July Update ☀

I'm writing this on the hottest day of the summer and I’m soaking up the sunshine and the fresh country air before another show of Don Giovanni tonight at Clonter Opera. Today is performance number four of five, and it’s crazy to think that we have put this show together in just three weeks.
It’s a wonderful cast, and working with director Martin Lloyd-Evans and conductor Clive Timms has been a terrific experience; I really couldn’t have asked for a better situation to sing my first Donna Anna in. I’ve found what everyone told me to be true – it is a demanding role to sing – but it’s one I hope to sing again and again.

We close the show on Saturday and then I am extremely excited to be flying home to New Zealand. I will be performing concerts in Wellington (6 August, St Andrew on the Terrance), Matakana (17 August, Sculptureum) and Auckland (18 August, Auckland Opera Studio). Please do come along if you are free! I’m also thrilled to be travelling to Sydney to compete in the finals of the Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge Bel Canto Award in September. 
 
In May I travelled to Warsaw for the International Stanisław Moniuszko Vocal Competition. I was one of eighty pre-selected singers, and the calibre of both the competitors and the panel was very impressive. They were all very supportive, but it’s still intimidating to step out onto the stage and see a long table full of people who potentially could make or break your career! So, I was over the moon to go through to the semi-finals and get to sing for them again. Though I didn’t get through to the final round, I was very happy with how I performed, and considering I was one of the youngest there, I am truly happy with how it all went. 

In June I officially finished my time at the RNCM! And what an incredible time it has been. I started 2019 busy as ever with auditions, competitions and several concerts, including a gala concert at Bridgewater Hall. In the midst of all this, I auditioned for the National Opera Studio in London and I am thrilled to be going there as a Young Artist in September. It is a wonderful next step; I’m very excited to start my time there and see where life takes me afterward.

Through the RNCM this year I have been able to work with some wonderful coaches and conductors, such as Sir Mark Elder, Mark Shanahan, Julius Drake, Ann Murray and Susan Bullock. I’ve had the opportunity to perform plenty of new repertoire across England, including lots of Lieder and Chanson, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, Mahler’s 4th Symphony, Haydn’s Nelson Mass and a new song cycle by young composer James McIlwrath. I also performed as part of Buxton Opera’s opening gala.

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I finished my time at the RNCM with a joint final recital with my fellow International Artist, Iain Henderson. We put together a programme of song and arias for the first half, and then performed a series of staged scenes from Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette. I have adored getting to know Juliette. Gounod’s score is exquisite, and I so hope I’ll be able to perform the full role one day soon.

All in all, this year has been a challenging one with some disappointments scattered about, but many more wonderful things going on. As is the nature of such challenges, I have grown a lot this year, and I feel very ready to be moving into the next stage of my career – bring on London!

Thank you all so much for your ongoing support,
Eliza x