The Young Artists scheme offers emerging opera singers, conductors, directors and répétiteurs the experience of a fully supported rehearsal process and performances on one of London’s major operatic stages. They also work with Opera Holland Park’s award-winning Inspire outreach and education project. Some of the singers will take part in the OHP Young Artists Masterclass with Amanda Roocroft at Pushkin House on Wednesday 11 March.

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Meet the Young Artists

 

Lucy Anderson, Tatyana

Lucy is a graduate of the Opera Course at the Guildhall. She is a Britten-Pears Young Artist, and has previously performed as a member of the Opera Holland Park Chorus.

What can people expect from you as a performer?

I find the opportunity to connect with an audience really exciting. I want them to identify with the character’s emotional journey as if it were their own.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

It’s easy to be distracted by glamorous costumes and sparkly high notes, but the purpose of our work is to offer our audience an insight into a different world, and a sense of escapism.

 

Rory Musgrave, Onegin

Rory studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and University College Dublin. He has performed with companies including Wexford Festival Opera and the Lyric Opera Studio Weimar.

What’s your favourite thing about Eugene Onegin?

I love the story and the characters. Pushkin’s exploration of class, social order and love is so rich, and Tchaikovsky brings it beautifully to life with his music.

What can people expect from you as a performer?

I always try to find the sincerity in any character, good or bad, and let that transmit to colleagues and audience alike.

 

Jack Roberts, Lensky

Jack studied at the Guildhall, graduating with First Class Honours. During his studies, he won the Joyce Budd Second Prize of the Kathleen Ferrier Society Bursary for Young Singers.

What’s your favourite thing about Eugene Onegin?

The delicacy of the orchestration. While the piece of course has its bold climax and epic moments, it’s the subtle lines and variety of textures that give Onegin such emotional depth.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Allow yourself to make mistakes. Not only do we learn through mistakes, but if we aren’t prepared to continually make mistakes, we will never fully explore what we do.

 

Charlotte Badham, Olga

Charlotte is a recent graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music. Her roles while training included Hansel Hansel and Gretel and Hippolyta A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

What’s your dream operatic role?

Naughty, mischievous Hansel – I love a good trouser role!

What can people expect from you as a performer?

Passion, honesty and playfulness.

 

Hannah Bennett, Madame Larina

Hannah is a recent graduate of the Preparatory Opera MA at the Royal Academy of Music. Her 2020 schedule includes the role of Dorabella Così fan tutte with Opera on the Move.

What’s your favourite thing about Eugene Onegin?

It’s got to be the music. I love Tchaikovsky’s use of harmony to create drama – it really pulls at your heartstrings.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Go wisely and slowly, because those who rush stumble and fall.

 

Lynn Bellamy, Filippyevna

Lynn recently graduated from the Alexander Gibson Opera School at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She last appeared at OHP as part of the Chorus in 2019.

What’s your favourite piece of music to dance to?

You’ll usually find me dancing to anything by Dolly Parton. I’d love to say she’s my guilty pleasure, but I don’t feel any guilt about it at all.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

A number of people have told me to ‘run my own race’. It’s such an important thing to hear as a young singer, as it can be so hard to constantly compare yourself to others.

 

Henry Grant Kerswell, Prince Gremin

Henry made his Opera Holland Park debut in 2014, and appeared as Dottore Grenvil in our 2018 production of La traviata.

What’s been the highlight of your career so far?

Being part of the cast that took Opera Holland Park’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to the Royal Opera House.

What’s your favourite piece of music to dance to?

I do love a bit of old school disco.

 

Guy Withers, Triquet

Guy is a recent MA graduate of The Royal Academy of Music. He has been a member of the Opera Holland Park Chorus since 2015, and is the Artistic Director of Waterperry Opera Festival.

What can people expect from you as a performer?

A lot of energy, commitment and joy. I love finding something special in even the smallest of moments.

What are you most looking forward to about being an OHP Young Artist?

Performing at the Schools’ Matinee. Having experienced it before as a member of the chorus, I know how exhilarating it is to have such a welcoming, raucous young audience.

 

Lada Valešová, Conductor

Lada is a pianist, recording artist and conductor. She is a professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and coaches singers at the Royal Academy of Music. In 2019 she was Associate Conductor and Language Coach for Opera Holland Park’s Iolanta.

What’s your favourite thing about Eugene Onegin?

Tchaikovsky’s immortal music. Every nuance of human emotion is expressed with deep understanding and love for his characters, especially Tatyana.

What can people expect from you as a conductor?

Russian passion, Czech lyricism and sensibility, united by my experience of living and growing as an artist in the UK.

 

Rebecca Meltzer, Director

Rebecca is a director, movement director and movement teacher. She is a co-Festival Director of Waterperry Opera Festival, and recently directed their acclaimed production of Dove’s Mansfield Park.

What’s your favourite piece of music to dance to?

The impossible question… so many… Shake Your Tail Feather (Ray Charles) or You Make My Dreams Come True (Hall and Oates) amongst many others.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t let people put you in a box… Also, you don’t have to have all the answers. It’s okay to say ‘I don’t know’.

 

Alina Sorokina, Répétiteur

Alina is a Répétiteur Junior Fellow on the Opera Course at Guildhall. She has worked on productions including A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Aminta e Fillide and Geniza. In 2019 she won a Roderick Brydon Memorial Trust Award scholarship.

What’s your favourite thing about Eugene Onegin?

The most amazing thing about it is the vitality of the story. Even though it was written in Russia back in the 1820s, the story totally keeps its relevance and could happen at any time and any place.

What are you most looking forward to about being an OHP Young Artist?

I can’t wait to meet all the wonderful young professionals and work together on the most famous Russian opera!