Paola Cuffolo (director)
_ Paola began her solo singing career
at the age of 16 at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Junior Department
under Eileen Price, where she won the Singer's Prize in 2006. She has taken
part in masterclasses with Susan McCulloch, Lillian Watson, Roger Vignoles,
Adrian Thompson and Teresa Cahill, among others. In August 2008 Paola was given
the opportunity to sing at the Glastonbury Extravaganza, where she supported
The Feeling and Kate Nash.
As an undergraduate reading Music at St Peter's College, Oxford, Paola was extremely active in the operatic scene. She played Despina (Cosi' Fan Tutte, St Peter's Opera), Frasquita (Carmen, NCO Opera Scenes), Maragond (Fierrabras, Trinity College Opera), Adele (Die Fledermaus, St Peter's Opera), Mrs Grose (The Turn of the Screw, Oxford Opera), and Damon (Acis and Galatea, NCO). She has also been active in the direction of opera, directing both Cosi' Fan Tutte and Die Fledermaus for St Peter's Opera, as well as adapting the libretto for the latter.
Since graduating in September 2010, Paola has been pursuing a career in opera, now studying singing with Susan Roberts, and is hoping to direct more operatic productions this year.
As an undergraduate reading Music at St Peter's College, Oxford, Paola was extremely active in the operatic scene. She played Despina (Cosi' Fan Tutte, St Peter's Opera), Frasquita (Carmen, NCO Opera Scenes), Maragond (Fierrabras, Trinity College Opera), Adele (Die Fledermaus, St Peter's Opera), Mrs Grose (The Turn of the Screw, Oxford Opera), and Damon (Acis and Galatea, NCO). She has also been active in the direction of opera, directing both Cosi' Fan Tutte and Die Fledermaus for St Peter's Opera, as well as adapting the libretto for the latter.
Since graduating in September 2010, Paola has been pursuing a career in opera, now studying singing with Susan Roberts, and is hoping to direct more operatic productions this year.
Theo Lester (conductor)
_Theo Lester began his musical career at the age of 8
singing as a chorister in the world-famous King’s College Cambridge
chapel choir, where he also had his first tuition on the organ with
David Goode. After studying for 5 years as a major music scholar at
Uppingham School, Theo spent a year in New Zealand, working in the music
department of Wanganui Collegiate School under the guidance of organist
Nicholas Grigsby, a renowned international recitalist. During that year
he was offered a place to read music at St Peter's College, Oxford.
Having conducted choirs from the age of 17, he currently holds the Paul Geddes' Senior Organ Scholarship at St Peter's, and has led the chapel choir in concerts and on international tours. Most recently Theo has directed concert performances including Finzi's festival anthem with orchestra, Lo, the Full Final Sacrifice, and a joint performance of Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb in Liverpool Cathedral by the combined choirs of Liverpool and St Peter's. He studies choral conducting with Paul Spicer, founder of the Finzi Singers.
Theo was elected conductor of the Oxford University Student Chorus in 2010, organising and leading performances of Bach's Christmas Oratorio and Vaughan Williams' Serenade to Music, as well as making his debut at the Sheldonian Theatre conducting Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem in 2011. He is currently director of the Leicestershire Sinfonia, with whom he has explored a broad range of orchestral repertoire including symphonies by Haydn, Mozart and Schubert. He has studied with conductors including Peter Stark and John Traill, and has attended a number of masterclasses with musicians such as Nicholas Cleobury. Theo hopes to continue pursuing a career in conducting after leaving Oxford this year.
Having conducted choirs from the age of 17, he currently holds the Paul Geddes' Senior Organ Scholarship at St Peter's, and has led the chapel choir in concerts and on international tours. Most recently Theo has directed concert performances including Finzi's festival anthem with orchestra, Lo, the Full Final Sacrifice, and a joint performance of Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb in Liverpool Cathedral by the combined choirs of Liverpool and St Peter's. He studies choral conducting with Paul Spicer, founder of the Finzi Singers.
Theo was elected conductor of the Oxford University Student Chorus in 2010, organising and leading performances of Bach's Christmas Oratorio and Vaughan Williams' Serenade to Music, as well as making his debut at the Sheldonian Theatre conducting Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem in 2011. He is currently director of the Leicestershire Sinfonia, with whom he has explored a broad range of orchestral repertoire including symphonies by Haydn, Mozart and Schubert. He has studied with conductors including Peter Stark and John Traill, and has attended a number of masterclasses with musicians such as Nicholas Cleobury. Theo hopes to continue pursuing a career in conducting after leaving Oxford this year.
Peter Collins (Figaro)
_Peter Collins is a tutor and support worker to low-functioning young
adults with autism. He studied Linguistics at Cambridge and Experimental
Psychology at Oxford. As a bass baritone, he studies with eminent
British baritone Russell Smythe,
and has been coached by Robert Lloyd, Barbara Bonney and Yvonne Kenny.
Recent operatic roles have included the Arm Chair and Tree in Ravel’s
L’enfant et les sortilèges, Sarastro in Mozart’s Magic Flute, and Jove in Cavalli’s
La Calisto. Recent oratorio work has included Fauré’s
Requiem, Brahms’ German Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and Rossini’s
Petite Messe Solenelle. He has also sung with many of Oxford’s leading choirs, and is currently a bass lay clerk at All Saints’, Highfield, Oxford.
George Coltart (Count)
_George is a junior doctor in
Reading. He studied medicine at New College Oxford, where he was been a
choral scholar in its internationally renowned choir. He has performed
leading roles in many operas within
Oxford including Le nozze di Figaro, Die Fledermaus, Cosí fan tutte, Albert Herring, A Dinner Engagement, Hansel and Gretel and Gianni Schicchi,
and Salieri's Falstaff. He has also sung bass solos in
oratorios in Oxford and beyond, by composers including Handel, JS Bach,
Brahms, Montiverdi, Rossini, and Haydn. George featured as baritone soloist in the recently released recording of
Couperin, Exultent Superi with Edward Higginbottom. . George is studying with Paul Farrington and Giles Underwood.
Lucy Cox (Susanna)
_ Lucy Cox is a recent alumna of St Peter’s College, where she
held the William James Clarke choral scholarship. Lucy currently sings with
various groups in and around Oxford, including Schola Cantorum, the Oxford
Singers, Ensemble 45 and the choir of St Michael at the North Gate. Lucy is a
staff member and 'section leader' of the National Youth Choirs of Great
Britain. She also forms part of their chamber choir Laudibus, with whom she has
recently recorded a CD of Eric Whitacre's music, which reached number one in
the Classical charts. Previous operatic experiences have included the roles of
Galatea in the SPCMS production of Handel's 'Acis and Galatea', which she
co-directed, and Flora in Oxford Opera's production of Britten's 'The Turn of
the Screw'. Lucy performs regularly as a soloist, taking part in various
recital series around Oxford, most recently for New Chamber Opera. Future
engagements include the soprano solos in Rutter’s ‘Mass for the Children’ and
Faure’s Requiem. Lucy gained her ABRSM diploma in 2007, and currently studies
with Sue Young.
Rosalind West (Countess)
_Rosalind read physics at Mansfield College, Oxford, and is now in the
final year of a DPhil in the Atmospheric Physics department. She studies
singing with Ashley Stafford, and is supported by the Vaughan-Thomas
fund for music at Jesus College, where she is
a graduate student.
Previous roles have included the eponymous Dido in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, Diana in Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld, Mrs Gobineau in Menotti's The Medium and Fiordiligi in scenes from Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte. In concert, Rosalind has appeared as a soloist in Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem, Fauré Requiem, Mozart Requiem, Vivaldi Gloria, Handel Messiah and Elgar For the Fallen. Rosalind was a finalist in the university concerto competition 2010, performing Alban Berg's Sieben Frühe Lieder with pianist Jack Ridley. Please visit http://www.rosalindwest.co.uk for news of future concerts. Rosalind would like to dedicate her performance in The Marriage of Figaro to Julius Lunzer, in celebration of his 90th birthday.
Previous roles have included the eponymous Dido in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, Diana in Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld, Mrs Gobineau in Menotti's The Medium and Fiordiligi in scenes from Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte. In concert, Rosalind has appeared as a soloist in Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem, Fauré Requiem, Mozart Requiem, Vivaldi Gloria, Handel Messiah and Elgar For the Fallen. Rosalind was a finalist in the university concerto competition 2010, performing Alban Berg's Sieben Frühe Lieder with pianist Jack Ridley. Please visit http://www.rosalindwest.co.uk for news of future concerts. Rosalind would like to dedicate her performance in The Marriage of Figaro to Julius Lunzer, in celebration of his 90th birthday.
Sarah Champion (Cherubino)
_ Sarah
is a music teacher at a local Oxford secondary school. She read Music at Durham
University and then went on to Cambridge University to complete her PGCE. Her
choral education began when joining the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain
at twelve, progressing from the Training Choir to Main Choir, and finally its
chamber choir Laudibus. During that time she was privileged to work with
renowned conductors such as Michael Brewer OBE, Sir David Wilcox, John Rutter,
Greg Beardsell and American composer Eric Whitacre. Sarah still works closely
with NYCGB as section leader and administrator for the Junior Choirs.
Previous operatic roles have included La Princess in Ravel's L’enfant et les sortilèges, The Sandman in Hansel and Gretel, Diana in Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld and Mercedes in Bizet'sCarmen. When not in the classroom, Sarah sings with Schola Cantorum of Oxford and, on a slightly lighter note, BangTailFeathers, an eleven piece R&B/Soul/Swing/Rock/Jazz/Party band.
Previous operatic roles have included La Princess in Ravel's L’enfant et les sortilèges, The Sandman in Hansel and Gretel, Diana in Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld and Mercedes in Bizet'sCarmen. When not in the classroom, Sarah sings with Schola Cantorum of Oxford and, on a slightly lighter note, BangTailFeathers, an eleven piece R&B/Soul/Swing/Rock/Jazz/Party band.
Johanna Harrison (Marcellina)
_ Before taking up her place at Regent’s Park College to study
English Literature, Johanna Harrison spent the five years previous to Oxford
University at Wells Cathedral School, one of the four specialist music schools
in the UK, as a Specialist vocalist. She now studies with international soprano
Isobel Buchanan.
In 2006, she was chosen as one of the four girl finalists in BBC Radio 2 Young Chorister of the Year, which was broadcast nationally. Since then, she has worked extensively with world-renowned conductors and performers such as Nigel Perrin (the original high voice of the Kings Singers), Matthew Souter, Philip Dukes, John Rutter, Domonic Peckham, Matthew Owens, Christopher Finch, Mike Brewer OBE, Julian Lloyd-Webber, David Ogden, Margaret Faultless and Joanna McGregor. Notable concerts include the soprano soloist roles in the Mozart and Duruflé Requiems in Wells Cathedral, and also in Haydn’s ‘Nelson Mass’, Handel’s ‘Messiah’ and ‘Israel in Egypt’, and Requiem: Eternal Light by Howard Goodall. In October 2010 she travelled to Sierra Leone in West Africa to teach vocal studies at the country’s only music academy, and earlier this year she featured as a soloist in the opening night of the Bath International Music Festival, broadcast live to the nation on BBC Radio 3. Last year, she attained one of the highest-marked vocal Diplomas in the county session. Recent projects include the recordings of Bob Chilcott’s choral works with the 2010 BBC Choir of the Year (the Wellensian Consort) for commercial release.
In 2006, she was chosen as one of the four girl finalists in BBC Radio 2 Young Chorister of the Year, which was broadcast nationally. Since then, she has worked extensively with world-renowned conductors and performers such as Nigel Perrin (the original high voice of the Kings Singers), Matthew Souter, Philip Dukes, John Rutter, Domonic Peckham, Matthew Owens, Christopher Finch, Mike Brewer OBE, Julian Lloyd-Webber, David Ogden, Margaret Faultless and Joanna McGregor. Notable concerts include the soprano soloist roles in the Mozart and Duruflé Requiems in Wells Cathedral, and also in Haydn’s ‘Nelson Mass’, Handel’s ‘Messiah’ and ‘Israel in Egypt’, and Requiem: Eternal Light by Howard Goodall. In October 2010 she travelled to Sierra Leone in West Africa to teach vocal studies at the country’s only music academy, and earlier this year she featured as a soloist in the opening night of the Bath International Music Festival, broadcast live to the nation on BBC Radio 3. Last year, she attained one of the highest-marked vocal Diplomas in the county session. Recent projects include the recordings of Bob Chilcott’s choral works with the 2010 BBC Choir of the Year (the Wellensian Consort) for commercial release.
Patrick Edmond (Bartolo)
_Patrick is a second year undergraduate historian and bass choral scholar
at New College, Oxford. He is no stranger to the stage, having
performed in plays at Oxford and at school in Brighton. He has also been
singing for many years in various choirs and as
a soloist. However this is his first significant foray into opera,
having caught the student opera bug in the chorus of NCO's production
of Barber of Seville last year. Patrick hopes to appear on Oxford opera stages again in future. Patrick is studying
with Bronwen Mills.
Matthew Thomson (Basilio)
_ Matthew is a Choral Scholar and studying for a Master’s
degree in Music at St. Peter’s College. As an undergraduate, he played Acis in
their production of Handel’s Acis and
Galatea and was a soloist in their performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. Matthew is
currently Tenor 2 section leader of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain
and also sings in its chamber choir, Laudibus, and as such has worked under
directors such as Mike Brewer OBE, Sir David Wilcox and American composer and
conductor Eric Whitacre. In Oxford he also sings with the Choir of Pusey House
and Schola Cantorum, with whom he has worked with Dame Emma Kirkby. He studies
with Nicholas Clapton and has previously taken part in masterclasses with Mark
Wildman and Stefan Loges.
Amrit Gosal (Barbarina)
_Amrit Gosal is a second year reading medicine at Brasenose.
Singing was a major part of her life throughout her pre-Oxford years – at school she was a member of the College Choir and directed the Chamber Choir, as well as being a part of the Barbershop Quartet. She performed solos in numerous concerts, (including a performance of “The Laughing Song” from Die Fledermaus with full orchestra), and was involved in various shows, most recently playing Maria in ‘West Side Story’.
In her first year at Oxford, Amrit was a member of the Oxford Belles a cappella group, and performed the role of Gianetta in Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘The Gondoliers’. She also gave a recital in Trinity term, as part of the New Chamber Opera Studio series. This year, Amrit has joined the Arcadian Singers choir, and is continuing her singing studies with Bronwen Mills.
Singing was a major part of her life throughout her pre-Oxford years – at school she was a member of the College Choir and directed the Chamber Choir, as well as being a part of the Barbershop Quartet. She performed solos in numerous concerts, (including a performance of “The Laughing Song” from Die Fledermaus with full orchestra), and was involved in various shows, most recently playing Maria in ‘West Side Story’.
In her first year at Oxford, Amrit was a member of the Oxford Belles a cappella group, and performed the role of Gianetta in Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘The Gondoliers’. She also gave a recital in Trinity term, as part of the New Chamber Opera Studio series. This year, Amrit has joined the Arcadian Singers choir, and is continuing her singing studies with Bronwen Mills.