Jessica Wise, Soprano - Emele
Jessica began her studies at Coventry University, followed by a Post-Graduate Diploma at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. After that, she was awarded the Weingarten scholarship to study at the Liszt Academy in Budapest. During her studies, she was selected to represent her conservatoire in a Masterclass at the Wigmore Hall with Elly Ameling.
Following her studies, Jessica was engaged by the State Opera Bulgaria with whom she sang for almost two years. With them and the Europa Chor Akademie, she has toured France, Germany, Romania, Netherlands, and Bulgaria. Roles include Antonia from the Man of La Mancha (Bulgarian State Opera Ruse), Morgana from Alcina (Opera Alumnus, Brighton), Barbarina from Le Nozze di Figaro (Lyric Opera Studio Weimar, Germany), Musetta from La Boheme (Kennet Opera), Pamina from Die Zauberflöte (Aylesbury Opera Group).
Click to hear Jessica talk about her work and playing Emele.
Naomi Rogers, Mezzo-Soprano- June/Juno.
Naomi is a mezzo-soprano from Suffolk with a Master of Music in Performance degree and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Royal Northern College of Music. She currently stands as Associate Artist for SoundUp Arts, and has worked with renowned opera companies, such as: Opera North, Clonter Opera, Northern Opera Group, Buxton International Festival, and British Youth Opera, whilst also singing principal roles in six of the RNCM’s operas. Alongside this, Naomi is a regular concert performer, featuring as guest soloist with the International Opera Awards, the Hallé, and the Worldcon Phillarmonic Orchestra. Last year she made her recording debut as a soloist in Sullivan Songs alongside David Owen Norris, and in June she featured as an artist for La Scena Musicale, Canada's most respected classical music, opera, jazz and world music magazine.
Matthew Scott Clark, Tenor - Giles/Mercury
Matthew is an English tenor from Sussex, and alumnus of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, taught by Eric Roberts and Adrian Thompson. Roles include: Peachum – The Beggar’s Opera (Opera’r Ddraig); The Defendant – Trial by Jury (Winterbourne Opera); Pásek -The Cunning Little Vixen (RWCMD); Don Curzio/Don Basilio – Le Nozze di Figaro (RWCMD); Bardolpho – Falstaff (RWCMD - conducted by Carlo Rizzi); Lord Tolloller – Iolanthe (Tarantara Productions - conducted by Martin Handley); Apollo – Semele (RWCMD/Mid Wales Opera); Soldier – Der Kaiser von Atlantis (RWCMD); Daniel Buchanan – Street Scene (RWCMD); El Remendado - Carmen (Kentish Opera); Parpignol - La Bohéme (Westminster Opera); Paris - Romeo and Juliet (Arcadian Opera); and Georg Dibdin/Robert Green - Der Vampyr (Gothic Opera).
Hear Matthew talk about his work and playing Giles Smoothly.
Aidan Smith, Bass - Nigel/Jupiter
Aidan studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Royal Academy of Music and the National Opera Studio. He is an associate artist with WNO, where his roles include Leuthold (Guillame Tell), Zuniga (Carmen), Second Armed Man (Die Zauberflöte) ,Second Customer/Monk (Harvey’s Wagner’s Dream) and Nana/Starkey (Peter Pan). He made his Royal Opera debut in 2009 in The Beggar’s Opera in the Linbury Studio Theatre and has since returned to sing in Ludd and Isis for the Learning and Participation Department of the Royal Opera House. Operatic engagements elsewhere include Betto (Gianni Schicchi) for English Touring Opera and Opera Holland Park, Drunken Poet (The Fairy Queen) for English Touring Opera, Larkins (La Fanciulla del West), Farmer Boggis (Fantastic Mr Fox) and Corporal (La Fille du régiment) for Opera Holland Park, Superintendant Budd (Albert Herring) for Mid Wales Opera, Colline (La Bohème) and Second Armed Man for Longborough Festival, Van Bett (Zar und Zimmerman) for Opera South, Antonio (Le Nozze di Figaro) for Garsington Opera and Hotel Guest (Death in Venice) for the Aldeburgh and Bregenz festivals. His role creations include Kevin (The Office the Opera) for the BBC.
The Gods
Beth Wischhusen, Soprano - Venus
Beth studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, under the tuition of Kathryn Harries. She was a member of the BBC National Chorus of Wales. Other roles include: Rapunzel in Into the Wood (Barn Theatres); Cathy in The Last Five Years; Suki Tawdry in The Beggar’s Opera (Opera’r Ddraig); Ida in 'Die Fledermaus’ (Opera’r Ddraig); Sue Klebold in Micheal Lowes’ new production of Columbine. Beth has been collaborating closely with Guitarist George Robinson since 2016, performing in chamber-music concerts across the UK; most notably as a finalists for two years running in the McGrenery Chamber Music prize. Most recently Beth performed Opera on board the Silversea’s 5 Star cruise line. Other recent engagements include the Scenaria Opera Lights Online summer Festival performing Batti,Batti o bel Masetto.
Megan Strachan, Soprano - Diana
Currently studying on the MMUS Programme in Vocal Studies at Trinity Laban in London, Megan graduated from the Associated Studio's Advanced Opera programme in 2018, and has also trained with the Lyric Opera studio in Weimar where she played the role of Papagena (Die Zauberflöte). After leaving school Megan trained as an actor, specialising in Theatre in Education with Peer Productions. She toured with them in educational plays and workshops - including a surprisingly musical show on teenage pregnancy and sexual health . In 2014 she made her operatic debut as the title role of Patience with Cirencester Operatic Society; having caught the 'opera bug' Megan began working with various small and touring opera companies including Opera Anywhere, Hewlett Opera, Oxford Opera and North Wales Opera, recent roles including: Adina (Elixir of Love), Suor Angelica (Suor Angelica) Countess Almaviva (le Nozze de Figaro). Megan is honoured to be a founding member of Sorelle an All-female operatic concert trio who made their debut in 2019.
Anna McLachlan, Mezzo-soprano - Minerva
Anna has recently completed her studies for a Masters in Vocal Performance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Whilst there, she participated in the English National Opera Mentor Scheme.
In 2018, Anna co-founded Grassroots Opera with soprano, Chloe Stratta, co-directing and performing the role of Orfeo in Orfeo ed Euridice. She was a Young Artist with Bury Court Opera, performing as a Mad Voice and covering the title role in the premiere of Noah Mosley’s Mad King Suibhne, directed by Ella Marchment. Anna’s operatic roles include: Idamante in Idomeneo (Rose Opera), Cherubino, Le Nozze di Figaro (Thames Philharmonia Opera, Dulwich Opera & Handmade Opera in venues around Umbria), Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte (Rose Opera at the Beaminster Festival, Instant Opera) Nancy, Albert Herring, (Harrow Opera), Zerlina, Don Giovanni (Instant Opera), La Ciesca, Gianni Schicchi (Handmade Opera), Instigator in It Makes No Difference (Tête à Tête Opera Festival), La Conversation in Les plaisirs de Versailles, St Alfeges Church, Greenwich; and Elle in Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine, at Blackheath Halls. Anna was selected as a finalist in the Schubert Song Prize, singing in a masterclass with Dame Felicity Lott, for the London Song Festival.
Alex Haigh, Tenor - Apollo
Alex started his musical education in Hull University reading Music and Drama. Following this, he has studied with TrinityLaban conservatoire (Masters in Vocal Performance), trained with the Associated Studios in Hammersmith, ENO’s ‘Opera Works’ and The Berlin Opera Academy. He performs regularly as an opera singer, oratorio artist, consort singer and coaches vocal groups as an animateur. He works alongside the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, The Bach Choir, London Youth Choir and Grange Park Opera as an outreach workshop facilitator. On stage, he has worked with Grange Park Opera, The Grange Festival, Merry Opera, Kentish Opera, Guildford Opera, Fulham Opera, Kings Head Theatre, Longborough Festival Opera and Hampstead Garden Opera to name a few. 2021 plans include performances with Kentish Opera, Gothic Opera, Porcupine Productions and Northern Opera Group, with more to be announced.
Alex is a Patron of The Chiltern Centre, an organisation dedicated to providing respite care for young adults with disabilities. He is a lecturer and performer with Opera Prelude, as well as leading their outreach team; organising and delivering concerts in care homes. Alex also is a keen fan of permaculture, bee-keeping and is currently learning how to distill gin… He has a dog called Barney, whose high notes Alex continues to be inspired by.
Robbie Haylett, Baritone - Mars
Robbie Haylett is a London-based baritone and alumnus of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and Cambridge University. A devotee of new and contemporary music, Robbie has created the roles of the eponymous monk, Yutong in Monk + Lotus (Niccolo D. Athens), Israelite Father in Temptations (Rhiannon Randle), F.S. Kelly and Dudley Ward in Strange Ghost (David Earl) and given the première of various concert and art song pieces, including the UK première of Fujikura’s My Letter to the World. Robbie’s traditional opera roles include repertoire from verismo opera to operetta, and he has regularly given recitals throughout his career. He learns with Gary Coward, and maintains an extensive career as a teacher of voice and piano.