9, 11, 13 & 16 June 2025
7pm
Milton Court Theatre
Dido and Aeneas
James Henshaw conductor
Oliver Platt director
Alisa Kalyanova designer
Caroline Lofthouse movement director
Eli Hunt lighting designer
Mabel Nash video designer
Emily Cave associate designer
Jonathan Leverett fight director
Henry Reavey assistant conductor & chorus master
Emily Beech assistant director
9, 11, 13 & 16 June 2025
7pm
Milton Court Theatre
Dido and Aeneas
Digital Programmes
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Milton Court Theatre
Please make sure that digital devices & mobile phones are silenced during the performance.
Eating is not permitted in the auditorium.
Drinks are allowed inside the auditorium in polycarbonates.
Filming or recording of the performance is not permitted.
Latecomers will be able to enter the auditorium at a suitable break in the performance.
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Founded in 1880 by the City of London Corporation
Chair of the Board of Governors
The Hon. Emily Benn
Principal
Professor Jonathan Vaughan
Vice-Principal & Director of Music
Armin Zanner
Interim Director of Production Arts & Programme Leader, BA Production Arts
Hansjörg Schmidt
Welcome
Henry Purcell (1659–1695)
Dido and Aeneas (1689)
Sung in English with English surtitles.
Surtitles created by Emily Beech.
Additional music by Guildhall School Electronic and Produced Music Department students Alberte Erantis, Jonathan Goldsmith, Samuel Ray-Billington and Elijah Small, compiled by Samuel Ray-Billington.
Please note this production contains adult content with themes of physical and emotional abuse, including scenes of bloody violence, reference to suicide, scenes of kidnap, coercion and threat, implied sexual themes, and gory interactions with depictions of dead animals.
Haze will be used, and there will be strobe lighting and loud noises.
The performance duration will be approximately 55 minutes with no interval.
Synopsis
Dido, Queen of Carthage, anticipates the arrival of the Trojan prince Aeneas. She is surrounded by Belinda and her attendants, who assure her that the match between them will be a strong and fortuitous one. When Aeneas arrives, Dido first receives him coldly, but her subjects celebrate the meeting of the two monarchs.
Elsewhere, a Sorceress summons her coven of witches; they are plotting the destruction of Dido and her kingdom. They plan to disguise themselves as a Spirit messenger of the gods; to deliver Jove’s ‘command’ that Aeneas must leave Carthage, and sail to Italy. Knowing that Aeneas will be bound by duty to obey the god Jove, they surmise that he will leave Dido and this will be her downfall.
The Sorceress and her witches prepare a spell to conjure a storm, which forces Dido and her attendants to return to court. In the chaos of everyone rushing to escape the storm, Aeneas is momentarily left alone for just long enough for the Spirit to appear and frighten him into submission, delivering the message that Aeneas must set sail as commanded by Jove. Aeneas, heartbroken, determines that he must choose duty and piety over love.
The Sorceress and witches celebrate the success of their plan. When Dido hears the news of Aeneas’ departure, she is devastated. Aeneas returns one more time to say goodbye, but at the last moment he changes his mind, resolving to defy the Gods and stay. But it is too late; Dido has already suffered too great a betrayal by the very fact that Aeneas even considered leaving, and she rejects him with great consequences…
– Emily Beech
Cast
Dido
9 & 13 June:
Karima El Demerdasch
11 & 16 June:
Julia Merino
Sorceress
9 & 13 June:
Julia Merino
11 & 16 June:
Karima El Demerdasch
Belinda
Manon Ogwen Parry
Aeneas
Joshua Saunders
Attendant/2nd Woman
Hannah McKay
Witches
Seohyun Go
Julia Solomon
Spirit
Gabriella Noble
Sailor
Tobias Campos Santiñaque
Chorus
Jan-Magnar Gard
Kelan Lynch
Anaïs Manz
William Prasetyo
Katharina Russell
Charles Secombe
Roei Shafrir
Oliver Williams
Guildhall Opera Orchestra & Academy of Ancient Music
At Guildhall School we are proud of our long-standing association with Academy of Ancient Music (AAM). Many of AAM’s players are Guildhall School alumni and professors. AAM has performed often in our Milton Court Concert Hall as a Barbican Associate Ensemble. Our side-by-side concert projects are a highlight of the Historical Performance students’ annual calendars. And we are delighted that we are collaborating with AAM once again on this production of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, following the success of our partnership on Handel’s Alcina last summer. It’s a thrill for our singers and instrumentalists, and I wish you an inspiring evening of opera.
Armin Zanner
Vice-Principal & Director of Music
Academy of Ancient Music (AAM) is an orchestra with a worldwide reputation for excellence in baroque and classical music. Using historically informed techniques, period-specific instruments and original sources, we bring music vividly to life in committed, vibrant performances.
Established more than 50 years ago by Christopher Hogwood to make the first British recordings of orchestral works using original instruments, AAM has released more than 300 albums to date, collecting countless accolades including Classic BRIT, Gramophone and Edison awards. AAM now records on its own label and are proud to be the most listened-to period-instrument orchestra online, with over one million monthly listeners on streaming platforms. AAM recently celebrated the orchestra’s Golden Anniversary with the completion of a landmark project to record Mozart’s complete works for keyboard and orchestra, a series described by the Financial Times as having “set new standards”.
Beyond the concert hall, AAM is committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians and music-lovers through its innovative side-by-side learning and participation initiative, AAMplify. Working with music colleges and universities across the UK, AAM engages the next generation of period instrumentalists with side-by side sessions, masterclasses and other opportunities designed to bridge the gap between the conservatoire and the profession, safeguarding the future of historical performance.
AAM proudly holds the position of Associate Ensemble at London’s Barbican Centre and the Teatro San Cassiano, Venice, and Orchestra-in-Residence at the University of Cambridge and The Apex, Bury St Edmunds.
Violin I
Bojan Čičić*
Isabelle Allan (9 & 13 June)
Yente Lottman (11 & 16 June)
Violin II
Ellen Bundy* (9, 11 & 13 June)
Oliver Cave* (16 June)
Laura Hussey (9 & 13 June)
Pavla Bedrichova (11 & 16 June)
Viola
Oliver Wilson* (9, 13 & 16 June)
Sam Kennedy* (11 June)
Charlie Potts
Cello
Christopher Suckling*^
Seth Collin
Harp
Emilia Agajew
Theorbo
William Carter*^
Stefano Fiacco
Harpsichord
Jack Gonzalez-Harding
* Guest Principal, Academy of Ancient Music
^ Guildhall School Professor
Names and seating correct at time of publication
Ensembles, Programming
& Instrument Manager
Phil Sizer
Orchestra Librarian
Anthony Wilson
Music Stage, Logistics
& Instrument Manager
Kevin Elwick
Music Stage Supervisors
Louis Baily
Charlie Foran
Production Team
Vocal Arts Department Students & Fellows
Assistant Conductor & Chorus Master
Henry Reavey
Assistant Director
Emily Beech
Senior Coach
Yongqiu Yuan
Repetiteurs
Jack Gonzalez-Harding
Henry Reavey
Surtitle Operator
Alex Dakin
Covers
Jan-Magnar Gard
Kelan Lynch
Anaïs Manz
William Prasetyo
Katharina Russell
Charles Secombe
Roei Shafrir
Production Arts Students
Production Manager
Kal Chapman
Assistant Production Managers
Liam Allen
Jaiden Parsons
Joshua Sanderson
Stage Manager
Zara Kinkade
Deputy Stage Manager
Jan Robotycki
Assistant Stage Manager (Book Cover)
Grace Waring
Assistant Stage Manager
Eleanor Reynolds
Production Electrician
Iris Farquharson
Lighting Programmer
Finn Irving
Lighting Crew
Kirsty Edwards
Technical Manager
Beau Morton-Turner
Props Coordinator
Ella Goldsworthy
Lead Prop Makers
Lauren Jones
Sandy McGregor
Prop Makers
Katherine Byrne
Hawks Gómez
Jasmine Green
Scenic Art Coordinator
Oscar Keeys
Scenic Artists
Nia Edwards-Williams
Alice Friend
Emma Mason
Nicole Thomaz
Costume Supervisor
Uju Olisa
Wardrobe Manager
Talia Servadio Kenan
Costume Assistants
Isabela Way
Pasha Taylor-Hanson
Hollie Lester
Video Engineer
David Agcaoili
Video Operator & Assistant Video Engineer
Jay Culmer
Freelance
Assistant Stage Manager
Emily de Mariveles
Wigs, Hair and Makeup
Debbie Purkiss
Lucia Mameli
Tom Licence
Additional Staff
Language Coach
Elizabeth Rowe
Stage Crew
working across our Opera and Drama productions this year:
Blair Addison
Tia Alexandrou
Megan Allison
Katie Ball
Emma Blake
James Broadhurst
Rachel Butterly
Muiris Capon-Telford
Emily Carden
Tommy Carroll
River Charteris-Wright
Katie Clarke
Cam Cole
Natasha Davies
Jonathan Desmares-Vaury
Mary Dorain
Vincent Farey
Eloise Fedarb
Nyah Felix
Aimee Fields
Maisie Gamble
Samuel Gilbert
Alice Green
Milly Gregg
M. Mei Griffin
Izabel Hessian
Scarlett Horsburgh
Poppy Inglis
Raven Jakobs
Lara Jaques
Liam Jenkins
Harris Johnston
James Levy
Thailiyah Lindo
Izzy Lovelock
Mary
Gemma Martin
Hailey Middlewood
Summer Minnott
A. Murphy
Ellisia Paper
Freya Parnell
Rebecca P
Dan Quirke
Hannah Rhind
Lola Ringer
Jack Rudd
Edmond Rudland
Howard James Shakespeare
Ben Sharp
Pidge Stinson
Elliott Stradling
TJ Sunderland
Isabel Taxman
Charlie Tiernan
Jamie Waters
Jasmin Weekes
Emily Wilson
Olivia Wood
Pheonix Ying
Forthcoming Events
17 June – 3 July 2025
Silk Street & Milton Court
Making It Festival returns for 2025: a celebration of new, original work made by Guildhall School’s vibrant and multi-skilled student community, featuring an eclectic line up of performances, installations and talks.
Tickets start at just £5, and most events are free
27 June – 2 July 2025
Milton Court Studio Theatre
Experience three brand-new operatic works by Guildhall School composers and librettists as part of the Making It Festival.
Tickets: £15 (£8 concessions)
1 July 2025
Milton Court Studio Theatre
Vocal students present a captivating selection of opera scenes, with a programme devised by Linnhe Robertson.
Free, no tickets required
Creative Team
James Henshaw
conductor
Guildhall School alumnus James Henshaw is a recent winner of both First Prize and Orchestra Prize in the Kussewitzky competition. An Olivier-nominated Opera, Choral and Orchestral Conductor, and Founder/Principal Conductor of The Outcry Ensemble, he is now based in Berlin. From 2016–19 James was Chorus Master at English National Opera, and during his tenure the Chorus won a 2016 Olivier Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Opera’ and ‘Best Chorus’ at the International Opera Awards.
Guildhall School productions Alcina.
Other operatic credits as conductor: Tosca (Staatstheater Freiburg); The Creation (Glyndebourne Touring Opera); Mask of Orpheus, Paul Bunyan and The Magic Flute (English National Opera). As assistant conductor: Jenůfa (English National Opera); Il trittico (Hamburg State Opera); La bohème and Don Giovanni (Glyndebourne); Rigoletto (Opéra de Rouen); The Silver Tassie (BBC Singers/BBC Symphony Orchestra); The Magic Flute (Garsington Opera, Longborough Festival Opera); Flight (Scottish Opera); Owen Wingrave (Aldeburgh Festival).
Orchestral and choral credits include Schubert Symphony No 9 (Sinfonica di Sanremo); 100 years of Disney (Kings Singers/BBC Concert Orchestra); Beethoven Symphony No 5 (London Philharmonic Orchestra); Brahms Symphony Cycle and Beethoven Symphony Cycle (The Outcry Ensemble); A Child of Our Time, The Dream of Gerontius and Elgar Symphony No 1 (BBC National Orchestra of Wales/BBC Proms).
Oliver Platt
director
Guildhall School productions Così fan tutte; Spring Opera Scenes 2023 and 2024.
Other director credits The Marriage of Figaro, L’arlesiana, Così fan tutte, Don Giovanni, Suor Angelica, The Barber of Seville and Les pêcheurs de perles (Opera Holland Park); L’enfant et les sortilèges and Iolanta (Royal Academy of Music); Der Freischütz (Blackheath Halls);The Elixir of Love (Scottish Opera); La Cenerentola (Opera Holland Park/Den Jyske Opera); Owen Wingrave (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland); Werther (English Touring Opera); opera scenes at Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music.
Credits as revival director and assistant director include revivals of Jenůfa, Così fan tutte and Aida (The Royal Opera); Assistant Director at La Scala Milan, Glyndebourne, Royal Ballet and Opera, Scottish Opera and many others.
Alisa Kalyanova
designer
Alisa is a theatre designer based in Glasgow. She studied Visual Communication and Graphic Design at the Iceland University of the Arts in Reykjavik before training in Set and Costume Design at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Guildhall School productions Spring Opera Scenes 2024.
Design credits Keli (National Theatre of Scotland, dir Bryony Shanahan); Same Team (Traverse Theatre, dir Bryony Shanahan); [BLANK] (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, dir Jaïrus Obayomi); Fedora (IF OPERA, dir John Wilkie); Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (IF OPERA, dir Lysanne van Overbeek); The Bacchae (Company of Wolves, created by Ewan Downie); Love the Sinner (Vanishing Point, dir Matthew Lenton); Wolfie (Tron Theatre, dir Jo Bowman); Exodus (National Theatre of Scotland, dir Debbie Hannan).
Caroline Lofthouse
movement director
Caroline is an independent dance artist who works as a movement director, choreographer, performer and educator/facilitator in contemporary dance technique, repertory, movement and improvisation.
Movement direction and choreography credits The Flood (Drag King artist Andi Blewitt); A door burst open and… and Assistant Choreographer You’re on Mute (Candoco Dance Company); TDAGB (things don’t always get better) and Entwine(Roehampton University); Dear Young Woman (Kingston University); Out of Body (Loop Dance Company).
Performer credits Festen (The Royal Opera); Hanging Heavy III (Loop Dance Company); I think we should start over (Candoco Dance Company); La Damnation de Faust and Rinaldo (Glyndebourne); and Dancer in London Fashion Week for ROKSANDA (Choreographed by Holly Blakey).
As an educator/facilitator Caroline has worked for Loop Dance Company, Richard Alston Dance Company, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London Contemporary Dance School, Mountview, Candoco Dance Company, Kingston University and Roehampton University.
Eli Hunt
lighting designer
BA (Hons) in Production Arts: Theatre Technology (third-year).
Guildhall School productions Assistant Lighting Designer Mansfield Park (dir Martin Lloyd-Evans), Assistant Production Manager Respighi Opera Double Bill (dir Victoria Newlyn), Assistant Production Manager Autumn Opera Scenes 2023 (dir Martin Lloyd-Evans), Scenic Carpenter A Star Next to the Moon (dir Martin Lloyd-Evans), Video Engineer Spring Opera Scenes 2024 (dir Oliver Platt), Lighting Programmer Jane Eyre (dir Victoria Moseley), Production Manager No Particular Order (dir Anna Morrissey), and Lighting Designer Autumn Opera Scenes 2024 (dir Martin Lloyd-Evans).
Other credits include Associate Lighting Designer Not Saint Hildegard (Playground Theatre); Lighting Technician at the Royal Court Theatre; various productions at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre and Southwark Playhouse; Lighting Designer for the Central School of Ballet; and the lighting teams for Les Misérables and Cabaret in the West End.
After graduating, Eli is planning to pursue lighting design and programming for opera production.
Mabel Nash
video designer
BA in Production Arts: Digital Design and Production (third-year).
Guildhall School productions Camera Tracker and Video Operator The Road Ahead (dir Helen Illey, produced by Jamie D Allen); Lead Video Designer for Blackpool Lightpool Festival (dir Dan Shorten, Guildhall Production Studios); Video Designer Moving Screens Project and Vibrance Festival Pilot (dir Dan Shorten, Guildhall Production Studios).
Emily Cave
associate designer
Guildhall School productions Scenic Coordinator Jane Eyre, Construction Manager Respighi Opera Double Bill 2023, Lead Scenic Artist Comedy of Errors, Scenic Artist Antigone, Prop Maker Autumn Opera Scenes 2023, Prop Maker Opera Triple Bill 2022.
Design credits Love in a Foreign Land (Playground Theatre, dir Anastasia Revi); World Stage – Battle of the Bands (Union Theatre, dir Adonis Katoikos).
Other credits Associate Designer Fantastic Mr Fox (Victoria Theatre Singapore); Scenic Artist The Fabulist (Charing Cross Theatre); Scenic Artist Going for Gold (Park Theatre).
Jonathan Leverett
fight director
Jonathan is a Certified Master Teacher and Examiner with The British Academy of Stage & Screen Combat, an Honorary Fight Master with Fight Directors Canada, and holds the Certificate of Excellence from the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD) Fight Director Program.
Fight direction credits include Shakespeare in Love (The Royal Central School of Speech & Drama); Deathtrap (Mill at Sonning); Don Giovanni (Britten Theatre); Hamlet (Shakespeare Society at Elsinore Castle).
Jonathan was a stunt performer on the award-winning TV series Vikings and was the stunt double for Sir Ian McKellen in the film version of Hamlet at Theatre Royal Windsor.
Jonathan teaches at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London College of Music and at workshops in the UK and abroad. He is also Managing Director of Acting Action Ltd, who provide action choreography and sword hire for dramatic productions.
Students & Fellows
Henry Reavey
assistant conductor & chorus master/repetiteur
Guildhall School Repetiteur Course (second-year) studying with Elizabeth Rowe and Dr Bretton Brown.
Scholarships Ironmongers’ Scholarship.
Competitions Anthony Cross Memorial Prize in recognition of outstanding contribution to the Advanced Postgraduate Diploma course (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, 2023); Gordon Clinton Prize, accompanist award for English Song (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, 2023); Edward Brooks Lieder Accompanist’s Prize (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, 2022); John Ireland Prize (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, 2022).
Credits Assistant Conductor & Chorus Master Die Fledermaus, Repetiteur Alcina, Opera Makers 2024, A Star Next to the Moon and Autumn Opera Scenes 2023 (Guildhall School); Repetiteur La straniera and Le roi d’Ys (Chelsea Opera Group); Repetiteur Banished, Mesdames de la Halle, The Cunning Little Vixen and The Enchanted Pig (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire).
Future plans Young Artist with The National Opera Studio 2025/26; Macbeth (Chelsea Opera Group).
Emily Beech
assistant director
Guildhall School Junior Fellow.
Competitions Third Prize, Patricia Routledge National English Song Competition (2023); Third Prize, Peter Hearn Foundation Competition (Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, 2023); Finalist, Elisabeth Schumann Lieder Competition (Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, 2023); Semi-Finalist, Leach Award for Singing (2023); Finalist, Lillian Ash French Song Competition (Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, 2022).
Director credits The Kings Pants: A New Children’s Opera (Opera Prelude); 1944: Homefires (Tête-à-Tête Opera Festival 2023); A Hand of Bridge (Waterperry Opera Festival 2023).
Assistant director credits Mansfield Park (Guildhall School); Acis and Galatea and Dido and Aeneas (Waterperry Opera Festival 2023); Agrippina (Hampstead Garden Opera).
Performer credits Oscar Un ballo in maschera (Opera on Location); Susanna (role study) The Marriage of Figaro (British Youth Opera); Rosaura Le donne curiose, Sandrina La finta giardiniera and Queen Mary Mary Queen of Scots (Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance).
Yongqiu Yuan
senior coach
Guildhall School Repetiteur Course (second-year).
Scholarships Kendal Scholarship.
Credits Senior Coach Mansfield Park, Repetiteur Die Fledermaus, Blond Eckbert, I due timidi, Fête Galante and Le portrait de Manon (Guildhall School); Music Staff The Rape of Lucretia (British Youth Opera); Repetiteur The Monk and The Lotus (Tête à Tête Opera Festival, Grimeborn Festival).
Future plans Peter Grimes (British Youth Opera); Senior Coach for Guildhall School’s Opera Makers 2025.
Jack Gonzalez-Harding
repetiteur
Guildhall School Repetiteur Course (first-year) studying with Liz Rowe.
Scholarships Wolfgang Bruckner Scholarship; Dow Clewer Foundation Scholarship.
Credits Repetiteur Die Fledermaus (Guildhall School).
Conducting experience regular guest conductor with London Mozart Players with recent debut at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall and a return to Smith Square.
Future plans Assistant Conductor to Sir Simon Rattle with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic and for Sir Mark Elder at the BBC Proms with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Tobias Campos Santiñaque
tenor
Guildhall School Opera Course (first-year) studying with Samantha Malk.
Scholarships Weavers’ Scholarship, Goodenough College Scholarship.
Previous roles Alfred (cover) Die Fledermaus, Tamino Introduction to Opera: The Magic Flute, Il Principe Aprile (cover) La bella dormente nel bosco, Howard & Motorcycle Cop (cover) Dead Man Walking, Dr Sinisgalli (cover) I due timidi and Alfredo Introduction to Opera: Die Fledermaus (Guildhall School); Parpignol & Chorus La bohème and Nemorino L’elisir d’amore (Longborough Festival Opera/Playground Opera); Bell Boy & Roland (cover) The Land of Might-Have-Been, Il notaro & Chorus La sonnambula, Italian Tenor (cover) Viva la Diva and Chorus La donna del lago (Buxton International Festival); Don Ramiro (cover) La Cenerentola, Pollicino’s Father Pollicino, Page Lohengrin and First Spirit The Magic Flute (Teatro Colón).
Future plans Guildhall School’s Opera Makers 2025.
Karima El Demerdasch
mezzo-soprano
Guildhall School Opera Course (second-year) studying with John Evans.
Scholarships Edith Vogel Bursary; Rosemary Thayer Award; support from the Carr-Gregory Trust.
Competitions Finalist, Kathleen Ferrier Awards (2024); Winner, Susan Longfield Award (Guildhall School, 2022).
Previous roles Julia Bertram Mansfield Park, Prince Orlofsky Die Fledermaus and scenes from The Marriage of Figaro, Hansel and Gretel, Carmen, The Barber of Seville, Roberto Devereux and Edgar (Guildhall School); Angelina La Cenerentola (Opera Kipling).
Future plans Salzburg Opera Festival Young Singers Programme and International Opera Studio Zurich.
Seohyun Go
soprano
Guildhall School Opera Course (first-year) studying with Samantha Malk.
Scholarships Fishmongers Colyers-Edwards Bequest; Margaret Easton Scholarship.
Competitions Winner, Guildhall School Gold Medal (2025); Winner, Franz-Schubert-Institut Lieder Prize (2024).
Previous roles Queen of the Night Introduction to Opera: The Magic Flute and scenes from Rodelinda, Flight, Tancredi, Albert Herring and Romeo and Juliet (Guildhall School); Donna Elvira Don Giovanni, Fiordiligi Così fan tutte and Violetta La traviata (Korea National Opera); Violetta La traviata (Daejeon International Music Festival); Second Lady The Magic Flute (Lotte Concert Hall); Donna Elvira Don Giovanni (Seoul National University).
Future plans Guildhall School’s Opera Makers 2025.
Hannah McKay
soprano
Guildhall School Opera Course (first-year) studying with Yvonne Kenny.
Scholarships Behrens Foundation Scholarship; Carpenters’ Company Henry Osborne Award Scholarship; Sybil Tutton Opera Award Holder; Boise Scholarship.
Competitions Finalist, Susan Longfield Award (Guildhall School, 2025); Audience Prize, Glenarm Festival of Voice (2024); Finalist, Irish Heritage Bursary Competition (Wigmore Hall, 2024); Finalist, Veronica Dunne Bursary Competition (2023).
Previous roles Signora Guidotti (cover) I due timidi, La fata azzura (cover) La bella dormente nel bosco and scenes from Maria Stuarda, Così fan tutte, The Adventures of Pinocchio, Don Giovanni, War and Peace, L’incoronazione di Poppea, L’amico Fritz, Peter Grimes, La clemenza di Tito and L’elisir d’amore (Guildhall School); Suor Angelica (cover) Suor Angelica (West Green House Opera); Geraldine A Hand of Bridge (Durham University Opera); Mary Crawford Mansfield Park (Samling Academy – COVID cancellation).
Future plans Guildhall School’s Opera Makers 2025.
Gabriella Noble
mezzo-soprano
Guildhall School Opera Course (first-year) studying with Janice Chapman.
Scholarships Dyers’ Scholarship; Horners’ Becker Scholarship; Knight Family Foundation; Salvat Beca Bach Scholarship, Fundaciòn Salvat.
Competitions Winner, Rodney Gibson prize for Early Music (Association of English Singers and Speakers, 2023); Winner, Tracey Chadwell Memorial Award for New Music (Guildhall School, 2023).
Previous roles scenes from Agrippina, The Consul and La liberazione di Ruggiero (Guildhall School); Belinda Dido and Aeneas (New Chamber Opera and Orchestra for the Earth – COVID cancellation); Chorus The Rake’s Progress (La Monnaie/De Munt Opera House); Chorus Everest (BBC Singers/BBC Symphony Orchestra); Chorus Un giorno di regno (Garsington Opera).
Recital appearances Wigmore French Song Exchange (Wigmore Hall).
Future plans Guildhall School’s Opera Makers 2025.
Manon Ogwen Parry
soprano
Guildhall School Opera Course (first-year) studying with Marilyn Rees.
Scholarships Michael Bryant Bursary; Tallow Chandlers’ Scholarship; Ryan Davies Bursary; Sybil Tutton Opera Award; Côr Cymry Meibion Llundain Scholarship.
Competitions Finalist, Guildhall School Gold Medal (2025); Winner, The Paul Hamburger Prize for Voice and Piano (Guildhall School, 2024); First Prize, Osborne Roberts Memorial Prize (National Eisteddfod, 2024); Stand out Soprano of the Festival Prize, Violet Mary Jones Memorial Fund (National Eisteddfod, 2024); Stand out singer of the Festival Prize, David Memorial Fund (National Eisteddfod, 2024); Most Promising Singer, William Park-Jones Scholarship (National Eisteddfod, 2024); Second Prize, International Voice of the Future (Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, 2024); Winner, Susan Longfield Award (Guildhall School, 2023); First Prize (Urdd Eisteddfod, 2022); Winner, North American Festival of Wales Scholarship (Urdd Eisteddfod, 2022); First Prize, Junior Kathleen Ferrier Bursary (2019).
Previous roles Ida Die Fledermaus and scenes from Rigoletto, L’elisir d’amore, The Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute (Guildhall School).
Recital appearances Guildhall Artists at Carnegie Hall (Carnegie Hall) and Goethe: His Faustian Life (Wigmore Hall).
Future plans Guildhall School’s Opera Makers 2025.
Julia Merino
mezzo-soprano
Guildhall School Opera Course (second-year) studying with Janice Chapman and Marcus van den Akker.
Scholarships Elizabeth Sweeting Award; Dow Clewer Foundation Scholarship.
Competitions Winner, Pedro Bote Competition (Badajoz, Spain, 2024); Winner, Annual Soloist Competition (Conservatoire of Málaga, 2019 and 2020).
Previous roles Fanny Price Mansfield Park, Prince Orlofsky Die Fledermaus, Bradamante Alcina, Dolores Preciado, Justina & Doña Ángeles (cover) A Star Next to the Moon, Il Gatto La bella dormente nel bosco, Joseph’s Mother (cover) Dead Man Walking, Prince Orlofsky (in English) Introduction to Opera: Die Fledermaus and scenes from Werther, Idomeneo, Eugene Onegin, The Rape of Lucretia, Béatrice et Bénédict, Hamlet, Così fan tutte, Carmen, Semele and The Magic Flute (Guildhall School); Second Woman Frida (Northern Opera Group); scenes from Falstaff, La clemenza di Tito and The Marriage of Figaro (Conservatoire of Málaga, Spain).
Joshua Saunders
tenor
Guildhall School Opera Course (second-year) studying with Robert Dean and John Evans.
Scholarships Baroness de Turckheim Scholarship; Dow Clewer Foundation Scholarship.
Competitions Classical Award, Chris Treglown Foundation Fund (2022).
Previous roles Henry Crawford Mansfield Park, Gabriel von Eisenstein Die Fledermaus, Alfred (in English) Introduction to Opera: Die Fledermaus and scenes from The Voice of Ariadne, L’elisir d’amore, La bohème, Rigoletto, Dialogues des Carmélites, The Barber of Seville and Falstaff (Guildhall School); Beppe (cover) Pagliacci (West Green House Opera); Robert Shallow Sir John in Love (British Youth Opera).
Julia Solomon
mezzo-soprano
Guildhall School Opera Course (first-year) studying with Susan Waters.
Scholarships Tobacco Pipe Makers’ Scholarship; Wax Chandlers’ Scholarship.
Competitions Highly Commended, Elgar Spedding Memorial Prize (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 2022); Third Prize, Concurso Brasileiro de Canto Maria Callas (São Paulo, 2022); Finalist, Governors Recital Prize for Singers (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 2020); Finalist, Courtney Kenny Award for English Singing (Association of English Singers and Speakers, 2020).
Previous roles Bianca The Rape of Lucretia (British Youth Opera); María María de Buenos Aires (Leeds Opera Festival); Prince Orlofsky Die Fledermaus (Berlin Opera Academy); Paralegal Dead Man Walking (Alexander Gibson Opera School).
Future plans Guildhall School’s Opera Makers 2025.
Guildhall School
Production Arts Department
Guildhall School
Opera Department
Interim Director of Production Arts & Programme Leader, BA Production Arts
Hansjörg Schmidt
Interim Deputy Programme Leader, BA Production Arts
Bex Snell
Interim Programme Leader,
BA Performance Design
Dr Susannah Henry
Programme Leader, BA Digital Design & Production
Pete Wallace
Programme Leader, MA Collaborative Theatre Production & Design
Dr Emily Orley
Head of Theatre Technology
Andy Taylor
Head of Costume
Rachel Young
Head of Design Realisation
Vanessa Cass
Head of Stage Management
Helen Barratt
Associate Producer
Stuart Calder
Outreach Manager
(Production Arts)
Jon Hare
A full list of Production Arts teaching staff and technicians
can be found on our website.
Head of Opera Studies
Dominic Wheeler
Resident Producer
Martin Lloyd-Evans
Opera Department Manager
Brendan Macdonald
Visiting Music Coaches
Lionel Friend
Kate Golla
Alexander Ingram
Tony Legge
Michael Lloyd
Elizabeth Marcus
Jonathan Papp
Linnhe Robertson
Peter Robinson
Elizabeth Rowe
Susanna Stranders
Drama Coaches
Martin Lloyd-Evans
Victoria Newlyn
Movement Coaches
Victoria Newlyn
Rachel Wise
Combat Coaches
Jonathan Leverett
Language Coaches
Florence Daguerre de Hureaux
Johanna Mayr
Emma Abbate
Lada Valešová
Guildhall School Scholarship Fund
Each year the Scholarships Fund enables talented young actors, musicians, production artists and theatre technicians to take up their places or continue their studies at Guildhall School. We are extremely grateful to the many trusts, foundations, businesses, City livery companies and individuals who make annual donations to the Scholarships Fund, and to those people who make provision for legacy donations in support of the School in their wills. Production Arts and Opera students involved in this production who have received support from this year’s Scholarships Fund and from external donors are as follows:
Vocal Arts Department Scholars:
Tobias Campos Santiñaque Weavers’ Scholarship
Karima El Demerdasch Edith Vogel Bursary, Rosemary Thayer Award
Jan-Magnar Gard Love MacDonald Scholarship
Seohyun Go Margaret Easton Scholarship, Fishmongers Colyers-Edwards Bequest
Jack Gonzalez-Harding Wolfgang Bruckner Scholarship, Dow Clewer Foundation Scholarship
Anaïs Manz Sheila White Scholarship
Hannah McKay Behrens Foundation Scholarship, Carpenters’ Company Henry Osborne Award Scholarship
Julia Merino Elizabeth Sweeting Award, Dow Clewer Foundation Scholarship
Gabriella Noble Dyers’ Scholarship, Horners’ Becker Scholarship
Manon Ogwen Parry Michael Bryant Bursary, Tallow Chandlers’ Scholarship
William Prasetyo Guildhall Scholarship
Henry Reavey Ironmongers’ Scholarship
Katharina Russell Guildhall Scholarship
Joshua Saunders Baroness de Turckheim Scholarship, Dow Clewer Foundation Scholarship
Charles Secombe Guildhall Scholarship
Roei Shafrir Roderick Williams / Christopher Wood Scholarship
Julia Solomon Tobacco Pipe Makers’ Scholarship, Wax Chandlers’ Scholarship
Oliver Williams Gwen Catley Scholarship
Yongqiu Yuan Kendal Scholarship
Production Arts Department Scholars:
Kal Chapman Guildhall Scholarship
Kirsty Edwards Guildhall Scholarship
Alice Friend Guildhall Scholarship
Hawks Gómez Guildhall Scholarship
Eli Hunt Guildhall Scholarship
Finn Irving Guildhall Scholarship
Lauren Jones Jane Ades Ingenuity Scholarship
Oscar Keeys Maria Björnson Memorial Fund Scholarship
Zara Kinkade B&T Scholarship
Emma Mason Guildhall Scholarship
Uju Olisa Guildhall Scholarship
Jaiden Parsons Guildhall Scholarship
Eleanor Reynolds NR1 Creatives Scholarship
Jan Robotycki Guildhall Scholarship
Pasha Taylor-Hanson Guildhall Scholarship
To discover more, visit bit.ly/3P5jbIc
or contact the Development team at
development@gsmd.ac.uk or
+44 (0) 20 4582 2415
Our Supporters
Guildhall School is grateful for the generous support of the following individuals, trusts and foundations, City livery companies and businesses, as well as those who wish to remain anonymous.
Exceptional Giving
City of London Corporation
The Guildhall School Trust
The Leverhulme Trust
Estate of Evelyn Morrison
Leadership Giving
Victor Ford Foundation
Foyle Foundation
The Garek Trust
Estate of Anthony Payne
Estate of Rosemary Thayer
Hugh Vanstone HonFGS and George Stiles
Wolfson Foundation
Principal Benefactors
Amar-Franses & Foster-Jenkins Trust
Foundation for Young Musicians
Christina and Ray McGrath Scholarship
Estate of Ron Peet
Estate of Harold Tillek
Garfield Weston Foundation
Major Benefactors
City of London Corporation Education Board
Fishmongers’ Company
Norman Gee Foundation
Leathersellers’ Company
Herbert and Theresie Lowit Memorial Scholarship
Sidney Perry Foundation
Barbara Reynold Award
Henry Wood Accommodation Trust
C and P Young HonFGS
Benefactors
Jane Ades Ingenuity Scholarship
Carrie Andrews
Athena Scholarship
David Bartley Award
Behrens Foundation
Binks Trust
Sir Nicolas Bratza
Timothy Brennan KC
Derek Butler Scholarship
Dow Clewer Foundation
Sally Cohen Opera Scholarship
Brian George Coker Scholarship
The Cole Bequest
Stella Currie Award
D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust
Elmira Darvarova
David Family Foundation
Gita de la Fuente Scholarship
Drapers’ Company
Margaret Easton Scholarships
Amy and John Ford HonFGS
Lillian and Victor Ford Scholarships for Drama
Bishop Fox’s Educational Foundation
Albert and Eugenie Frost Music Trust CIO
Mortimer Furber Scholarship
Gillam Giving Circle Scholarship
Girdlers’ Company Charitable Trust
Ralph Goode Award
Haberdashers’ Company
Huddersfield 1980 Scholarship
Elaine Hugh-Jones Scholarship
Professor Sir Barry Ife CBE FKC
and Dr Trudi Darby
Cosman Keller Art and Music Trust
Damian Lewis CBE FGS
Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation
Alfred Molina FGS
Ann Orton
David and Margaret Phillips Bursary
Ripple Awards
Dr Leslie Schulz
Scouloudi Foundation
Skinners’ Company
South Square Trust
Graham Spooner
Barbara Stringer Scholarship
Rosemary Thayer Scholarship
Tobacco Pipe Makers and Tobacco Trade
Benevolent Fund
Frederic William Trevena Award
Edith Vogel Bursary
Wallis Award
Roderick Williams/Christopher Wood Scholarship
Elizabeth Wolfe Award
Worshipful Company of Carpenters
Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors
Worshipful Company of Grocers
Worshipful Company of Innholders
Worshipful Company of Tallow Chandlers
Worshipful Company of Weavers
Supporters
Margaret B Adams Award
Adelaide E Alexander Memorial Scholarship
Alexander Technique Fund
Anglo-Swedish Society
George and Charlotte Balfour Award
Peter Barkworth Scholarship
Brendan Barns
Maria Björnson Memorial Fund
Board of Governors’ Scholarship
Ann Bradley
William Brake Foundation
Liz Codd
John S Cohen Foundation
Noël Coward Foundation
Diana Devlin Award
Dominus and the Ahluwalia Family
Robert Easton Scholarship
Gwyn Ellis Award
Marianne Falk
Carey Foley Acting Scholarship
Gillian Gadsby
Iris Galley Award
Andrew Galloway
James Gibb Award
Dr Jacqueline Glomski
Hargreaves and Ball Trust
Hazell Scholarship Fund
Ironmongers’ Company
Gillian Laidlaw HonFGS
Eduard and Marianna Loeser Award
Alison Love – in memory of Barry MacDonald
Mackintosh Foundation
Marchus Trust
Narrow Road
Norwich Chamber Music
NR1 Creatives
The Pewterers’ Seahorse Charitable Trust
Pidem Fund
Peter Prynn
Denis Shorrock Award
Silver Bow Scholarship
Steinway & Sons
Caroline Stockmann LGSM HonFCT
Elizabeth Sweeting Award
Thompson Educational Trust
Louise Thompson Licht Scholarship
Kristina Tonteri-Young Scholarship
HWE & WL Tovery Scholarship
Harry Weinrebe Award
Worshipful Company of Barbers
Worshipful Company of Carmen Benevolent Trust
Worshipful Company of Dyers
Worshipful Company of Gold
and Silver Wyre Drawers
Worshipful Company of Horners
Worshipful Company of Musicians
Worshipful Company of Needlemakers
Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers
Donate now:
inspire the
extraordinary
As one of the world’s leading conservatoires, we cultivate exceptional talent—but we can’t do it without you. Our supporters empower students to thrive, shaping the future of the arts.
Enjoy exclusive events, behind-the-scenes access, and insider insights while making a real impact. Join our community, donate, and choose how you’ll inspire the extraordinary.
visit www.gsmd.ac.uk/donate-support
or enquire at development@gsmd.ac.uk
Donate now:
inspire the
extraordinary
As one of the world’s leading conservatoires, we cultivate exceptional talent—but we can’t do it without you. Our supporters empower students to thrive, shaping the future of the arts.
Enjoy exclusive events, behind-the-scenes access, and insider insights while making a real impact. Join our community, donate, and choose how you’ll inspire the extraordinary.
visit www.gsmd.ac.uk/donate-support
or enquire at development@gsmd.ac.uk
Donate
We hope you thoroughly enjoy today’s performance at Guildhall School. If you feel inspired by our students and would like to support world-class training for these talented performers and production artists, we would be grateful for a voluntary donation.
Join the Guildhall Circle to access priority booking, exclusive events and more while providing vital support to our students. Join us at gsmd.ac.uk/patrons.
Alternatively, you can make your donation online by visiting gsmd.ac.uk/donate. Thank you.
Please visit our website at gsmd.ac.uk
Guildhall School is provided by the City of London Corporation as part of its contribution to the cultural life of London and the nation.