Young Artists Blog

2012 Young Associate Artist, Anna Brady gives an insight into the OTC's YAA Programme

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 15:28:00 GMT

YAAP Alumni: Recent Successes & Future Plans

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 10:35:00 GMT

Celine Byrne’s recent surprise Covent Garden debut made headlines here in Ireland. Her successful short-notice performance of the lead-role in Dvorak’s Rusalka saw her performing on stage with YAA alumna Anna Devin, who plays a Nymph in this production, having made her ROH debut in the role of Papagena in Spring 2011’s run of The Magic Flute.

Anna Devin in ROH's Rusalka

Another Irish singer treading the boards at ROH Covent Garden is YAA alumna Martha Bredin. OTC audiences will have seen her most recently as a convincing, gawky, hormonal Cherubino in our hugely popular 2010 production of The Marriage of Figaro. She won the Gerard Arnhold Award at Wexford Festival Opera in 2011, which bursary allowed her to continue her opera studies. As cover for Apprentice in Wagner’s Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg, she performed at Covent Garden in December 2011 & January 2012.

Also representing Ireland on opera stages abroad is Claudia Boyle – who recently had her own last-minute call to perform when she covered the role of our own Queen of the Night in our Valentine’s Day performance of The Magic Flute at The Civic Theatre in Tallaght. She will next be performing this same role for Chicago Opera Theater this Autumn, after a busy Summer performing in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Opera Roma and in the role of Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail with Komische Oper Berlin.

Claudia Boyle in OTC's Pasqual€

Naomi O'Connell will make her UK operatic debut this year in the title role of Garsington Opera's La Périchole, following her West End debut in the Tony Award winning play Master Class, for which she's receiving rave reviews.

Gavan Ring will be spending this Summer at Glyndebourne Festival Opera, singing in Purcell’s The Fairy Queen and Puccini’s La Bohème. In the latter, he covers the role of Marcello – will there be another exciting short-notice call to perform…..? He has been accepted as a Glyndebourne Jerwood Young Artist.

It is so heartening to see Irish singers performing at this level. It's always a thrill to see people you've heard and seen on your local stage going on to perform interntaionally. Supporting OTC’s YAAP is supporting the future of opera in Ireland and the future of singers who fly the Irish flag on stages all around the world. The simplest way to support our young singers is to buy tickets to their performances. If you can do more, please become a Patron of Opera Theatre Company.

Interview with YAAP grads Nathan Morrison & Eoin Hynes

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:11:00 GMT

Recent Young Artist graduates and Magic Flute tour veterans Nathan Morrison and Eoin Hynes took the time out to chat to us about their time on the programme and on the road…

Nathan Morrison Eoin Hynes

OTC: What is your outstanding memory of the OTC Young Artists' Programme?

Eoin: My outstanding memory of the YAA programme is the master classes that I received from Ann Murray, Robert Dean, Dennis O’Neill, and Sir Thomas Allen. I learnt a great deal from all four. I was very honoured to be in their presence.

Nathan: Yes - and also the trip to La Monnaie/De Munt, as well as the professional performance opportunities.

OTC: And what do you feel was the most important lesson you learned from your time on the programme?

Nathan: Being part of such a dynamic, professional and encouraging company at this formative stage of my career was inexplicably invaluable. I realised that the only thing separating me from being a student and from being a professional is my own attitude.

Eoin: I think the most important experience that I got from this programme was the opportunity to tour with OTC in a professional environment. This is what I needed to explore, to help me understand the touring experience, and the world of opera.

OTC: Tell us more about your professional performance experience.

Nathan: I spent my year on the programme wearing costumes ranging from 18th century wigs, through barbour jacket and wellies, to a vicar's collar, theatre scrubs, a fat suit and skin-tight long johns!!! All part of my first national tour as a notary in Pasqual€, performing for European Opera Days and for Temple Bar Cultural Trust’s Made in Temple Bar Festival as well as national tours of Bastien & Bastienne and, of course, the unforgettable Magic Flute.

Eoin: To perform on a professional, national tour was an invaluable experience, but also, the opportunity to perform the role of Tamino at Downpatrick, last minute, due to the lead singer suffering with illness: I have to say, I was very touched that OTC had complete faith in my ability to cover the role that night. (read a reviewer's comment on Eoin's cover experience here)

OTC: Do you see/feel a difference, a "before and after", specifically with regard to the impact of professional performance experience?

Eoin: I definitely see and feel a difference having done a tour of this nature with OTC. I’ve gained more confidence as a performer, that’s the main difference. I’ve also learnt that I can cope with pressure, having been told in the space of a few hours that I had to sing Tamino at the performance in Downpatrick as well as performing my other three roles.

Nathan: Yes!! The breadth of experience gained is impossible to quantify. Touring, dealing with different venues, different productions and their own rehearsal periods, learning a revival production, being efficient, managing myself, dealing with colleagues and their diverse personalities, music preparation and performing consistently - the list could go on and on. I didn't have any of this experience previously.

OTC: The Magic Flute was a long tour, any anecdotes? Any survival tips? Any outstanding memories?

Nathan: Touring can be difficult - I think it's important to relax and have fun – worrying (about being tired or having to adapt quickly to a new acoustic etc.) is a waste of time. You have to stay positive.

Eoin: The tour was long, and yes I think I learned a few survival tips!! Touring really opened up my eyes. Opera singing is physical: we are athletes to an extent. The only way I could get through it was to make sure I got a good night’s sleep, ate well, and did some form of physical exercise – you need to have the energy to perform well physically and vocally and, when you haven’t an understudy, you’re aware that you need to watch your health. You need great stamina to get through a long tour. Equally, you must also try to switch off and have a social life within reason. Touring can be intense, demanding, stressful etc. so it’s important to get the balance right.

Nathan: My main memory will more than likely be of the cast. OTC could not possibly have assembled a nicer group of people!
I also loved the production for its beauty and dramatic intensity.I really enjoyed watching the performance from the wings - I watched it every night.

OTC: Your roles involved a greater engagement with the audience than
traditional stage roles - was it more difficult to stand, in character,
Front of House, than to sing?

Nathan: We'd always rehearse that 'scene' in a straight forward manner but it was only when there was actually an audience there that its challenges became apparent. Would they laugh? Would they 'boo'? Would they be completely silent? Would they feel awkward or uneasy? The possibilites of how they could react didn't matter, as as soon as the house lights dimmed we had to burst into the auditorium. Eeeek!! I found it challenging standing Front of House, night after night, different venue, different audiences (each with their own attitude and 'vibe').

Eoin: For me, I found the whole standing Front of House more difficult than singing on stage because I felt self-conscious even though I was still in character. On stage, I had that ‘comfort’ and almost that feeling of ‘power’. What I quickly noticed while standing in the Front of House was the way the audience had the ‘power’ to say, or do anything while I stood there in character: I was vunerable.

Eoin: I experienced a few funny moments during this part, holding the ‘Men Only’ sign!! One night at the Samuel Beckett Theatre in Trinity College Dublin, a woman commented on my leg and began rubbing it. Her friend was appalled at her behaviour saying “You wicked woman” following with a laugh.

Another bizarre experience happened in Cork, involving a woman again. I saw her looking at me in an almost ‘seductive’ way!! She approaches me with her tub of ice-cream and says to her friend “I wonder will he eat some ice-cream? I’m sure he’s hungry”

I started to panic! I immediately thought to remain in character, and not to open my mouth. While it was tempting to taste the ice-cream, the sharing of the same spoon wasn’t going to happen!!!! She proceeded to walk closer and direct the spoon of ice-cream towards my lips, I stepped back and refused to be targeted like that and it was all in the body language as I wasn’t allowed to speak. She stopped, and decided to approach my colleague beside me instead!

Nathan: I honestly found it quite hard not to laugh being asked questions ranging from: 'what time does the show end at?' and 'where are the toilets?' to: '(Woman): I've bought a ticket, are you trying to tell me I'm not allowed in?!', and even 'What lodge are you from?'.

Eoin: Standing outside in the foyer in complete silence was a totally different experience, even though I was still performing. At times, I used to dread going out once the interval began because I wasn’t sure what I’d be faced with out in the foyer. I made sure that the audience didn’t pick up on that, because it makes you a vulnerable target. It definitely helped my confidence as regards engaging with audiences.

Nathan: It was interesting hearing audience members discussing the production among themselves - some with profound insight and genuine praise and others making banal 'stock' sweeping generalisations. Some audiences were more vocally appreciative of the humour before act 2, others were more internalised in their enjoyment, which can seem scary.

Another thing that was hilarious was that the bulk of the rest of the cast didn't even know we did that during the interval until the final few performances after I convinced them I was not making it up!

OTC: Thank you Nathan & Eoin and best of luck in the future: Toi, toi, toi!

YAA catch-up

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:02:00 GMT

Our new young artists will be announced shortly. But first we must bid a fond farewell & au revoir to our most recent programme graduates.

Ben Russell has been offered a place at The Zurich Opera Studio.

Emma Nash has earned a place at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Lawrence Thackeray will be joining the chorus at Glyndebourne.

Marcella Walsh has won a place on the inaugural year of NI Opera’s young artists’ programme.

Nathan Morrison has been accepted as a young artist at Opera Holland Park, including covering (with a guaranteed performance) the role of Spinelloccio in Gianni Schicchi.

Eoin Hynes made his professional debut on OTC’s tour of The Magic Flute. Receiving positive reviews in his own right, Eoin also rose to the challenge of covering the role of Tamino at short notice, while continuing to perform his own roles. I think the best description is by Terry Blaine, Opera Britannia, who witnessed Eoin’s feat:

Dwyer’s Einspringender was OTC Young Associate Artist Eoin Hynes, who had a hyperactive evening, skipping between the offstage music-stand from which he sang Tamino, and the set itself, where he was already multi-tasking as Priest, Armed Man and Slave. Talk about a steep learning curve for the young Galway singer! He coped manfully, his light, mellifluous tenor applied tastefully to Tamino’s archingly lyrical melodies. With the added muscle of full vocal maturity Hynes will certainly be a Tamino to reckon with in his own right in the future.

Nathan and Eoin took the time to tell us about their experiences of the Young Associates Artist Programme and on tour with The Magic Flute.

Critical (and popular) response to The Magic Flute.

Come back to us soon to find out how previous YAAP alumni are getting on and for news of our new intake.

YAA Applications 2012

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:57:00 GMT

Opera Theatre Company invites applications for its Young Associate Artists’ Programme 2012

OTC’s Young Associate Artists’ Programme (YAAP) has been extremely successful over the past number of years in furthering the development of young singers at the initial stages of their careers.

The YAAP is aimed at younger Irish or Irish-based singers –

- who have completed their formal studies and are at the outset of a professional singing career

OR

- who are in their final year of formal studies on a performance degree or post-graduate performance degree

Auditions will take place in Dublin on
Thursday 19th and Friday 20th January 2012 with a follow up interview for successful candidates on Monday 23rd January 2012.

Singers who wish to be considered for audition should email a covering letter, Curriculum Vitae and headshot to Artistic Administrator, Dermot O’Callaghan – dermot@opera.ie - no later than Friday 13th January 2012 at 1.30pm.

Young Artists visit La Monnaie

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 09:41:00 GMT

Opera Theatre Company's Young Associate Artists recently visited Belgium's internationally renowned producing opera house, La Monnaie.

Accompanied by Artistic Administrator, Dermot O'Callaghan, young artists Marcella Walsh (soprano), Emma Nash (soprano), Nathan Morrison (baritone) and Benjamin Russell (baritone).

Arriving in Brussels in time to see that evening's performance of Les Huguenots, OTC's young artists thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful opportunity to experience a rarely performed work. It is truly a Grand Opera - and a highly expensive undertaking for any opera company.

Another element of the trip was to work in the unique surroundings of the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel.

Inaugurated in 1939 and renowned for teaching exceptional, young, talented musicians, The Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel has, with La Monnaie, set up an Opera Studio in Brussels, with similar aims to our own Young Associate Artists Programme: in order to prepare promising young singers for the vocal, physical and stage requirements involved in a career as an opera singer. Ireland is currently represented at this prestigious studio by artist in residence, Helen Kearns.

OTC's young artists worked with repetiteur/coach, Philippe Riga, and Director, Alain Garichot.

Thanks for this visit must go to OTC's colleagues at La Monnaie and the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel and especially to Ms. Evelyne De Vos (La Monnaie) and Ms. Muriel Wanderbauwhede (Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel).

For OTC's Young Artists, the experience of visiting international opera houses and studios, such as this one, is invaluable. You can find out more about our Young Associate Artists Programme here.

To SUPPORT our Young Associate Artists Programme financially, you can make an immediate donation here, or become a patron of OTC here, or contact dermot@opera.ie to speak in more detail about how you could become involved.

YAAP Application Information

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 15:46:00 GMT

Opera Theatre Company invites applications for its Young Associate Artists’ Programme.

OTC’s Young Associate Artists’ Programme (YAAP) has been extremely successful over the past number of years in furthering the development of young singers at the initial stages of their careers.

The YAAP is aimed at young Irish or Irish-based singers –

- who have completed their formal studies and are at the outset of a professional singing career

OR

- who are in their final year of formal studies on a performance degree or post-graduate performance degree

Auditions will take place in Dublin on
Friday, 12th November, 2010.

Singers who wish to be considered for audition should email a covering letter, Curriculum Vitae and headshot to Artistic Administrator, Dermot O’Callaghan – dermot@opera.ie - no later than Wednesday 10th November, 2010.

An Afternoon of Opera Favourites

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:31:00 GMT

Opera Theatre Company's Young Associate Artists are delighted to be part of this year's West Cork Chamber Music Festival.

Nicola Mulligan and Dean Power will perform a concert of opera favourites, including arias and duets by Handel, Mozart, Verdi and Puccini, accompanied by Mairéad Hurley on piano.

Monday June 28th, 2pm

St Brendan's Hall, Wolfe Tone Square, Bantry.

Tickets: €5 (booking fee may apply)

Box Office: 027 527 88 (Mon-Fri, 10-5)

Philip Langridge

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:12:00 GMT

Opera Theatre Company would like to express its sincere sympathy to Ann Murray, patron of our Young Associate Artists Programme, on the passing of her husband Philip Langridge: we send our condolences to all his family and friends.

Alongside his performance career, Philip Langridge was well-known for his masterclasses with young singers. Those of our young artists, who had the honour of working with him, join the company in this expression of sympathy.

An Abundance of Achievement, a Plenitude of Praise

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:19:00 GMT

Congratulations to YAA Alumnus, Anna Devin, on her acceptance on the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme at the Royal Opera House, London. Following a record number of applicants to the Programme, Anna was one of just five singers who will join the Programme in September 2010.

YAA alumnus Claudia Boyle also deserves congratulations on her acceptance onto The Salzburg Festival's Young Singers Project, including covering the title role of Lulu in the main festival.

Another alumnus, John-Owen Miley-Read has been accepted onto the Masters course at the Royal Academy of Music, as have current Young Artists, Ross Scanlon and Rachel Kelly.

Well done also to Dean Power, Tenor and current member of the Young Associate Artists Programme on being awarded 3rd prize in the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition. He was also awarded the prizes for Best Irish Singer, Best Male Singer and best performance of an aria from an opera or oratorio by Handel. Current Young Artists Gavan Ring, Rachel Kelly and Gabriela Istoc, and YAA alumnus Claudia Boyle, all reached the semi-final, a grand achievement.

Current YAAs Gabriela Istoc and Chloe Hinton have also been responsible for reflecting glory on OTC's unique programme for young artists: Gabriela won the second prize at Iris Adami Corradetti Competition in Padova, being also awarded "borsa di studio" for the best young singer; Chloe has been accepted onto the prestigious Glyndebourne Chorus for their 2010 season.

We are very proud of you all - well done!

Young Artists at Renvyle House Hotel

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:14:00 GMT

Our Young Artists will once again travel to Galway, to the wonderful Renvyle House Hotel for a weekend of Opera. This has become a regular event, something our Young Artists very much look forward to, where they have the opportunity to meet with their audience after each performance, enjoying the weekend as guests of Renvyle House Hotel and true lovers of opera and song, as well as experiencing yet another professional performance opportunity as part of OTC's Young Associate Artists Programme.

This weekend also provides OTC supporters who are particularly interested in the Young Associate Artists Programme to meet with them - and maybe even pick up a tip or two for the evening's sing-song later in the bar - in the luxurious surroundings of Renvyle House Hotel.

Commencing Friday 26th February
Price €195pp, including 2 nights B&B, 1 dinner, 2 performances (& Govt tax & service charge).
Go to the Renvyle website for details or call 095 43511.

Young Associate Artists' Programme 2009/2010

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:15:00 GMT

Exciting times ahead for OTC’s Young Associate Artists' Programme (YAAP). We are delighted to announce the addition of five new Young Associate Artists to our programme. Auditions were held in early June 2009 and the audition panel were overwhelmed by the breadth and talent of the young Irish-based singers who auditioned for the programme. It led to OTC taking more singers on the programme than ever before. Along with previous YAAs Dean Power and Gavan Ring there will be seven young artists working in association with OTC during 2009/2010.

OTC is the only opera company in Ireland that runs a programme of this kind and provides support to young singers at this pivotal point in their development. In the competitive opera world it is so important that each young singer considers their career and gains any possible advantage. Already in September all seven of the Young Artist’s worked with Internationally respected vocal coach and Artistic Director of the Curtis Opera Theatre at Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music, Mikael Eliasen. This was made possible with the assistance of the Royal Irish Academy of Music with whom the YAA programme has strong associations. Two of our new YAA’s, Chloe Hinton and Ross Scanlon are students of DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama and it is wonderful to maintain these associations with the vocal studies departments in both the RIAM and the DIT.

Also in September/October, Gabriela Istoc, Soprano and Chloe Hinton, Mezzo Soprano perform with Opera Club as part of OTC’s education and outreach work. The young singers sing the roles of Morgana and Bradamante in an exploration of Alcina in advance of OTC's full-scale opera production.

Over the coming months the YAA’s will work with Vocal Consultant of the YAA Programme, Brenda Hurley and some other exciting names that will come to perform in Ireland - watch this space! The YAA’s will also benefit from individual coaching sessions with specialist language coaches, repetiteurs and arts professionals. A real highlight of the year for the Young Artist’s will be the opportunity to sing with Patron of the YAA programme, Ann Murray DBE and Chair of OTC, Virginia Kerr at the National Concert Hall on 9th January 2010.

Undoubtedly there are busy times ahead for our Young Artists.

Young Associate Artists 2009/2010

Gabriela Istoc, Soprano             Rachel Kelly, Mezzo Soprano
Chloe Hinton, Mezzo Soprano   Ross Scanlon, Tenor
Dean Power, Tenor                    Christopher Cull, Baritone
Gavan Ring, Baritone

As A New Year Begins Young Artists' Update

Sun, 17 May 2009 14:48:00 GMT

Autumn 2008 proved a busy time for our Young Artists, both on the YAA Programme and in their academic pursuits.In early October, Claudia Boyle and Gavan Ring had the good fortune to be selected to participate in a masterclass at the National Concert Hall with our Programme’s Patron, Ann Murray. Ann will be back in Dublin in January to present another masterclass with our partners in the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

Baroque expert Christian Curnyn, no stranger to OTC audiences himself, having taken the reins on previous productions of Monteverdi’s The Coronation of Poppea and Handel’s Orlando, took time out from his triumphant English National Opera debut in Handel’s Partenope to travel to Dublin for two days, for a series of one-on-one coaching sessions with the YAA, as well as a wonderful masterclass for students at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. The repsonse from both the YAA and the students at the RIAM was a resounding “May we have him back soon, please?” and I am delighted that he will indeed be returning to these shores in Autumn 2009 when he joins our Artistic Director Annilese Miskimmon to conjure up more baroque magic in our new production of Handel’s Alcina – keep an eye on our website for further details.

It was a real coup to have our esteemed Vocal Consultant Brenda Hurley in Dublin for a whole week to work intensively with the Young Artists. Brenda is delighted with the progress of Claudia, Gavan, Dean Power and John-Owen Miley-Read, and is hoping to work with them again over the festive season when she will be back in Dublin to prepare for her next journey to The Metropolitan Opera in New York where she will be working on Bellini’s La sonnambula with Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Floréz.

There will be no let-up in the new year for the YAA – Claudia, Dean and Gavan will be singing the principal roles in the RIAM production of Mozart’s delightful comedy La finta giardiniera which is directed by Annilese Miskimmon and conducted by David Adams.

Meanwhile, John-Owen will be preparing for the next important step in his career when he leaves these shores in March to join the Glyndebourne Chorus – a path already trod by Programme Alumni Máire Flavin and Martha Bredin. All this, as well as more coaching with Ann Murray, Rupert Dussman, Ingrid Surgenor, plus education workshops to coincide with our upcoming production of Xerxes – all the more reason to wish them well for 2009!