The Opera Pod

From jumping in as a rehearsal pianist at the Salzburg Festival, through taking on ENO at the age of thirty-one, and onto the legacy of the LPO , Ed Gardner gives a refreshingly honest insight into his journey from a young chorister to the multi award-winning conductor that he is today. Nina chats to Ed about nurturing and sustaining his musical - and managerial - relationships, his approach to collaboration, and why cross words in a rehearsal room isn't always a bad thing Find out more about the London Philharmonic Orchestra and their upcoming season here and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra here.

How can we find balance when our schedules can be so punishing? How can we find meaning in our work in a world that celebrates immediate success?  And how can we tackle that unrelenting desire for perfectionism? Returning guest Lou Platt explores these questions and more, and gives ideas and insight into what we can do to better take care of our mental health and wellbeing. You can find Lou on her website or at Artist Wellbeing, on Twitter here, & on Instagram here.  

What happens when the career you have is not the one that you really want? Do you stay and climb the ladder, or do you take a risk and step into your story? Nadine Benjamin found herself thriving in the world of Finance, but always remembered her teacher Mrs. Lake who introduced her to the Queen of the Night's music at school, telling her that she too could sing like that one day. Taking three months out to try to make singing into her career, Nadine's talent alongside her bravery and tenacity took her from constantly asking for auditions, to writing up her business plan and asking people to support her, on to finding her own unique path to training her voice.  Needless to say, she didn't look back. Now, alongside her thriving career - from ENO to the Royal Opera House & Glyndebourne and beyond - she works as a mentor, Mind Coach, certified High Performance Coach, & founder of her own mentorship programme Everybody Can! where she coaches and champions others to step into their own stories.   If you need to reach out for help – The Samaritans can be found here https://www.samaritans.org/ and called on 116 123 for free (UK).   You can find Nadine on Twitter & on Instagram, via her website and through Everybody Can!. 

Hailing from the German equivalent of the Von Trapp family with plans to be a solo violinist, Kathleen's career took an unexpected pivot when she was unceremoniously sacked from her first job and bumped into Richard Branson in the veg aisle in Marks and Spencers.  Gathering her thoughts alongside her graphic designer boyfriend Alan Long, she launched WildKat PR, a creative PR agency for classical music, something that Kat felt needed a serious change of image. From being less awkward on social media, to finding out whether we really have to be ‘across all platforms', onto resilience and recovery in the face of failure, we explore the highs and lows of Kat's journey, and discover tips on how to survive and thrive in the performing arts world. Find out more about Kat here and more about WildKat PR here Follow Kat on Twitter here and Instagram here, and read more about her latest venture PostKultur here.

Have you ever been judged on your appearance? Or been on the receiving end of well-intentioned advice that - in fact - turned out to be not that helpful?  Nina chats to the Soprano and Fat Politics Activist Tracy Cox on judgement, setting boundaries and living freely as an artist.  From early expectations, through learning to filter criticism, to her approach to high-pressure moments such as competitions, Tracy's extraordinary journey is a lesson for us all in how to survive and thrive in the opera world.    Find Tracy online on her website here on Instagram here and Twitter here, or through her agent here

For over a decade, Kate was a busy lead Soprano singing across UK opera houses and around the world. However, some worrying panic attacks and serious vocal health issues came to the surface and required swift surgery. During her own long rehabilitation process, she discovered a newfound fascination with vocal health, and wanted to ensure that other people didn't have to go through a similar experience alone. She has dedicated herself to removing the mystery and stigma surrounding vocal health, wellbeing and injury, and actively encourages singers to be open and reach out for help when they're suffering. Kate chats about listening to your body, knowing and setting your boundaries and the desperate need for kindness in the opera world. You can find Kate at the Valentine Voice Care Clinics in Lewes & Glasgow, through the Voice Care Centre in London and Clyde Consulting Rooms in Glasgow, and on Instagram.

Allyson was surrounded by music in Ottawa as she grew up - from jazz to classical and calypso - and playing the piano was an intrinsic part of her childhood, where she gathered happily with friends at festivals and competitions. She initially planned to become a paediatrician after her music degree, but music persuaded her to continue her studies - from the Conservatoire de Musique in Quebec to Oberlin Ohio and onto the Royal Academy of Music in London.  As doors opened for Allyson and one opportunity led to another, she developed a career carefully balancing her work as a Music Director with accompanying, coaching, teaching, composing, as a recitalist performing around the world and as Artistic Director of Nitrovox, an a cappella group that tells stories about the African diaspora through spoken word and song. Allyson shares her unique experience of becoming a fully-rounded artist, and reveals her thoughts on the relentless quest for perfection in the opera industry.

Leaving home at just sixteen to get a place at a London drama school, Anna-Marie needed to support herself, so walking around the Royal Opera House she found her way to a stage door, and was brave enough to ask for a job.  Beginning as an usher, and working her way onto the stage as a performer, Anna-Marie has become a regular actor at UK opera houses including Glyndebourne and the Royal Opera House, alongside juggling a diverse acting career. More recently she has branched out into revival choreography and movement direction, and she's acted as opera advisor on film.  Directors such as Mariame Clément now create roles in operas especially for her, integrating her completely into the drama. Anna-Marie chats with Nina about the highs and lows of negotiating her way through a career where 90% of actors are out of work at any given time. Find out more about Anna-Marie Sullivan on her website here and on the Royal Opera House website here Follow Anna-Marie on Twitter here and Instagram here  

One of Mark's earliest performing experiences was actually on stage for the Metropolitan Opera in Aida as a supernumerary, or as others might say, an actor, little knowing that he would go on to become a Metropolitan Opera Finalist Winner just a few years later. His first ambition however, was to become a Catholic Priest and despite having begun his training, he pivoted to studying voice at Indiana University. From an apprenticeship at Santa Fe Opera to becoming an ensemble member at Chicago Lyric Opera, singing at The Met and on to performing internationally, Mark's career took off at an exceptional speed. Now, having performed one hundred roles in over sixty houses worldwide, and won a whole host of awards, Mark shares the twists and turns of his extraordinary career. Find out more about Mark on his website here or through his agent here You can follow Mark on Twitter @marksdoss and Instagram @marksdoss Watch Fachtually Correct and Heart & Soul on his Facebook page here  

Kate remembers both music and theatre from her Methodist church and her local amateur dramatic society, where many of her family took roles on the stage – and they had to find a suitable place for Kate. So backstage was where she began, and when their performance of Oliver! went on tour to the Minack Theatre, Kate was surprised to discover that Stage Management was a real profession, and dug out a dusty drama school prospectus on her return, and applied to the Central School of Speech and Drama. From her early roles as a dresser and an ASM, to attempting to get a job as a follow-spot operator under the name of Kate Moss, Kate chats through her journey which saw her join Opera North over 20 years ago having never seen an opera production. Read the short interview with Kate on the Opera North website here Learn more about Opera North on their website here

Brought up by his single mom to a musical, church-going family, Roderick's first instrument – a snare drum – arrived in its JC Penney cardboard box, which he carried the drum around in until they found a second-hand case in a pawn shop. While training to become a music teacher, a professor suggested he become a conductor, something he had never dreamed of as being possible. This pivotal moment was the push he needed to shift the focus of his ambition, and Roderick is now an acclaimed, award-winning conductor working all over the world. Alongside his conducting work, his initiative, the Roderick Cox Music Initiative, provides scholarships for young musicians of colour from underrepresented communities, allowing them to pay for instruments, music lessons, and summer camps – minus the cardboard box. You can learn more about Roderick on his website here You can find out more about Roderick from his agent here You can follow him on Instagram here and on Facebook here

Classical, Jazz, Funk and R&B were all embraced in Andrea's Massachusetts household growing up, and with music already very much in the family, choosing it as a career was an easy decision. From Aspen Music Festival and Eastman School of Music, to studying in San Francisco with Blanche Thebom, Andrea has gone on to work literally all over the world.  Known for her distinctive voice, intense artistry, and passion, she is the first African American to sing Fricka, Waltraute, Erda and Second Norn in the Ring Cycle in its Chinese premiere at the Beijing Arts Festival, the first African American Carmen in Australia at the Sydney Opera House and to sing the role of Ortrud in the South Korean premiere of Lohengrin. Andrea reveals the extraordinary moments of her career, from her sudden move to Europe, to the most challenging staging she has battled with, and on to her experience of often being the only black person in a white-dominated space. You can find out more about Andrea on her website here or through her agent here You can learn more about Sing Sistah Sing here, the show she conceived and wrote that celebrates the sound and breadth of the African American female voice. You can listen to Andrea's incredible podcast and radio work here including her interview with her teacher, Blanche Thebom

Transgender opera singer Breanna Sinclairé felt trapped in the Tenor repertoire where she had never felt at ease, and finally told her teachers that she would be physically transitioning, to their complete astonishment. She became the first trans woman of the opera programme at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, first tackling Mezzo repertoire, and later developing into the voice she feels most comfortable with, the Lyric Soprano that she is today. Her physical transition was a journey that lasted for over eleven years. Since then, she has been the first trans woman to perform the National Anthem at a professional sporting event, the first trans singer to perform with the San Francisco Symphony and at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and her operatic career is just getting started. Having survived abuse and homelessness on her journey, Breanna is now determined to use her voice.to bring peace. Find out more about Breanna on her agent's website here Follow Breanna on Instagram here and on Twitter here

As a young girl, Anna ensured her playdates were only at houses with pianos, until her parents finally gave in and bought one just for her. Unaware that she could make a career from singing opera, her early path took her via Leeds University and au pairing in Italy, before she found an unexpected route to training at Guildhall in London.  Now a multi award-winning soprano who performs all over the world, Anna is praised for her captivating stage presence and extraordinary vocal fluidity.  She has gone on to use her voice in other ways, as an Ambassador for the Incorporated Society of Musicians, as Co-founder of Swap'ra supporting women & parents in Opera & in her role as a Development Consultant at British Youth Opera, who were instrumental in her earliest stage opportunities.   Find out more about Anna on her website here and follow her on Twitter here and Instagram here Find out more about Swap'ra here BYO here and ISM here

After a car journey listening to Carmen tapes on repeat, on to failing his Grade 8 flute three times (despite the efforts of Mr House, his peripatetic teacher) Kit decided to put music on hold for a while. From dipping into careers as a chef and a mental health worker, to studying Politics and Society part-time, Kit went on to join the Royal Opera House towards the end of his studies, and is now the Associate Production Manager in Opera Broadcast. He works with world class technical and artistic teams to sensitively integrate filming seamlessly into the production process.  While supporting the original ‘director's vision' they capture the unique atmosphere of a performance – crucially - without disturbing the experience of the live audience, the results of which we can enjoy in different ways: whether online, or live in over a thousand cinemas and streaming venues across the world.

Toria recalls dancing around her living room to Simon and Garfunkel, and insisting on learning to play the piano - with no urging from her parents. Critiquing her dad's acting skills at the age of three, Toria went on to explore the world of improvisation at university and trying her hand at directing with her very understanding group of friends. As she continued to explore her craft, working freelance in different capacities, she hid her illness with ME until she realised she had to adapt her ways of working. Toria went on to co-found HERA with Linda Hirst and Simone Ibbettt-Brown, an intersectional feminist company making and touring inclusive opera and music theatre by women and gender-minoritised artists. Toria speaks openly about the highs and lows of navigating her path through the industry. Find out more about HERA here Follow Toria on Twitter here

Damien grew up with his mom singing around the house, and Diana Ross and The Pointer Sisters on the record player, with a bit of Bach and Tchaikovsky thrown in for good measure. Although he went on to study music education and conducting, he didn't really think of performance as a viable career, and became a high school teacher – and stayed teaching for over 15 years. However, he was always composing and performing on the side, and when he was cast as the Undertaker in The Met's production of Porgy and Bess, Damien realised it was time he gave the opera world his full attention. His composition work includes deeply moving chamber, vocal, and orchestral works, and his work often infuses classical music with styles from the black diaspora to create music that furthers the cause for social justice He was recently commissioned by Washington National Opera alongside the Librettist Lila Palmer for their opera American Apollo, a story forged at the crossroads of celebrity, class, race, and power in America. Alongside his thriving career as a singer and composer, Damien has recently been announced as the interim Music Director at Portland Opera, where he's currently in rehearsals for the role of Angelotti in Tosca. Find out more about Damien on his website here Find out more about Portland Opera here and his new role here

As a young girl, Robyn constantly played both Mariah Carey and Maria Callas on tape and CD, so her mum signed her up for a local children's choir where she first discovered a love for singing opera, starting with the Queen of the Night aged just fifteen. Going on to study music both academically at Oxford and training vocally at the Royal College of Music, on graduating she faced a devastating series of rejections, and had to completely relearn her approach to singing. Struggling emotionally while she made extremely high-profile debuts, she had to find a way to survive, and navigate her path through the opera world. Robyn talks candidly about her journey - from changing voice type and moving to Germany, and through her philosophy for staying sane and surviving the industry. Find out more about Robyn and her work on her website here Book to see her in Medea at the Theater für Niedersachsen here and keep an eye out in 2022 for her debut solo album, featuring songs from the Viennese Secession with pianist Simon Lepper.

Nicky began his musical journey in Dumfries in Scotland, staying late after school singing Elaine Paige at pitch and tinkling on the piano until the cleaners threw him out. With ideas of becoming the Michael Ball of Dumfries, a singing teacher recognised his talent and pointed him towards Guildhall in London, so he jumped on the Megabus and auditioned at the tender age of sixteen. A self-confessed ‘rough diamond' when he first arrived, Nicky began his training at Guildhall, and soon won a record deal with Decca Records, and found himself marketed as ‘The Scottish Tenor', touring the country with Katherine Jenkins, singing with Shirley Bassey and chatting on TV with Lorraine Kelly among other extraordinary and surreal experiences.  However, he recognised that it wasn't quite the path he wanted for himself, and he returned to his training, going on to the National Opera Studio and to become an inaugural Harwood Young Artist at English National Opera.  Nicky is now at the heart and soul of the international opera scene, singing all over the world on the most prestigious stages, even right now he is simultaneously working at the Royal Opera House & English National Opera in London. Alongside his thriving international career, he's also an ambassador for Help Musicians UK, who helped support him on his operatic journey when he didn't have a bean. Find out more about Nicky on his website here and through his agent here Find out about Help Musicians UK here  

Dane Lam grew up in sunny Brisbane, and recalls his grandmother playing piano at family gatherings, and started learning himself from a young age. With the support of his state high school, he was able to step onto the podium and try out conducting, and it suited him down to the ground. Going on to become part of a programme creating a new generation of Australian conductors, and from the age of just 17 he was gaining experience and mentorship that would stand him in good stead in the future.  From the University of Queensland, to Juilliard School and the RNCM in the UK, Dane chats openly about different training approaches, imposter syndrome, the significance of the ego and how the role of the conductor shifts in different continents.  Join us for a refreshingly honest insight into the journey of the internationally acclaimed conductor Dane Lam. Read more about Dane Lam on his website here Follow him on Instagram here & on Twitter

Jason and Kaitlyn began their journeys in different ways, from a family that was open to following an artistic path, to another that was more resistant to it. However, via routes from lighting design to training as an architect, their paths collided in the world of projection design, and they eventually founded PXT Studio, building bespoke designs and making the seemingly impossible possible. When Jason first met the opera director Yuval Sharon, it was the start a unique relationship that would draw Jason and Kaitlyn into the world of opera, where they have been delighting and astonishing audiences ever since.  They have created work from The Industry in LA, to the Vienna State Opera, to Oper Frankfurt, Carnegie Hall, and on Broadway among many other venues. Collectively they have won two Los Angeles Ovation Awards, three LADCC awards, as well as having their work showcased at the Prague Quadrennial on three separate occasions... And at the end of the day, the parents were definitely won round. Find out more about Jason & Kaitlyn & their work at PXT Studio here Read about the opera director Yuval Sharon here Read about The Industry here Scroll down to the hurricane scene we talk about & watch it here

Claire began her musical journey at the age of three playing and singing the Angel Gabriel, and she was immediately hooked. Taking up different instruments at her state school soon after, she was set to study music when repetitive strain injury thwarted her plans, and she began to focus on her voice. Going on to train at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Royal Academy Opera and Guildhall, Claire's career soon took off, and she went on to win a whole series of competitions, including her spectacular recent win of the Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize at Cardiff Singer of the World. She is also a Harewood Artist at English National Opera where she has some exciting role debuts coming up, and has performed at houses such as Glyndebourne, Grange Festival and Oper Frankfurt. Claire gives a unique insight into her approach to competitions, on how lack of money can directly restrict your career, and her thoughts on body-shaming in the industry.  Join us for a candid insight into Claire's journey to become a multi award-winning opera singer.

Cynthia was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to the United States, and as a young girl she loved dressing up her Barbie dolls and recording mix tapes in her room. After studying at Florida State University, she was all set for a career in Costume Design, but her curiosity was diverted on a summer work experience at Santa Fe Opera, where she realised that wigs, hair and make-up was where her real passion lay.  Learning that London was the place to be, after her first UK internship, she was bold enough to march up to the Stage Door at English National Opera and call the head of department down to meet her and make her case – and a few days later a position came up. Instead of staying 6 months, Cynthia stayed at ENO for nearly a decade and made London her home, before she moved on to design wigs, hair and makeup in theatre on the West End, and on to film and television, where she has worked on The Crown and Killing Eve among many, many other shows.  Realising a serious gap in the knowledge and a lack of training in the industry, she took an afro and textured hair course to make sure her skills were up to scratch with industry practice, and she recently co-founded Levelling Up, a not-for-profit company tackling hair discrimination in the performing arts, working to create Equality & Diversity in Hair & Makeup for working professionals. View Cynthia's imdb profile here Follow Cynthia on Instagram here Follow Levelling Up on Instagram here

Paula grew up with traditional Irish Music in County Kerry, but despite immersing herself in music and performance at the National Folk Theatre of Ireland, she didn't yet think of it as a viable career choice. But one day, looking after her younger sisters while her parents were away, Paula sent off the ‘change of mind' form, changing her option from Primary School Teaching to Music Performance. Paula went on to train in Dublin, then onto the New England Conservatory in Boston, and onto a whole series of Young Artist and Apprenticeship Programmes from Britten Pears to the Merola Opera Programme among others, building the stamina and experience that would stand her in good stead in the future. When she felt she was probably done with Young Artist programmes, she was noticed by Bernd Loebe at the Neue Stimmen, and was offered a place in the newly-formed Studio at Oper Frankfurt. This led to her being a full time soloist at Oper Frankfurt, where she was able to explore a huge variety of roles, and take risks in a way she hadn't been able to before. Now, Paula graces some of the world's most fabulous stages, from her iconic performance in Barry Kosky's Carmen in Frankfurt to the Bolshoi in Moscow where she is currently singing the title role in Ariodante, to the Salzburg Festival, to the Met and Santa Fe Opera among many brilliant others. Read more about Paula on her agent's website here and follow her on Instagram here

The Ango-American Librettist & Producer Lila Palmer takes us to rural Vermont and to beautifully vivid moments of music in her childhood, like crouching under a grand piano listening to a family friend play, onto her days studying History at Cambridge, where she became aware of overlooked narratives hidden around every corner. Starting down the path as a Mezzo, training at New England Conservatory of Music and English National Opera, she found the stories she was inhabiting didn't give her enough agency, and it was suggested to her that she might be more comfortable on the other side of the table, writing the roles herself. Since then, Lila trained as a Librettist at both the Guildhall in London and the American Lyric Theatre in New York, and her work has been performed from the Barbican Centre in London to Washington National Opera, to Opera Saratoga, the Edinburgh Fringe and performed by Golda Schutz on her recital tour.  Alongside her commissions, Lila is the interim managing director at ALT, and is developing her own research project: The Archetypes. Lila shares her ideas on collaboration, how she started to develop her work early on, and how she approaches the demands of a ‘portfolio career'.   Read more about Lila on her website here and her work with ALT here and follow her on Instagram here

Aaron Blake grew up in Palos Verdes in California, where his parents indulged him in violin lessons early on in Kindergarten, even if it was just for him to get half an hour off his regular lessons. On the path to becoming a professional tennis player (or indeed as a plastic surgeon as his fallback option), Aaron ended up taking on lead roles at his local theatre and school, and after seeing him in a performance of Godspell, a family friend introduced him to the teacher that would change the course of his career. After training at Juilliard School and Rice University, Aaron's career continued to go from strength to strength, and his work has since taken him from Santa Fe Opera to the Met, Carnegie Hall, over to Israel, and here to Europe to Oper Frankfurt and beyond.  Aaron talks openly about his journey, and delivers a masterclass in dealing with criticism in a way that allows you to move through it and beyond it, and become a better artist. Find out more about Aaron Blake on his website here or on his agent's website here

Growing up as an Italian boy in London, Michael Volpe listened to everything from Mario Lanza to prog Rock.  Despite having very little money, his mum brought him and his brothers up with plenty of Italian food, packed social gatherings, alongside the expected Italian family dramas, much to the shock of his girlfriends. As a teenager he excelled in music and the performing arts, but turned down an opportunity to audition at RADA, feeling that it wasn't the path for him.  Going on to take a role at what was then Holland Park Theatre to promote and market the festival of visiting productions, he brought audience numbers up from 15,000 to 25,000 in his first year.  He realised that opera was the heart of the work at Holland Park, and the way to create work of real value and impact would be to develop a new festival with an entity of its own. As General Manager of Opera Holland Park, alongside the Producer James Clutton – now Director of Opera & CEO -  the pair formed a formidable long-running partnership until Michael recently retired from OHP, joining Iford Arts as Interim Executive Director, where he's inspiring the future of the festival. Michael has just been awarded an OBE for his services to opera, and his journey is beautifully captivated in his book ‘Noisy at the wrong times' one of The Sunday Times' 100 biographies to love. Read more about Iford Arts here Order Michael's book here Read Michael's blog here

Growing up in Piedras Negras on the Mexican border with the United States, Eleazar first experienced opera from a recording his father borrowed of The Three Tenors, and he went on to buy a videotape of them, which he analysed for their differing vocal techniques, deciding which he thought sounded better, and taking meticulous notes of his observations. With no immediate opportunities to develop his growing obsession, Eleazar's dad looked into a singing programme in a nearby city, where he was shipped off to at the age of fifteen, and began his lifelong journey as a singer. From his early Placido Domingo voice scholarship given by Mexico's most renowned young artist programme to being a top prize winner in the Carlo Morelli National Competition in Mexico City, Eli went on to San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the Merola Opera Programme, before he landed at a crossroads and had to take a decision that would affect the rest of his career. Read more about Eleazar on his website here and follow him on instagram @themexicantenor 

Jane was captivated by her first opera at the age of eight, and realising she loved story-telling in all different forms, went on to study English and Drama at university. Working as a dresser while she was a student, Jane was drawn to the myriad of stories told on stage, and became a drama teacher, where she shared that love and passion with her students. Seeing the job as Director of Outreach and Education advertised at Scottish Opera, she went for it (despite having no experience), and they realised that Jane's commitment to telling stories in fresh and imaginative ways made her the perfect candidate. Jane was Awarded an MBE in 2017 in recognition of the achievement of Scottish Opera's unique outreach programme in Scotland and internationally. This year, she is celebrating Scottish Opera's 50 years of pioneering outreach and education work, with a unique series of projects bringing music and performance into the lives of people and communities across the country.  

Growing up in Liverpool, Harry drove his artist mother mad playing The Beatles and took to the piano, but thought of it as more of a hobby than anything else. However, the world had other plans, and with an academic scholarship to Radley College, Harry began playing the chapel organ, and met a teacher who, through his work and his introductions, would change the course of his career. Harry went from the Royal College of Music to organ scholar at St George's Chapel, Windsor and to Christ Church College, Oxford where he was also an organ scholar, and to on to Westminster Abbey. However, the lonely nature of the job forced him to re-think his options, and on the brink of quitting music for business, his neighbour introduced him to Mark Elder, Music Director of English National Opera at the time. Having barely seen an opera, or indeed heard of a repetiteur, after some impressive sight-reading Harry was on the music staff, where he arrived on his first day only to be shouted at by Charles Mackerras for fumbling the offstage banda in The Makropulos Case. Harry shares his journey from his early years through to his successful international career, including his work as the Artistic Director of the English Concert and as Music Director of Santa Fe Opera. Read more about Harry on his agent's website here Read more about The English Concert and their recent Rodelinda recording here Read about Santa Fe Opera here

Ruth was brought up in Ireland by her dancer mother and singer and actor father, to a backdrop of golden era Hollywood musicals with some Beatles thrown in for good measure.  After watching her mother teach choreography, she went on to take ballet classes herself soon after she could walk.  Studying music at University College in Dublin, she soon discovered she didn't want to perform, and focused on the academic side of her degree.  She went for her first interview after graduating for the job of Assistant Chorus Manager at the Royal Opera House, thinking it would be good interview practice.  She not only got the job, but stayed for many years in different capacities, before taking on the Company Management role at Scottish Opera and Opera Holland Park, and working closely with Opera Rara.  As the Company Manager of the Royal Opera House, Ruth had to not only bring the artists at the house to a screeching halt in the face of the pandemic, but organise and reorganise the company in the wake of the crisis that has been devastating our industry.  Ruth chats through the highs and lows of the high-pressure environments she has worked in, and what happens when you get that emergency call from prompt corner…

Matthew Rose started studying music at school in West Sussex before going on to study at University in Canterbury, where he worked with Benjamin Luxon and Sheila Amit.  After a precarious car journey to Urbania in Italy, he took part in a programme - surrounded by many, more experienced singers - that changed the course of his career. Soon after he was one of very few students studying at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Pennsylvania, where he immersed himself not only in the programme but in the surrounding musical environment - from local concerts to weekly visits to Carnegie Hall and the Met. Going on to join the Vilar Young Artist's Programme at the Royal Opera House, and making his Glyndebourne debut with Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Matthew's career has gone from strength to strength, seeing him on stages from the Met to the Royal Opera House, from La Monnaie to the Deustche Oper among many, many others.  With the John Christie Award and a Grammy alongside his many incredible achievements, Matthew gives a frank insight into his road to success. Read more about Matthew on his agent's website here Follow him on Twitter @roseandfriends and Instagram @matthewrosephotos  

Fiona Maddocks played music as a young girl at the Royal College of Music on Saturdays, but after a frightening experience at a Masterclass with Nadia Boulanger, she knew for certain she didn't want to be on stage, or indeed be the centre of attention at all. While studying English at Cambridge, she spent her spare time playing the violin with chamber groups and orchestras, before setting out in London as a young hopeful writer and finding the doors well and truly shut. From her early role running a radio switchboard for incoming calls, via politics and current affairs, Fiona was later part of the team that set up Channel 4, was the first music editor of The Independent and founding editor of BBC Music Magazine.  She was also chief Arts feature writer of the Evening Standard, and is the author of four books from Hildegard von Bingen to Harrison Birtwistle, all of which she negotiated alongside the demands of bringing up a young family, almost single-handedly. Now, as Chief Music Critic of The Observer, Fiona is the only woman in that role on a UK broadsheet newspaper. Fiona's books can be found here and her literary agency can be found here

Born in Scotland and brought up on the West Coast of Australia, Duncan was set to become a lawyer, until his interest in music led him to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama on a full scholarship, and on to the National Opera Studio.  Finding his early niche as a sailor in Billy Budd at both Glyndebourne and English National Opera, Duncan went on to become a Jerwood Young Artist at Glyndebourne, and later a Harwood Young Artist at ENO. Winner of both the John Christie Award and the Chilcott Award his work now takes him across the world to stages from Glyndebourne to the Metropolitan Opera to the Royal Opera House among many, many others.  Duncan shares his story from the injury that spurred his deeper interest in nutrition and health, leading to his new venture - alongside his singing career - as a nutritionist and exercise professional.

Psychotherapist and artist wellbeing practitioner Lou Platt was brought up by her Avon Lady mother and her nuclear engineer father, who also created sets both for their local theatre, and for Lou to perform at home. Basking in her role of the second lead as the Merry Wizard in the school play, Lou went on to become a professional performer, co-founding The Other Way Works, creating playful theatre immersing audiences in their stories. Using autobiography as performance, Lou absorbed herself in a role very similar to her mother, but despite her love of performing, she also suffered deeply from performance anxiety. This, in combination with her own experience in family therapy as a child, helped inform her decision to become a therapist.  Lou has now founded her own company Artist Wellbeing, and strives to enable all types of artists and performers to not only take radical care of their mental health and wellbeing, but to also reach and maintain their fullest creative potential. Lou shares her journey with disarming honesty and authenticity, offering perspective in times of crisis and ideas for us to reflect on our past and look to the future. Please note, this episode contains some swearing.  Lou's website is www.artistwellbeing.co.uk  The theatre company that Lou founded is: www.theotherwayworks.co.uk Podcasts on Polyvagal Theory can be found here & here The Internal Family Systems Therapy that Lou mentioned can be found here: https://ifs-institute.com/

Nicola began music at school with the standard issue recorder, but soon took it upon herself to put down a deposit on a saxophone, much to the horror of her parents who were left with the bill.  She went on to study music at Durham University, from her Bachelor of Arts through to her PhD, before starting out as a Stage Manager working in many of the UK opera companies – from English Touring Opera to Buxton International Festival and Opera Holland Park.  She also tackled the joy of British pantomime seasons, and travelled the world on tour with Shakespeare's Globe.  Moving on to the Royal Academy of Music as Producer and Opera Company Manager, she negotiated the challenges of producing opera over two years in external venues while the academy was refurbished, and managed a visit from the Royals. Taking on her current role as CEO of British Youth Opera, Nicola was able to use the skills she had learnt along the way to inform her work heading up a company that provides professional opportunities for singers, musicians and technical trainees all of whom are all at the beginning of their operatic careers. Find out more about BYO here and more about taking part in their upcoming season here Read more about OperaUK where Nicola is a founding director here and join and support them here  

Frances Marshall began learning the piano at five years old, but was also captivated by copies of Vanity Fair around her house, which founded her love of music and the visual arts from a young age. At nineteen years old, she had a job as an usher at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, and persuaded her boss to let her backstage with her camera, giving her unique access to all the visiting artists. Soon, Frances was getting hired as a photographer, and went on to found Final Note, an online magazine tracing the journeys of artists and their paths to the top of the industry. Frances is now a photographer with OperaWire, and has co-founded the branding agency Marshall Light Studio with Sophie Light, creating bespoke branding, website design, portrait and stage photography for the world of classical music and opera. See Frances's work at http://francesmarshall.ie/

Taken to galleries, theatres and the opera by her parents, Christine Chibnall's love for music was also nurtured at South Hampstead High School for girls, before she moved to Brighton and found herself planning the cultural schedule of her friends.  After studying English at University, she realised she could combine her career with her passion by finding a job in the performing arts. After sending countless letters, Christine found herself interviewing for a PA role at Welsh National Opera despite having no typing skills. She ended up not only as a PA but doing almost everything else, from payroll, to chaperoning children, to starting the Education department, to development and fundraising and organizing small-scale tours. Having worked from the ground up, Christine was well-placed to move into her role as Director of Planning for Opera North, where she founded the department from scratch, bringing schedules and structure to the work around her. Christine chats with Nina about negotiating her way through the industry, her in-depth experience of the British operatic scene and shares her tips for what not to do in her auditions.

Multi award-winning soprano Angel Blue is known for the beautiful timbre of her voice and her captivating stage presence. Gracing many of the world's most prestigious stages over the last years, Angel is becoming an icon of her generation.  The daughter of a pastor, she grew up in California listening to both gospel and opera and was determined from a young age to make it as an opera singer. To support her training, Angel performed in beauty pageants winning Miss Hollywood among other titles, and learned valuable lessons in self-worth along the way. After a devastating tour of auditions led to one rejection after another, in despair she turned to her mother and her faith for support, which enabled her to turn a corner at a crucial moment in her career.  With determination she built on success after success, not only singing at the highest level but presenting concerts and competitions many of us know and love such as the BBC Proms and Cardiff Singer of The World, alongside founding her own YouTube channel, and last week she accepted the Grammy for the best Opera Recording for Porgy & Bess at the Metropolitan Opera.

Picking out notes on the piano with her mother before she could even talk, Jessica started her music training young and was on the path to becoming a professional organist. However, the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome put an abrupt stop to her plans, and the deep loss turned her to law as an alternative.  Her pull towards music won out, and she returned as a conductor, with a lot of catching up to do. Jessica has a form of synaesthesia and experiencing music through colour gives her a vivid, sometimes overwhelming experience that informs the way she works. The first woman to study conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London for over a decade, she is now a multi award-winning conductor who works all over the world from symphony orchestras, to the BBC Proms to world premieres at the Royal Opera House.  The Scotsman describes her as ‘cool, contained, articulate and engaging' and Hugh Canning in The Times says she deserves a medal. Jessica speaks with great openness and integrity about her path through the industry. Find out more about Jessica and her work on her website or through her agent IMG Artists.

Julian began his life surrounded by music with his siblings, and was sent away to music courses by his parents, where he developed a real need to make music and share it with others. Between his classical training at King's College Cambridge and the Royal Academy of Music in London, he explored the world of historical performance at the Schola Cantorum in Basel, where he swiftly learnt Swiss German, how to improvise on the organ, and much more. Soon after his studies, on a course with Mary King and Rufus Norris at English National Opera, Julian discovered some unusual tips and tricks he would later apply in his work with singers. Julian now plays harpsichord at the highest level, coaches, and conducts – including his recent acclaimed recordings of John Eccles' Semele with the Academy of Ancient Music and Cambridge Handel Opera Company, and the world premiere recording of Stephen Dodgson's Margaret Catchpole: Two Worlds Apart for Naxos, and is also the Artistic Director of Cambridge Handel Opera Company. You can read more about Julian on his website here , and find out more about Cambridge Handel Opera Company here. John Eccles' Semele, conducted by Julian is available here and Stephen Dodgsons's Margaret Catchpole: Two Worlds Apart is available here

At four and a half years old, perched on cushions at The Royal Opera House in London, Gweneth Ann Rand was captivated, and declared she wanted to become an opera singer. With the support of her mother, who was working three jobs to give her the best education she could, Gweneth studied music extensively before joining the first intake of the prestigious Vilar Young Artists Programme at the very same opera house that first inspired her. Although she found it difficult to negotiate her way through the early stages of her career (suffering in the throes of the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition for instance) she found her feet, and despite absolutely hating auditions, went from strength to strength. Gweneth talks openly about the deep losses she encountered at a crucial moment of her career, the freedom of feeling she doesn't need to be a ‘cookie-cutter' opera singer, and how she always steps on the stage as if it's for the last time. You can see Gweneth in The Turn of the Screw from OperaGlass Works (£ or free on trial subscription) here and her recital at the Wigmore Hall with pianist Simon Lepper is available for a limited time here

Director of Opera at the Royal Opera House in London, and award-winning director in his own right, Oliver Mears talks to Nina Brazier about the influences and obstacles that shaped his journey. From writing and directing at university, through assistant directing and the pivotal production that turned him from theatre to opera, Oliver gives a candid account of the highs and lows of developing his craft as a director and finding his own voice in the industry.  He talks through setting up his first opera company Second Movement with his friends Abigail Toland and Nicholas Chalmers in order to create their own work, seeing an advert in The Guardian by chance that led to him becoming the founding Artistic Director of Northern Ireland Opera before taking over the Royal Opera House. Oliver shares his thoughts about the future, and finds the positive aspects to draw out of the biggest crisis in our industry's recent history.

The American-born, German-based Baritone chose the moment carefully, knowing it could be the end of an operatic career. With an impeccably made-up face and full-length ball gown, and accompanied by a Marlene Dietrich-styled wife, Lucia Lucas attended the company ball where she was an Ensemble member at the Badisches Staatstheater in Karlsruhe. This signalled the beginning of her social transition. Lucia has gone on to be the first female transgender Baritone to perform a principal role on an American operatic stage with her Don Giovanni at Tulsa Opera, and her career has continued to go from strength to strength, bringing her to the UK to play Public Opinion in Orpheus in the Underworld at English National Opera and with some incredibly exciting roles and venues to follow in – Covid-depending - the near future.  Lucia is living proof that being trans is not - and should not be - a hindrance to being hired. Don't miss her extraordinary story. 

Managing Director of WildKat PR Olivia Brown chats to Nina Brazier about her journey to the top of the music PR industry, and offers insight for creatives on how to strategically promote themselves in the world of social media and beyond. Olivia played musical instruments from a young age, but suffered badly from performance nerves. Finding a music degree that didn't focus fully on performance, she studied at Leeds University and, discovering one of the year in industry options came complete with a company dog and rumours of cake, joined WildKat PR in London as an intern.  Olivia later joined the company full time, and with strategic support from founder and owner Kathleen Alder, made her way in a few short years to becoming the Managing Director of their PR offices to lead the company's global operations in London, Berlin, Paris, New York and LA.  

Living in Moscow at five years old, Cordelia Lynn was on the path to becoming a fine concert pianist.  As a teenager back in the UK, her passion for words overtook her love of music and after studying English Literature at university, she joined the Royal Court Young Writers Programme in London. The same theatre went on to stage her plays Lela & Co. and One for Sorrow to critical acclaim, marking the start of her theatrical journey. Following an Opera Creation residency at the Festival D'Aix en Provence, Cordelia developed her work as a librettist, collaborating with composers on vocal works, and with the director Katie Mitchell and conductor Raphäel Pichon on Miranda at the Opéra Comique in Paris. In both theatre and opera, Cordelia's writing powerfully captures the subtle nuances of human interaction, and is a devastating and harrowing exploration of modern society which is both timely and necessary. Like flesh, her opera with composer Sivan Eldar is shortlisted for the Fedora Prize, and will premiere in January 2022 at Opéra National de Lille. 

John Liddell, Head of Costume at Scottish Opera for 35 years, initially studied law, before becoming a heavy metal musician in the 60s. After making suitably eclectic costumes for fellow band-members and musicians, he went freelance, setting up a boutique in a Glaswegian garret. After trading tailor-made Edwardian costumes to an impeccably-dressed artist in exchange for paintings, he was recommended by the artist for a job as a Gentlemen's Cutter at Scottish Opera. Eventually John came to head up the entire Costume Department, liaising with designers and makers, overseeing the creation of everything that is worn stage on stage by the performers: clothes, accessories, shoes, hats, jewellery, make-up, hair-styling and wigs, until his excellently-timed retirement in 2020.

Multi award winning Composer and Artistic Director of the Biennale Musica in Venice, Lucia Ronchetti chats with Nina about experiencing music for the first time among the faded manuscripts and broken instruments at her neighbours' apartment. This was something, along with art and books, that was lacking from her childhood home.  Lucia dives into the touching reason for her insatiable curiosity, her number one enemy, and the challenges she has faced on her journey to becoming truly an icon of her generation.

Chief Executive and Director of Opera at Opera Holland Park in London, James Clutton, chats openly about his 60s musical influences, early school trips to the theatre, and learning his craft from the ground up by producing his own work, before later heading to the West End under the wing of a major commercial producer.  A short-term contract turned into a life-long dedication to producing opera at Opera Holland Park, developing it from a small-scale venture to the beating heart of the London operatic scene.  James shares his experience of ‘un-producing' the 2020 season, and how he imagines producing opera as we know it might change to adapt to the aftermath of the Covid Crisis.  James' down-to-earth attitude gives us a rare insight into the world of the friendliest, most welcoming man in the business. https://operahollandpark.com/

One of Britain's leading casting directors, Sarah Playfair chats through her formative years - from running away from her boarding school to catch Saturday matinees in London, to being Ian McKellen's dresser, onto her casting discussions with Lord Harwood and Sir Charles MacKerras.  Drawing from her vast range of experience, Sarah shares her extraordinary path through many of the UK's major opera companies, alongside some tips for what catches her eye on a CV and how she feels singers can best present themselves in auditions.  A unique insight into a journey which spans a time of extraordinary change in the landscape of the opera industry. http://sarahplayfair.com/

Multi award-winning composer Philip chats with host Nina Brazier about how he works with his collaborators, how he creates work with such incredible visceral impact, and whether he feels that now is a time where the operatic form is changing for the better.  His work has swept across the world's stages over the last few years signalling a whole new brand of opera. His groundbreaking adaptation of Sarah Kane's 4:48 Psychosis with director Ted Huffman won a host of awards and was described by the Observer as "challenging the conventions of opera".  His second opera, Denis & Katya, again collecting awards, including most recently the Ivor Novello Award for Stage Works, confirmed his place as one of the foremost composers of his generation.