Meet the emerging artists who will be presenting our 2023 Young Artists production of Hansel and Gretel this year. Eleanor will play The Dew Fairy in this production.
Can you introduce us to the role of The Dew Fairy?
The Dew Fairy is a brief but memorable character who wakes the children from their dreams. The character embodies a renewed hopefulness and sense of excitement that a new day brings. The Dew Fairy also exudes a sort of bright optimism which you often see in children who see the world through new eyes every day and Gretel goes on to reflect this mood when she wakes up.
What are you most excited to learn or experience during your time as an OHP Young Artist?
I can’t wait to work with a new team and make new friends and colleagues. It’s always such a pleasure to see how different people perceive such a well-known opera and I can’t wait to hear about the world in which this Hansel and Gretel is set.
How do you prepare for a new role before the rehearsal process starts?
Well, I like to listen to the opera as a whole and read the plot to know where I fit and what relationships I have. Learning the music like the back of my hand is really important so that it becomes second nature and I can then focus on how the character might think, feel and react in the circumstance they find themselves in.
Who is your musical role model and why?
I think Soraya Mafi is absolutely one of a kind. Not only is she an intelligent, thoughtful performer, she is incredibly emotive and gives a piece of herself to every performance. It’s a privilege to be allowed to see that sort of vulnerability on stage and it teaches us to empathise with each other.
What’s one piece of advice you’ve been given as an artist that has stayed with you?
You can only be yourself and no one else. It’s such a powerful piece of advice, given to me by my singing teacher and something which goes beyond the realms of singing. It teaches you self-acceptance, even if you aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, you are sincere, and you are true and that takes courage. It’s also what makes singing so interesting and varied and I love being able to see ten different people perform the same thing ten different ways. Our lived experience as an individual makes our interpretation beautiful.
What fairytale character are you most like, and why?
I’m probably a mixture of Gretel – a bossy big sister with a sweet tooth – and Thumbelina, as I’m not graced in the height department but I love animals. In fact, I’m sure I’ve got a few mice in my flat right now.
