed explains.

I sense that breathing space is something vital to you, so what happens outside of the operatic life to give you that space?

“Yes, that’s really true – I believe that artists need this relief to nurture their creativity and I always make time for the other passions in my life. I like long-distance cycling, which relaxes me and allows my mind to wander, I feel more animal-like, more wild in nature, which I how I believe humans should be. I also love to travel, which perhaps stems from my love of languages (I speak 7), particularly in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. I find it humbling to have to assimilate with another culture, being a stranger who has to fit in, and I always end up enriching my life, and the connections we make with music, whatever the culture, really draw humans together, reaching inside all of us.”

So, music is a constant companion on your travels?

“Well, it’s always there in some capacity, whether I’m travelling for leisure or work. The beauty of being a conductor is that I can travel light. And I have a pretty comprehensive list of where to find a piano in most locations around the globe, if I have a need for a rehearsal space.”

Now, how do you know David (Butt Philip - DBP)?

“I’d seen David around at the Royal Opera House a lot, and we would end up chatting with the other former and current young artists. The production we officially worked on together was Fidelio, back in March 2020, just before the world shut down, although even then I don’t think we crossed paths much as he pretty much just went straight on stage! Then I played for Das Lied von der Erde with Pappano during lockdown, and we also coached together when he was preparing Kat’a Kabanova and Jenufa as I’d done the pieces before. So, I guess we’ve not worked together that much, but when we have it’s always been a great pleasure, he’s a phenomenal, one-of-a-kind singer and artist.

And the other DBP Gala performers?

“Yes, I briefly worked with Natalya [Romaniw] on Tosca and Ross [Ramgobin] when he sang Schaunard in La Bohème, both at the Opera House.  And San and I were at the Guildhall [School of Music and Drama] at the same time on the opera repetiteur course. I’ve yet to meet Katie [Stevenson]. Looking forward to that!”

You’ve mentioned the Royal Opera House a few times now – tell me more about your career there.

“Oh, I had four really remarkable years on and off at the Opera House. Just an amazing experience from start to finish! It’s such a vibrant work environment. Totally non-stop – mad, but great!

“I started as a Jette Parker Young Artist in 2018 and right from the outset I was in at the deep end – in a good way. I was working with huge international stars like Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann and Juan Diego Flórez, and of course Sir Antonio Pappano, and I think I learnt more in those first couple of weeks than I had in the preceding several years. When you work with people of that level you have to up your game to meet them, it was transformative for me.

“When the pandemic hit, I was coming to the end of the two years as a young artist, and it was a shame to finish the experience with that dramatic interruption. But there were some silver linings. I’ve mentioned Das Lied von der Erde. There was also 4/4, the production with four different operas. I worked with director Richard Jones and tenor Allan Clayton on HK Grüber’s Frankenstein! – essentially a comedy about cartoon heroes and villains such as Superman, Dracula, and Frankenstein of course. It was amazing to watch Allan, who can be quite naturally cartoon-like on stage, trying out different things and developing the characters, with Richard using his ‘washing machine’ mind of genius to mix the whole performance into a result of such brilliance.

“The whole production marked the return of live audience to the Opera House [in October 2020], although with only two thirds capacity. But it was such a relief to see real people back in the theatre. Actually, a friend of mine came to see it and he found he had a whole box all to himself!”

“Thank goodness there’s been a return to normality at the Opera House and for the last two years I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some of the best of the world on brilliant productions like Aida, Salome, Lohengrin, Tosca, and Jenufa, which had been interrupted by the pandemic and finally went on stage in autumn 2021, and went on to win an Olivier award. And all that great work tied me over until I landed this brilliant permanent job in Cardiff, I felt really supported at Covent Garden.

Now, turning towards matters dear to SPO: fringe opera.  I know you have worked with some of London’s fringe companies in the past, but obviously you’ve been immersed in grand opera in more recent times. The comparison of the two forms of the same art have been in the spotlight recently, so how do you view the relationship between the two and where does the future lie for each?

“My view is that the two are mutually dependent. You can’t just take money out of one – and this has been the suggestion as far as grand opera – and simply transfer it to the fringe.

“Originally, opera was created to show off wealth with lavish productions of dramatic sets, full orchestras, elaborate costumes, dancers and, of course, singers. But today it seems there’s almost a backlash to any display of this sort. Instead, everything should be pared back. You can put on an opera in a pub, and adapt it to the surroundings, but it’s never going to be beautiful in the same way a full production in a major opera house can be. That said, fringe opera is more physically accessible – you can go down to your local church, or library, pub, or studio theatre - and it’s great being able to get right up close to the performers and see their facial expressions, sharing the same space. I just don’t think it should be seen as a competitor to large-scale opera when it comes to funding. A large number of audience members at fringe opera companies love going to the major opera houses, and vice versa, they very much rely on each other as part of one ecosystem.

“From a singer’s point of view, the fringe framework provides a vital stepping stone when entering the opera profession, learning a role and singing with a cast. If fringe didn’t exist there would be a poorer offering for the grand opera houses – it’s how the talent is nurtured.”

Encouraging words from Ed Whitehead, just what SPO needs to know.

Photo: Andy Griffin