Funding announced for Carmen from the Cosman Keller Art & Music Trust
For the second year, St Paul’s Opera (SPO) is proud to announce a most generous award from The Cosman Keller Art & Music Trust to fund its planned Schools Outreach Programme as part of the preparations for SPO’s summer production of Bizet’s Carmen.
In making this award, the Trust has recognised how SPO’s Outreach Programme fits with its aim to advance public education in music.
Are you ready for the David Butt Philip and Friends Gala?
With just a couple of days to go before our second David Butt Philip and Friends Gala, we can reveal the repertoire for the evening. Joining David (tenor) will be soprano Natalya Romaniw, mezzo soprano Katie Stevenson and baritone Ross Ramgobin. They will be accompanied by Ed Whitehead and Ben-San Lau on piano.
All are regular faces at the world’s leading opera houses including the ENO, the Royal Opera House, Welsh National Opera and Glyndebourne. David, Ross and San have just finished a highly acclaimed production of Rusalka at the ROH. Katie has just finished her role as Flosshilde in Der Rheingold at the ENO while Natalya is back in the UK after performing the title role in Tosca at Hamburg’s Staatoper. Ed is mid run in the brand new opera Blaze of Glory! with WNO.
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.
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
Ben-San Lau on missing the atmosphere of Paris but loving life (and work) in London
San has just made a quick dash from the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden after a Turandot rehearsal back to his flat in north London to have a chat about his operatic life.
“I’m playing the celesta in the orchestra and it’s great to be part of the actual performances as well as the rehearsals,” San tells me. His current role is pianist and répétiteur at the Opera House, having recently also been involved in the Rusalka production, working with David Butt Philip (DBP).
Ross Ramgobin on his path to the ROH, working with DBP... and enjoying Arsenal’s current season
Baritone Ross Ramgobin has recently starred in the Royal Opera House’s new production of Rusalka with St Paul’s Opera (SPO) patron David Butt Philip (DBP). Hard work achieves the rewards of working at the highest level, he tells SPO founder, Tricia Ninian
What inspired you to take up singing?
When I was studying at Brunel University, I had a Music Award which not only paid for singing lessons, but also got me involved in choirs and shows. I ended up enjoying the time I spent at the Arts Centre more than my actual degree. My singing teacher Eileen and coach Sally mentioned to me that it might be something I could consider as a career - they really nurtured me, took me to concerts and operas, and helped to broaden the repertoire I was singing. This eventually prepared me to audition for the Royal Academy and I got in to do postgraduate study in 2009.
Beating the blues with Katie Stevenson
At the end of a production run every opera singer enjoys some serious downtime. I find Katie Stevenson, who has just finished her role as Flosshilde in The Rhinegold at ENO, using this time catching up with some domestic chores – a bit of touching up of paintwork in the home she shares with her partner, Nick, in south west London, before she takes her rescue American Staffie, Bruno, for a windy Thames walk.
How are the post show blues going?
Box office opens for SPO's 10th Anniversary Gala
Ten years ago, three music lovers got together and had a wild idea: why not stage an opera, using St Paul’s Church in Clapham’s Old Town as the stage?
The trio – the-then vicar of St Paul’s Deborah Matthews, Australian opera singer and teacher Jennifer McGregor and Clapham-based soprano Patricia Ninian – decided to stage a performance of two short operas, Gianni Schicchi and Der Schauspieldirektor. The rest is history.
Meeting Natalya Romaniw
It’s Sunday lunchtime in early March and I’m meeting Natalya Romaniw for the first time, thanks to Zoom. I’m at home in Clapham and she’s in Hamburg, being mid-way through her current engagement with the city’s Staatsoper as Tosca. Last night she was on stage so today she’s having a chillout day in her temporary serviced apartment home.
DAVID BUTT PHILIP IS IN THE HOUSE
It is David Butt Philip season at St Paul’s Opera – later in February we have his Masterclass, a fascinating look at how good singers can be turned into great ones with guidance from a world class performer.
Then, in March, we are proud to announce another David Butt Philip And Friends Gala evening. Our Patron – affectionally known as DBP – returns on Thursday 23rd March, this time to sing with three other colleagues from the world of opera, with two equally talented pianists to provide elegant accompaniment for the evening.
Get ready for a Masterclass – tickets now on sale
This will be the fifth time that David Butt Philip has hosted his Masterclass at St Paul’s Opera, but the first time in his official capacity as our Patron. We are, as ever, extremely grateful for his continued support, especially given his increasingly hectic international schedule.
