Can you tell us about your role at OHP?

I am incredibly excited to be directing the Young Artist Production of The Barber of Seville for OHP this year. I will be working closely with Cecilia Stinton and will adapt her production for the Young Artist cast which will be performed on the 14th and 16th June. 

You’ve previously worked with us as an Assistant Director – what was something you learnt that you hope to take into your role as Young Artist Director?

Your job as an Assistant Director is to learn the show you are working on inside out. You need to know every movement, every entrance and exit, all the different lighting cues and what every phrase means. Even though the YA Cast will be rehearsing their own version of the production, they are also covering the principal cast and we will be performing on the same set and with the same chorus, so all those skills I use when assisting will also be very important in the Young Artist Director role. A large part of the staging will have to be similar if not the same as that of the principal production so that the performers can cover as needed, but the challenge lies in making it our own and allowing the performers to bring their interpretations to the piece. This is a challenge I am incredibly excited to take on.

What do you do to prepare for rehearsals before they begin?

The first and most important thing to do is learn the piece back to front. Rossini’s music is incredibly fast and, as you can imagine, the score is quite heavy. If I’d constantly have to look at my score to figure out where we were and hold it in my arms, I’d waste a lot of time, hurt my back and wouldn’t be looking at what the performers in front of me are doing, which would defeat the object of me directing and collaborating with them. So, my score is there to write notes and for reference, but it is important to me not to be glued to it.

Besides that, I will have meetings with the creative teams and do lots of research, so that I am confident with the shape of the piece and what the overall design concept is, allowing me to hit the ground running and answer any questions the cast may have to allow for the smooth running of rehearsals.

You last worked with us on Mark Adamo’s Little Women, and this year will be working on The Barber of Seville. How do you approach contemporary works in comparison to those that are more traditional?

The biggest difference of course is that on a contemporary piece the composer is often still alive. This is a massive asset but also changes the process somewhat. When working on a piece like Barber, there are hundreds of different recordings and interpretations. With your team, you can make creative decisions, looking at the music like a puzzle, and devise your own interpretation of the piece. When you work on a contemporary piece you have an incredible source of information at your disposal: the composer and librettist. For a contemporary piece such as Little Women, I began by reading the book (and watching the films!) and getting as familiar with the score and the characters as I could. Although it is harder to know what the piece will sound like, you often have the writers in the room with you during rehearsals. They will be able to help the team make informed decisions on what to do, as well as giving insight about what they intended with a specific note or word. 

I personally don’t have a preference with either, they both come with their own challenges and advantages.  

What do you hope to gain or learn from the OHP Young Artists Scheme?

I’m really looking forward to working with and learning from such an incredible team, both on the principal production and the Young Artists. I’m excited to get to direct on the beautiful Opera Holland Park stage. It’s the biggest stage I have directed for so far and it will be a fantastic learning experience for me. I’ll have to be quick, think on my feet and stay true to mine and the other YAs artistry whilst honouring Cecilia’s production. 

The Barber of Seville is (unsurprisingly) about a barber. Do you have any stories of terrible haircuts?

When I was still in high school, I loved dying my hair. One day I decided I wanted it to be pitch black. My hairdresser recommended that I shouldn’t go completely black but with a shade of purple in it. This seemed sensible and I trusted her. As soon as I stepped into the sunshine, I realized something had gone wrong. My hair was not black, it was bright purple! I don’t know what happened, but I looked like Violet Beauregarde. Thankfully it was semi-permanent and washed out after a month or so, but I never tried to dye my hair black again. 

What is one piece of advice, musical or otherwise, that you’ve been given that has stayed with you?

When I just started out directing, I went for a coffee with a director I admired a lot and still do. She asked me the following question: “Does the drama create the music or does the music create the drama?”. This is something I will always keep asking myself when working on a production. The answer can be either, but you need to make the choice. And your choice will hugely affect the performance. That is directing. 

 

Find out more about The Barber of Seville here.