Stefania Spaggiari

SOPRANO

She graduated in flute and singing at the Conservatory of Mantua, she continued her studies under the guidance of Paul Barbacini and attended master classes of maestro Claudio Desderi on vocal and style of Mozart.

She currently studies with Maestro Alain Billard and performs many concerts, among other things, the “Carmina Burana” by C. Orff, with orchestral formation of the Prague National Theater.

To celebrate the fourth centenary of the Reggio Emilia Ghiara Basilica performs “Krönungsmesse” K 317 in C minor and “Vesperae Solemnes de Confessor” K 339 by WA Mozart. She made her debut in “Cavalleria Rusticana” by P. Mascagni at the Teatro Comunale of Treviso in the role of Santuzza under the baton of G. Andretta, enjoying great success with audiences and critics.

She also performed in a production of “Il Trovatore” at the Teatro Bellini in Catania; while at the Teatro Valli in Reggio Emilia performs the “Petite Messe Solennelle” by Rossini. She plays the role of La Mère and La Chatte “L’Enfant et les Sortilèges” by Ravel at the Teatro del Giglio in Florence. She also supported the role of the Countess Almaviva in “Le Nozze di Figaro” by Mozart at the Theater of Busseto directed by Beppe de Tommasi.

She won the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition in Dublin and Terni Competition. She attended the Accademia Verdiana directed by Master Alain Billard and Beppe De Tomasi in Busseto. With young artists of the Academy took part in the production of “Don Giovanni” by Mozart in the role of Donna Anna at the Teatro Verdi in Busseto.

She has been engaged in the production of Puccini’s Turandot for Modena Theaters, Piacenza and Ferrara for the direction of Lukas Karytinos and directed by Cesare Slight, also debuted the role of Abigaille in “Nabucco” in Terni and Swetzingen, the role cio-cio-san in “Madama Butterfly” in Rouen, the role of Aida in Swetzingen in Belgrade and Trapani.

She played the role of Turandot at the Teatro Coccia in Novara. Especially acclaimed was her debut at the Opera in Dublin where it was Tosca, well reviewed by Opera International. Other debuts to report, the role of Amelia in “Simon Boccanegra” in Varese Ligure and Mimi in “La Bohème” by Puccini in Korea.

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Anja Augustin

SOPRANO

Born in Munich, the soprano already receives a musical performance during her school days in Landsberg. Training in piano, flute and vocals, as well as in ballet and jazz dance and performs in various school and music school projects, uS JesusChrist and Bastien et Bastienne. She begins her music studies at the LMKonservatorium in Augsburg and completes it with an artist diploma at the Musikhochschule Nürnberg / Augsburg. She then attends the advanced training classes of Ks. D. Chryst (Opera) and Prof. Edith Wiens (Lied). In 1999 she received a scholarship from the Richard Wagner Association Augsburg and in 2003 she became a finalist and prize-winner of the Veronica Dunne Singing Competition in Dublin. Masterclasses with Rudolf Piernay, Brigitte Fassbaender and Rudolf Janssen followed, most recently with Margreet Honig, with whom she has been working regularly since then and the move to the lyric soprano with roles such as Contessa (Nozze di Figaro), Fiordiligi (Cosi fan tutte) and Mimi (Bohéme) prepared. Until 2003 she is a member of the vocal soloists and the Kammerchor Stuttgart under the direction of Frieder Bernius, with whom she undertakes concert tours through Europe, North America, Israel and Asia. Guest engagements will take you to the Augsburg and Ulm theaters. Her debut at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich follows in 2002 in Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas”, her first festival engagement follows in 2003 at the Theater Erfurt. As an oratorio, concert and lied singer, she performs throughout Germany, as well as in Switzerland, France, Spain, Ireland, Austria and Poland: for example in the Collegiate Church Stuttgart, Aachen Cathedral, Frauenkirche Dresden, the Prinzregententheater Munich, in the Helix Concert Hall Dublin with the RTE Orchestra, at the Johann Strauss Festival in the Philharmonic Wroclaw, “Europa Cantat” in Mainz, as well as at opera festivals such as “Nits d’Opera” in Ibiza, Festival of Radio France in Montpellier, Festspielhaus St .Pölten, as well as at the Bregenz Festival. In the seasons 2010/11/12 she will perform at the Theater Magdeburg, as well as at the Theater Erfurt as “Eliza Doolittle” in My fair Lady. In May 2011 she sings Verdi’s “Violetta” at the Theater Konstanz, directed by Rosamund Gilmore in a theater opera production of the Camellia Lady. After the maternity break, she devotes herself not only to her church concert activity but also to the concert repertoire around the topic “Vioce meets Brass” and has various concerts with the ensemble of the same name as well as the military band music corps III Erfurt. In addition to her theater and concert activities, she also works as a vocal pedagogue. At the Theater Erfurt 2013/14 she will perform as Golde in “Anatevka”, furthermore she will make her debut in the season 2014/15 both in “Kiss me Kate” as Hattie, and in ALWebber’s “Evita” as Eva Peron. the role of Verdi’s “Violetta”. After the maternity break, she devotes herself not only to her church concert activity but also to the concert repertoire around the topic “Vioce meets Brass” and has various concerts with the ensemble of the same name as well as the military band music corps III Erfurt. In addition to her theater and concert activities, she also works as a vocal pedagogue. At the Theater Erfurt 2013/14 she will perform as Golde in “Anatevka”, furthermore she will make her debut in the season 2014/15 both in “Kiss me Kate” as Hattie, and in ALWebber’s “Evita” as Eva Peron. the role of Verdi’s “Violetta”. After the maternity break, she devotes herself not only to her church concert activity but also to the concert repertoire around the topic “Vioce meets Brass” and has various concerts with the ensemble of the same name as well as the military band music corps III Erfurt. In addition to her theater and concert activities, she also works as a vocal pedagogue. At the Theater Erfurt 2013/14 she will perform as Golde in “Anatevka”, furthermore she will make her debut in the season 2014/15 both in “Kiss me Kate” as Hattie, and in ALWebber’s “Evita” as Eva Peron. as well as with the military band music corps III Erfurt. In addition to her theater and concert activities, she also works as a vocal pedagogue. At the Theater Erfurt 2013/14 she will perform as Golde in “Anatevka”, furthermore she will make her debut in the season 2014/15 both in “Kiss me Kate” as Hattie, and in ALWebber’s “Evita” as Eva Peron. as well as with the military band music corps III Erfurt. In addition to her theater and concert activities, she also works as a vocal pedagogue. At the Theater Erfurt 2013/14 she will perform as Golde in “Anatevka”, furthermore she will make her debut in the season 2014/15 both in “Kiss me Kate” as Hattie, and in ALWebber’s “Evita” as Eva Peron.

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Massimiliano Barbolini

TENOR

The tenor Massimiliano Barbolini was born in Modena and made his début in 1998 as Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. In the same year he appeared as Florville in Rossini’s Il Signor Bruschino under Claudio Desderi. He has since then specialised in Rossini and has appeared as a guest-artist at the Paris Opéra Comique, the Teatro Ariosto at Reggio Emilia, the Vienna Konzerthaus and the Festival of Martina Franca, among other engagements. He studied singing with Tito Turtura and works regularly with William Matteuzzi.

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Rodney Clarke

BASS

Hailed by Gramophone as a “singer to be watched”, Rodney Earl Clarke is recognised for his versatility in performance. At home with the music of 1930-1960 Broadway, Rodney has appeared in many shows including Carmen Jones at the Royal Festival Hall, London, Jude Kelly’s award winning production of Bernstein’s On the Town, Kenneth Branagh’s epic film version of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Sondheim’s 80th Birthday Celebration Prom, The Broadway Sound BBC Prom with the John Wilson Orchestra, Jake in Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle and Crown in Porgy & Bess under the direction of John Doyle with the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen. He starred in Raymond Gubbay’s popular show Crazy for Gershwin which regularly toured the UK and also performed many times on BBC Radio 2 Friday Night is Music Night recently alongside Michael Ball, Gary Williams and Hannah Waddingham. He starred alongside Denise Van Outen, Kimberley Walsh, Kerry Ellis, Michael Xavier and Michael Simkins playing the role of Big Daddy in the Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields, Neil Simon musical Sweet Charity. This semi staged performance was directed by Paul Foster, choreographed by Matt Flint with the ArtsEd Ensemble and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Richard Balcombe. His debut album Glorious Quest received critical acclaim featuring songs from the golden age of Broadway Musicals accompanied by pianist Christopher Gould.

Rodney travelled to Australia in 2014 where he performed songs from the Gershwin Songbook alongside Australian soprano Julie Lea Goodwin and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Boston Pops Orchestra conductor Keith Lockhart. In 2015, he returned to Australia to perform the bass solos in Handel’s Messiah at the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Philharmonia under the baton of Brett Weymark. In 2016, he starred in an arena tour of West End/Broadway hits concert with the Czech Philharmonic under the baton of Keith Lockhart working alongside Louise Dearman, Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley. Later that year, he sang the role of Crown in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra in Riga.

In 2017 Rodney has worked with the Halle Orchestra in a Musical Pops Concert at the Bridgewater Hall alongside West End soprano Ashleigh Gray and starred in a BBC Prom performing Beyond the Score: Dvorak New World Symphony conducted by Sir Mark Elder. He featured in Bernstein’s On the Town at the Regents Park Open Air Theatre directed by Drew McOnie and sang the role of Vithobai in the European Premier of Louis Mander’s opera A Life to Come with the Opera Festival Oslo, Norway. Rodney was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music for his services and contributions to the music industry.

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Delphine Gillot

SOPRANO

Delphine Gillot returned to the opera stage in high style in December 2015, with an acclaimed performance as Gloria von Kurstein in the World Premiere of Dominique Gesseney-Rappo’s new opera Carlotta. A singer perviously renowned for her intense performances, and glowing, full lyric voice, she retains, despite her absence from the stage, all of the gifts that made her such a thrilling young artist. Jacques Schmidt, writing in Resmusica, declared that she ‘performed the abondoned wife with great subtlety. Her singing embodies with great sensitivity her manner of accepting, with sadness, her abandonement by her husband for the enchanting Carlotta. Her final aria, sung with tenderness and contrition certainly merited music more fitting to the spirit of her plaintive performance’. Delphine Gillot was born to French parents in Lausanne, where she trained at the Conservatoire. She gained a Postgraduate Diploma in Voice from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama before joining the Opera Course at the Royal Academy of Music. She quickly built an international career that included multiple engagements with Jean-Claude Malgoire’s Atelier Lyrique de Tourcoing, in roles including: Elettra (Idomemeneo); Illione in Campra Indomenée; Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni); Juno (Il Ritorno d’Ulisse); Polymnie (Les Trois Ages d’Opera); Proserpina (Orfeo); Armida (Rinaldo) and Annio (La Clemenza di Tito). For Welsh National Opera, she sang Nedda (I Pagliacci) for WNO under the baton of Carlo Rizzi; for Opera de Monte Carlo, she sang Delia (Il Viaggio a Reims) and Barena (Jenufa), whilst for the Opera National du Rhin, she sang Semire (Les Boreades) under the baton of Emanuelle Haim. Her performance as the soprano soloist in Poulenc La Voix Humaine at Opera de Lausanne won her international acclaim. Further performances for the company include: Elena (Il Capello di Paglia di Firenze) and Belina (Dido and Aeneas). Her recordings include Proserpina (Orfeo – cond. Malgoire) on the Dynamic Label, La Gloire (Raymond – cond. Rousset) for Ambroisie Records an the title role in Aminta for Harmonia Mundi. 

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Mathias Hausmann

BARITONE

Adréana Kraschewski

SOPRANO

Soprano Adréana Kraschewski studied voice with Klesie Kelly at the Cologne College of Music, where she graduated with distinction. She furthered her training in the art song class of Irwin Gage at the Saar College of Music, in Saarbrücken, Germany. She continues her singing technique study with the American Baritone, Douglas Yates.

She received a scholarship from the German People’s Educational Trust Fund and was a prizewinner in various competitions, such as the National Music Competition, in Voice, and the German Board of Music Competition.

She participated in master classes given by Kurt Moll, Thomas Hampson, Christa Ludwig, Douglas Yates, Inge Borkh, Jessye Norman, Philip Langridge, Dame Felicity Lott, as well as Norman Shetler, and Graham Johnson.

Various professional engagements include: Beethovenhalle and Beethovenhaus Bonn, Philharmonie Köln, Tonhalle Zürich, Helsinki Festival, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, European Music Academy Aix-en-Provence, Opera Festival Heidenheim, Opera Festival Haldenstein, WDR Cologne, Fondazione Cariplo Milano, deSingel Antwerpen, Belgium, and a showcase in the artists’ portrait series musikdebüt on SWR Television.

Following her first professional engagement with the International Opera Studio, Zürich Opera House, Ms. Kraschewski was engaged as a member of the Theater Trier ensemble, where she performed for two seasons.

Adréana Kraschewski appeared as a guest performer at following theaters:

Theater Bern, Staatstheater Darmstadt, Theater Trier, Landestheater Linz, Tiroler Landestheater Innsbruck, Theater Bern, Theater Heidelberg, Theater Hagen.

Leading German opera magazine Opernwelt nominated Ms. Kraschewski in the category “Young Upcoming Vocal Artist 2009” for her interpretations of the Queen of the Night, Liu, and Antonia.

In addition, she received a second nomination as “one of the best vocal performances for the year 2011” for her outstanding interpretation of Lakmé.

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Anouschka Lara

SOPRANO

Anouschka Lara studied languages (French, German, English, Italian and Spanish), literature, dancing and acting (Guildford School of Acting and Dancing) before taking a place at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London to study singing (with Laura Sarti and Annette Thompson). She graduated with first class honours in July 2000. She then completed with distinction the Advanced Opera Course at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow (with Patricia MacMahon) in 2002. Whilst studying at the RSAMD, she won the Lieder Prize and the Yee Cronies Opera Award. She was supported by the Barcapel Foundation and the Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund.

She has taken part in masterclasses with : Rudolf Piernay (Festival Heidelberg Frühling), Sarah Walker, Elly Ameling, Benjamin Luxon, Michael Chance (Britten-Pears School), Jordi Savall, Montserrat Figueras & Gloria Banditelli (Curs de Musica Antigua a Catalunya), Dominick Argento, Emma Kirkby, Malcolm Martineau, Paul Farrington & Thomas Allen (Samling), Graham Johnson (Young Songmakers Almanac)

She has performed as a soloist in various festivals (Segovia Internacional Festival, Cuenca Festival for Young Interpreters, International Musik Festival Davos, Porta Ferrada International Festival, Cité de la Musique in Paris, Lauenen Chamber Music Festival, Aix-en-Provence Festival, Sablé Festival , Music at the Chabotterie, Music and Nature Festival “en Bauges”, Music Festival “en Auxois”, Festival d’Ambronay, Festival Baroque de Versailles, Sarrebourg International Festival), Festival La Chaise-Dieu, Festival Baroque de Pontoise, Musikfest Bremen and with artists such as Maria-Joao Pires, Jeremy Menuhin, Guillemette Laurens, Stéphane Degout, Dimitri Ashkenazy, David Stern (opera fuoco), René Jacobs (Concerto Vocale), Hugo Reyne (Simphonie du Marais), Gabriel Garrido (Elyma), Philippe Huttenlocher, Pascal Bertin, Stephan MacLeod, Thomas Demenga, Jordi Savall, Pedro Memelsdorff (soloist with his ensemble Mala Punica), Joël Suhubiette, Frédérick Haas (Ausonia), Jérôme Correas (Les Paladins)…

She also sings oratorios and she gives recitals in several European countries. She gave her debut recital at the Wigmore Hall (London) with the pianist Alexis Delgado in April 2003 after winning the Worshopful Company of Musicians Award.

In opera, she has sung the roles of Calisto (Cavalli), Poussette (Manon), Pamina & Erste Dame (Mozart), Zerlina (Mozart), Sandrina (Mozart), Lauretta (Pergolesi), Euridice (Gluck), La Blanche Aline (Honegger), Gasparina (Haydn), El Trujaman (De Falla), Astéria (Handel), Dalinda (Handel), Almirena (Handel), Ninfa, Musica, Proserpina (Monteverdi), La Félicité, Thetis & Diane (Le Ballet des Arts- Lully), Carolina (F. M. Torroba) and Volutta & Eurilla (L’Egisto-Mazzocchi & Marazzoli).

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Miriam Murphy

SOPRANO

“The young Irish singer Miriam Murphy has one of the most exciting new dramatic soprano voices I’ve heard in years: a true Verdian spinto, full and even of tone in the middle of her range, with well- integrated chest notes and fearless high notes that not even the full orchestra and chorus, as well as overtlying aircraft, could subdue”
Hugh Canning The Sunday Times

“When a true dramatic soprano comes along it must be hailed as an event because they are as rare as gold….the concert was revealing as the big attendance heard Miriam Murphy in arias by Verdi and ragflers[e produced a metallic sound with a powerful middle register that suggests that she one day she will take on board the dramatic Verdi and Strauss heroines.”
Gus Smith, The Irish Independent

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Howard Reddy

BARITONE

Howard Reddy was born in Carlow, Ireland, and graduated with a degree in Business and Law from University College Dublin in 2000.

He studied with Veronica Dunne and then with Marlena Malas at the Curtis Institute, graduating with a Masters in Music in 2005. He has received scholarships from the O’Reilly Foundation, Fulbright Commission, and the City of Dublin VEC.

Roles during his time at the Curtis Institute include Count Almaviva Le nozze di Figaro, John Sorel The Consul, Ramiro L’heure espagnole, Marcello La bohème, Tarquinius The Rape of Lucretia and Captain The Death of Klinghoffer.

Howard also performed Fiorello Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Marchese La traviata for the Opera Festival of New Jersey, and worked at the Academy Of The West. Howard was the Second Place prizewinner in the Oratorio Society of New York Solo Competition in 2004.

Other concert appearances include Beethoven Symphony No 9 with the North West Florida Symphony, Christus in Bach’s St John Passion with Princeton University Choir, and Messiah, Mozart Mass in C and Faure’s Requiem in Ireland.

In his spare time, Howard likes to stay fit and follow Ireland in rugby.

Nicholas Warden

BASS

‘Nicholas Warden’s rich and agile bass left no doubt as to his authority’ (Opera Now).

Born in London, Nick had an outstanding career as a boy treble, performing operatic roles at The Royal Opera House and at ENO. He went to Durham University, graduating with a music degree, before continuing at the Royal Academy of Music studying with Mark Wildman. He was elected an Associate of the RAM in 2007.

Nick was awarded a Choral Scholarship to Durham Cathedral, whilst studying Music at Durham University. Upon returning to London to study at the Royal Academy he sang with many of London’s professional, church choirs and held permanent posts at St Pancras Parish Church (1997–2002) and St Clement Danes (2002–2011). He worked in the Chorus at Glyndebourne; Opera de Lille; Salzburg; Strasbourg Opera, and with choirs including The Choir of The Enlightenment; The Sixteen; Le Concert D’Astree and The King’s Consort. He enjoyed a long association with European Voices, performing concerts across Europe with the Berlin Philharmonic under the direction of Sir Simon Rattle.

With a broad repertoire ranging from Handel, Monteverdi and Purcell to Mozart, Mendelssohn and Elgar and new music, he has worked throughout Europe with conductors including: Emmanuelle Haim, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Colin Davis, Sakari Oramo, Gary Cooper, Sian Edwards, Harry Christophers and Martyn Brabbins.

On the operatic stage Nick’s roles have included Scarpia (Tosca, Puccini); Un Songe (Dardanus, Rameau) Lille, Caen & Dijon; Winter & Sleep (Fairy Queen, Purcell) Lille, Gent, Amsterdam & Paris; Dragon (The Dragon of Wantley, Lampe) Potsdam Festival; Zoroastro (Orlando, Handel) Saddlers Wells; Mongolian Soldier (A Night at the Chinese Opera, Judith Wier) Scottish Opera; Priest (Hercules, Handel) Buxton Festival; Supt. Budd (Albert Herring, Britten) Antwerp, Gent, Brugge.

Highlights in the concert hall have included Haydn’s Creation (Cadogan Hall), Handel’s Orlando (Wigmore Hall), Verdi’s Requiem (Winchester Cathedral), Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis (Barbican). Other notable venues include Gibraltar Cathedral, St John’s Smith Square, The Queen Elizabeth Hall and the bridge of the QEII. Selected as a recommended artist for the National Federation of Music Societies, Nick has performed with many Choirs and Choral Societies throughout the UK.

Nick has been a teacher of singing for 18 years.  He started teaching undergraduates at King’s College London, whilst still studying at the Royal Academy of Music. He is on the teaching staff at the Junior Academy; St Peter’s College, University of Oxford; St Paul’s School and Hurstpierpoint College.

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