Così Fan Tutte - Cast Biographies
Fiordiligi - Elinor Rolfe Johnson
Elinor Rolfe Johnson (soprano) graduated from Cambridge University with a Masters degree in Music and studies with Susan Roberts. She completed her two years on the Opera school at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Summer of 2013. As an RCS scholarship holder Elinor was also very kindly supported by the Russell Sheppard Trust Vocal Scholarship and the Richard Stapely trust. She has performed at venues including the Theatre Royal Glasgow, L'Archeveche and Grand Theatre Aix-en-Provence, St Johns Smith Square, Snape Maltings and St. George’s Hanover Square.
Operatic roles include Pamina; Die Zauberflöte , Susanna; Le nozze di Figaro, Sophie; Der Rosenkavalier, Governess; The Turn of the Screw and Tytania; A Midsummer night's Dream; Song repertoire comprises works by Britten, Poulenc, Schubert, Schumann, Wolf, Debussy and Strauss and Oratorio by Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Handel, Tippet, Vaughan Williams and Brahms. A finalist at the 2010 London Handel Festival Competition, Elinor more recently performed the role of Ismene in Telemann's Orpheus for the Classical Opera Company. Last Summer she performed her debut recital at the Wigmore Hall with William Vann and has just returned from the Aix-en-Provence Festival, working alongside the Freiburger Barockorchester, under Pablo Heras-Casado.
Up-coming performances include Rosalinda for Opera Danube's production of Die Fledermaus in October and soloist in the Brahms Requiem for the Cambridge Music Society orchestra in December.
Elinor Rolfe Johnson (soprano) graduated from Cambridge University with a Masters degree in Music and studies with Susan Roberts. She completed her two years on the Opera school at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Summer of 2013. As an RCS scholarship holder Elinor was also very kindly supported by the Russell Sheppard Trust Vocal Scholarship and the Richard Stapely trust. She has performed at venues including the Theatre Royal Glasgow, L'Archeveche and Grand Theatre Aix-en-Provence, St Johns Smith Square, Snape Maltings and St. George’s Hanover Square.
Operatic roles include Pamina; Die Zauberflöte , Susanna; Le nozze di Figaro, Sophie; Der Rosenkavalier, Governess; The Turn of the Screw and Tytania; A Midsummer night's Dream; Song repertoire comprises works by Britten, Poulenc, Schubert, Schumann, Wolf, Debussy and Strauss and Oratorio by Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Handel, Tippet, Vaughan Williams and Brahms. A finalist at the 2010 London Handel Festival Competition, Elinor more recently performed the role of Ismene in Telemann's Orpheus for the Classical Opera Company. Last Summer she performed her debut recital at the Wigmore Hall with William Vann and has just returned from the Aix-en-Provence Festival, working alongside the Freiburger Barockorchester, under Pablo Heras-Casado.
Up-coming performances include Rosalinda for Opera Danube's production of Die Fledermaus in October and soloist in the Brahms Requiem for the Cambridge Music Society orchestra in December.
Dorabella - Sarah Denbee
Sarah studied Music & Italian at the Universities of Bristol and Bologna, and subsequently went on to gain a Masters with Distinction from Trinity Laban Conservatoire. She was the Vocal Department’s representative at Trinity’s Gold Medal Competition at Kings Place and was a Director's Prizewinner. She was previously a member of a Mentor Scheme at the Royal Opera House, and she sings regularly with Sir John Eliot Gardiner’s Monteverdi Choir as well as other leading ensembles. She currently studies with Glenville Hargreaves (Professor at the Royal Academy of Music), and enjoys balancing a mixture of opera, oratorio, recital and consort singing.
Sarah will be performing in the Chorus at the Royal Opera House in 2015 in a production of Gluck’s Orphée et Euridice, and she is also a freelance Chorus member for Scottish Opera. Solo opera credits include Maurya (Riders to the Sea), Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus), the Mistress of the Novices (Suor Angelica), Fanny Price (Jonathan Dove's Mansfield Park), the Witch (Hansel & Gretel), Marcellina (Figaro), roles at the Tete a Tete Opera Festival, 3rd Lady (Magic Flute) and the Sorceress (Dido). On the concert platform, she has been a soloist at prestigious concert venues such as the Cadogan Hall, the Wigmore Hall and Kings Place.
Sarah studied Music & Italian at the Universities of Bristol and Bologna, and subsequently went on to gain a Masters with Distinction from Trinity Laban Conservatoire. She was the Vocal Department’s representative at Trinity’s Gold Medal Competition at Kings Place and was a Director's Prizewinner. She was previously a member of a Mentor Scheme at the Royal Opera House, and she sings regularly with Sir John Eliot Gardiner’s Monteverdi Choir as well as other leading ensembles. She currently studies with Glenville Hargreaves (Professor at the Royal Academy of Music), and enjoys balancing a mixture of opera, oratorio, recital and consort singing.
Sarah will be performing in the Chorus at the Royal Opera House in 2015 in a production of Gluck’s Orphée et Euridice, and she is also a freelance Chorus member for Scottish Opera. Solo opera credits include Maurya (Riders to the Sea), Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus), the Mistress of the Novices (Suor Angelica), Fanny Price (Jonathan Dove's Mansfield Park), the Witch (Hansel & Gretel), Marcellina (Figaro), roles at the Tete a Tete Opera Festival, 3rd Lady (Magic Flute) and the Sorceress (Dido). On the concert platform, she has been a soloist at prestigious concert venues such as the Cadogan Hall, the Wigmore Hall and Kings Place.
Despina - Kristy Swift
Australian soprano Kristy Swift studied singing at Queensland University, and was valedictorian of her year. Most recently, she was the featured soloist in the 2014 tour of One Night in Vienna for Raymond Gubbay. Her operatic roles include Paquette Candide (The Barbican Centre and Leipzing Gewandhaus), Young Heidi Follies (Opéra de Toulon), Angelica Orlando and Norina Don Pasquale (Lyric Opera of Melbourne), Yum-Yum The Mikado (Opera Queensland) and Atalanta Serse (Iford Opera). Kristy is also interested in performing new work, and received excellent reviews for her performances as Mag in Richard Wargo’s Winners (Wexford Festival) and Elana in Llywelyn ap Myrddin’s The Crocodile (Tête à Tête). She made her stage debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden as the First Sprite/cover Noemie in Cendrillon. Other roles for the ROH have included Second Nymph Rusalka (cover) and First Innocent/Young Woman The Minotaur (cover). Future engagements include Estelle in The Amputation of Charlie Sharp in Essen, and a further tour with Raymond Gubbay.
Kristy has won numerous awards in Australia, including the Herald Sun Aria, the National Oratorio Prize and the Robert Salzer scholarship at the National Liederfest. She has regularly been broadcast on Australian television and radio.
Australian soprano Kristy Swift studied singing at Queensland University, and was valedictorian of her year. Most recently, she was the featured soloist in the 2014 tour of One Night in Vienna for Raymond Gubbay. Her operatic roles include Paquette Candide (The Barbican Centre and Leipzing Gewandhaus), Young Heidi Follies (Opéra de Toulon), Angelica Orlando and Norina Don Pasquale (Lyric Opera of Melbourne), Yum-Yum The Mikado (Opera Queensland) and Atalanta Serse (Iford Opera). Kristy is also interested in performing new work, and received excellent reviews for her performances as Mag in Richard Wargo’s Winners (Wexford Festival) and Elana in Llywelyn ap Myrddin’s The Crocodile (Tête à Tête). She made her stage debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden as the First Sprite/cover Noemie in Cendrillon. Other roles for the ROH have included Second Nymph Rusalka (cover) and First Innocent/Young Woman The Minotaur (cover). Future engagements include Estelle in The Amputation of Charlie Sharp in Essen, and a further tour with Raymond Gubbay.
Kristy has won numerous awards in Australia, including the Herald Sun Aria, the National Oratorio Prize and the Robert Salzer scholarship at the National Liederfest. She has regularly been broadcast on Australian television and radio.
Ferrando - Peter Davoren
Peter was awarded the Dr Ralph Kohn Scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music under the tutelage of Neil Mackie. During his time at the Academy, he was a member of Song Circle, performing at the Oxford Lieder Festival andWigmore Hall, as well as collaborating with Michael Chance, Roger Vignoles, and Dame Felicity Lott. He was a finalist in the Richard Lewis competition, and had public masterclasses with Angelika Kirchslager and Dennis O’Neill.
Past engagements include Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore) LeJournaliste (Les Mamelles des Tiresias) and Florville (Il signorBruschino) [Dutch National Opera Academy] Goro (MadamaButterfly) and Poisson (Adriana Lecouvreur) [Opera Holland Park] Ramon (La Navarraise) [Wexford Festival Opera] and Tito (La clemenza di Tito) [Teatru Manoel, Malta]
Peter was awarded the Dr Ralph Kohn Scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music under the tutelage of Neil Mackie. During his time at the Academy, he was a member of Song Circle, performing at the Oxford Lieder Festival andWigmore Hall, as well as collaborating with Michael Chance, Roger Vignoles, and Dame Felicity Lott. He was a finalist in the Richard Lewis competition, and had public masterclasses with Angelika Kirchslager and Dennis O’Neill.
Past engagements include Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore) LeJournaliste (Les Mamelles des Tiresias) and Florville (Il signorBruschino) [Dutch National Opera Academy] Goro (MadamaButterfly) and Poisson (Adriana Lecouvreur) [Opera Holland Park] Ramon (La Navarraise) [Wexford Festival Opera] and Tito (La clemenza di Tito) [Teatru Manoel, Malta]
Guglielmo - George Coltart
George Coltart is a British baritone from Kent. He obtained a degree in medicine from the University of Oxford, where he was a choral scholar with New College Choir. Following two years of medical practice, he has now commenced a postgraduate performance course at The Guildhall School of Music & Drama and is studying with Susan Waters.
His operatic roles include Mr Ford/Bardolfo in Salieri’s Falstaff, and Agrippo in Cavalli’s Erismena, both with New Chamber Opera. He also appeared in many student productions in Oxford including Albert Herring (Sid), Le Nozze di Figaro (Count), Die Zauberflöte (Papageno), A Dinner Engagement (Lord Dunmow). He was baritone soloist on the critically acclaimed recording of Couperin Motets, Exultent Superi, released by record label, Novum. At the Guildhall, George has enjoyed being part of the exciting new production of Iain Burnside’s Journeying Boys, and Pinochio by Jonathon Dove. George has spent the summer in the chorus for Garsington Opera’s productions of Fidelio and Cunning Little Vixen.
George Coltart is a British baritone from Kent. He obtained a degree in medicine from the University of Oxford, where he was a choral scholar with New College Choir. Following two years of medical practice, he has now commenced a postgraduate performance course at The Guildhall School of Music & Drama and is studying with Susan Waters.
His operatic roles include Mr Ford/Bardolfo in Salieri’s Falstaff, and Agrippo in Cavalli’s Erismena, both with New Chamber Opera. He also appeared in many student productions in Oxford including Albert Herring (Sid), Le Nozze di Figaro (Count), Die Zauberflöte (Papageno), A Dinner Engagement (Lord Dunmow). He was baritone soloist on the critically acclaimed recording of Couperin Motets, Exultent Superi, released by record label, Novum. At the Guildhall, George has enjoyed being part of the exciting new production of Iain Burnside’s Journeying Boys, and Pinochio by Jonathon Dove. George has spent the summer in the chorus for Garsington Opera’s productions of Fidelio and Cunning Little Vixen.
Don Alfonso - Oliver Hunt
Oliver studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Wales International Academy of Voice, following a degree in music from Trinity College, Cambridge. He has participated in masterclasses with Sir John Tomlinson, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Dame Josephine Barstow, Dame Ann Murray, Richard Bonynge, Della Jones, Nelly Miricioiu, Malcolm Martineau and Roger Vignoles.
On the opera stage his roles include Claudio Agrippina (Cambridge Handel Opera), Polyphemus Acis and Galatea (cover for Iford Arts/Early Opera Company), Fasolt Das Rheingold and Hunding Die Walküre (Fulham Opera), Arkel Pelléas et Mélisande (Grimeborn Festival), Ashby La Fanciulla del West (Midsummer Opera), Superintendent Budd Albert Herring (Britten-Pears Programme) and Immigration Officer Flight (British Youth Opera). Following his success in the 2012 Bayreuth Bursary Competition, in which he was awarded the runner-up prize, he covered the role of Fasolt in Longborough Festival Opera’s complete Ring Cycle last year. Forthcoming engagements include Hans Foltz in Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Father Trulove in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, and a tour to the USA of Britten’s Curlew River with the Britten Sinfonia.
Oliver appears regularly as an oratorio soloist and in recital. He has sung in a concert series of the complete Fauré songs with Graham Johnson, and performed with David Owen Norris’s group The Works. Future concerts include a recital with Libby Burgess for the Walbrook Music Trust.
www.oliverhunt.com
Oliver studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Wales International Academy of Voice, following a degree in music from Trinity College, Cambridge. He has participated in masterclasses with Sir John Tomlinson, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Dame Josephine Barstow, Dame Ann Murray, Richard Bonynge, Della Jones, Nelly Miricioiu, Malcolm Martineau and Roger Vignoles.
On the opera stage his roles include Claudio Agrippina (Cambridge Handel Opera), Polyphemus Acis and Galatea (cover for Iford Arts/Early Opera Company), Fasolt Das Rheingold and Hunding Die Walküre (Fulham Opera), Arkel Pelléas et Mélisande (Grimeborn Festival), Ashby La Fanciulla del West (Midsummer Opera), Superintendent Budd Albert Herring (Britten-Pears Programme) and Immigration Officer Flight (British Youth Opera). Following his success in the 2012 Bayreuth Bursary Competition, in which he was awarded the runner-up prize, he covered the role of Fasolt in Longborough Festival Opera’s complete Ring Cycle last year. Forthcoming engagements include Hans Foltz in Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Father Trulove in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, and a tour to the USA of Britten’s Curlew River with the Britten Sinfonia.
Oliver appears regularly as an oratorio soloist and in recital. He has sung in a concert series of the complete Fauré songs with Graham Johnson, and performed with David Owen Norris’s group The Works. Future concerts include a recital with Libby Burgess for the Walbrook Music Trust.
www.oliverhunt.com
