Can you tell us about your role as part of the Young Artists programme at Opera Holland Park?
I am performing the role of Despina in Così fan tutte and I am so excited to play such a confident, sassy and energetic character! She is the worldly wise maid and confidante of Fiordiligi and Dorabella who, together with Don Alfonso, pulls the strings throughout the opera.
You’ll be working on Così fan tutte this summer – what are you most looking forward to about working on this piece?
I can’t wait to explore all of the many comedic possibilities in Così! This is my first time performing a role in an opera like this and I am excited to see how my interpretation of Despina evolves throughout the process.
You have previously worked with Opera Holland Park as part of the OHP Chorus – what is something you learnt that you hope to take into your role?
One of my favourite things about working in the OHP chorus is being part of such a fun, supportive and inspiring group of people so I hope to take this sense of being part of a team and working together to create something really special into my role in Così.
In light of the secrets, disguises and general mischief in Così – have you ever played a prank (or had one played on you) during a show or rehearsal period?
I have never been brave enough to pull a prank on stage but I have had a few played on me, the most memorable being when somebody swapped the frosting that had been made to look like ice cream in a cone for me to eat mid scene with mashed potato! They covered it with sauce, sprinkles and a flake as usual so I didn’t notice until I had taken a big bite. It was absolutely disgusting, but admittedly a very well played prank!
Every performer has had a moment where something doesn’t quite go to plan. Do you have a memorable on-stage mishap?
I was in a production of The Mikado where we had to freeze whilst dancing for Katisha’s big, poignant moment in the Act 1 finale, but my dress got caught mid-twirl on the side of the set, and as I turned I pulled half of the wall of the set down on top of me and my partner! We had to stay there frozen with this (thankfully very light!) faux wall on top of us until the end of the scene when one of the stage managers was able to come and rescue us. We were silently trying to contain our laughter all the way through the freeze, it must have looked very funny to the audience!
Are there any roles you haven’t performed yet that you’d particularly love to take on in the future?
I would love to play Mimi one day, La Bohème is my favourite opera!
What is an opera myth or misconception that you’d like to see debunked?
That opera is no longer relevant. Opera explores some of the most universal and relatable themes of life (love, death, power, jealousy, selflessness, politics, social hierarchy, the list goes on!) and tells timeless stories that can be retold and interpreted in countless different ways!
What’s one piece of advice – musical or otherwise – that has stayed with you?
My first singing teacher always said, ‘keep your blinkers on, but don’t forget to stop and smell the roses’. It is so important to keep focused on your own singing and performing journey and not constantly compare yourself to others, but just as crucial to pause mid-process, appreciate the moment you are in and celebrate how far you have come!
Interview by Holly Bancroft.
Juliet is kindly sponsored by John & Clare Grumbar, and an anonymous donor
Facts Only
* The performer is playing Despina in *Così fan tutte*.
* The performance period is this summer.
* The role involves playing a character who is the worldly-wise maid and confidante of Fiordiligi and Dorabella, pulling strings with Don Alfonso.
* The performer is looking forward to exploring comedic possibilities in *Così fan tutte*.
* The performer previously worked with Opera Holland Park as part of the OHP Chorus.
* A past prank involved receiving mashed potato instead of ice cream during a scene.
* A memorable on-stage mishap occurred during a production of *The Mikado*, where the performer was caught and frozen while dancing, resulting in entanglement with set pieces.
* The performer wishes to play Mimi in the future.
* The performer believes opera explores universal themes such as love, death, power, jealousy, selflessness, politics, and social hierarchy.
* Advice received was to "keep your blinkers on, but don’t forget to stop and smell the roses."
Executive Summary
Full Take
The narrative reflects a navigation between performance excitement, personal growth, and the complexities inherent in artistic collaboration and experience. The shift from seeking to explore comedic potential in an opera to reflecting on past mishaps suggests a process of integrating experience—both successful and awkward—into the current artistic endeavor. The emphasis placed on teamwork learned from the chorus highlights a pattern where collective experience is internalized as a necessary framework for individual success, suggesting that agency is often found within relational contexts.
The anecdote about the prank and the onstage mishap introduces a tension between the controlled environment of performance and the unpredictable nature of lived experience. The description of the incident in *The Mikado* emphasizes the vulnerability of physical performance when systems—like stage mechanics or personal coordination—fail, yet the shared response was amusement rather than distress, pointing to a capacity for resilience embedded within shared vulnerability.
The reflection on opera's relevance and the advice received suggests a meta-commentary on the act of interpretation itself: that timeless stories offer boundless avenues for meaning, and true artistic growth requires an oscillation between intense focus (keeping blinkers on) and mindful appreciation (stopping to smell the roses). The underlying implication is that mastery involves both rigorous engagement with the material and acceptance of the human, often chaotic, element of the process.
Sentinel — Human
This text reads like a genuine, informal interview focusing on personal experiences within the performing arts, exhibiting strong human narrative characteristics.