SWAP'ra RETREAT APPLICATIONS
applicant information:
FIRST NAME:
FIRST NAME HIDDEN FOR 1ST ROUND
EMAIL:
EMAIL HIDDEN FOR 1ST ROUND
LAST NAME:
LAST NAME HIDDEN FOR 1ST ROUND
PHONE:
PHONE HIDDEN FOR 1ST ROUND
DATE OF BIRTH
May 4, 1984
NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND THEIR AGES:
2 children aged 7 and 7 months
ARTISTIC TRAINING AND ACHIEVEMENTS PRIOR TO BIRTH OF FIRST CHILD:
I trained at Central School of Speech and Drama, RCS and Trinity Laban. Some of my favourite contracts include Amor - Orfeo ed Euridice for Opera North and Buxton Festival, Blonde - Die Entführung aus dem Serail for The Grange Festival‚ The Snow Maiden for Opera North (during the tumultuous first trimester of my first pregnancy), Cis as a Britten Pears Young Artist and Mabel - The Pirates of Penzance for Opera Holland Park. I am currently performing Tytania with Opera North. Alongside singing I have been working as a Director and Assistant Director and am so enjoying the way the disciplines interconnect and inform each other. Most recently I was delighted to be invited to direct Wolf-Ferrari's Segreto di Susanna for If Opera Festival, I worked as AD on the Richard Jones production of La Boheme at the ROH until I was 38 weeks pregnant with my most recent pregnancy. I am looking forward to directing the summer production at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in May/June 2025.
WHY DO YOU WANT TO TAKE PART IN THE SWAP'RA RETREAT?
I heard from previous attendees that it was amazing! I would love an opportunity to sit still and think about how to move my career forward in a positive and practical environment, surrounded by my professional peers. I am dealing with post birth prolapse, so the focus on physical rehabilitation and performance psychology would be an incredible boost. Even though I feel incredibly fortunate to be singing again in the first year since my daughter’s birth, it can be quite isolating working with a small baby. All my fee is going on childcare and appropriate accommodation and I can’t take any time outside of rehearsal to bond with colleagues. The Opera world feels very precarious at the moment but I feel energised to put myself out there and consider how best to exist as a singer in 2024 and how be prepared for the next few years. The retreat sounds like a remarkable opportunity to do just that!
DESCRIBE YOUR PRESENT LIFE AS AN ARTIST AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE:
In order to get ready for my current contract I started singing lessons and coaching with Rosa Mannion and Carrie Dowdle soon after the birth, in March this year. I plan to continue those sessions while rebuilding my physical strength. I only managed to do one audition during my last pregnancy, partly scarred by my experience of auditioning pregnant the first time, so the professional recordings on the course would be a really helpful tool to promote myself in a bid for future work. I have two Operatic pencils in the diary, both in brand new roles.
DO YOU ENVISAGE BRINGING YOUR CHILDREN WITH YOU ON THE COURSE?
I would plan to bring the baby and a caregiver. Unfortunately my big girl would have to stay in London for school.
REFEREE information:
REFEREE 1 NAME:
Rosa Mannion
REFEREE 1 EMAIL:
REFEREE 1 RELATIONSHIP:
Teacher
REFEREE 1 RESPONSE:
Position / Role Held:
Singing Teacher
Length of time you have known applicant:
I have known xxxx for approximately 12 years.
In what capacity have you worked with the applicant and when?
I am xxxx’s singing teacher and have worked with her vocally for as long as I have known her.
Would you recommend the applicant for the SWAP’ra Retreat? Please describe the applicant’s ability and potential to build a successful career in opera/classical singing:
xxxx is absolutely perfect for a much needed SWAP’ra retreat.
She is an outstanding Mum to xxxx aged 7 and xxxx aged 7 months as well as having worked incredibly hard to build a career as a singer and director. Whatever she does, she manages to balance work and family with grace and calm no matter what the personal cost to herself. Having just reached the milestone of her 40th birthday, and having recently completed her family, it seems to be the right time for her to take stock and find time to look to the future and address the important question of what comes next. She is totally committed to her career as a successful singer with the add on of becoming an increasingly successful director… She could look at what roles she could be moving into and how she can balance her singing career as a multi talented and multi disciplined artist. Time for xxxx is a luxury she rarely has and I know she would benefit enormously from what the excellent retreat has to offer.
Any other comments:
What a brilliant organisation SWAP’ra is and congratulations for making it such a powerful force within a very difficult business. Wish you’d been around when I was a young singer!!
REFEREE 2 NAME:
Caroline Dowdle
REFEREE 2 EMAIL:
REFEREE 2 RELATIONSHIP:
Coach
REFEREE 2 RESPONSE:
Position / Role Held:
Head of Opera at the Atelier Lyrique, Verbier Festival; Vocal Coach at the Jette Parker Artists Programme, Royal Opera House, Vocal coach on faculty at RCM
Length of time you have known applicant:
6 years
In what capacity have you worked with the applicant and when?
I have worked regularly with xxxx as a vocal coach, over the past 6 years
Would you recommend the applicant for the SWAP’ra Retreat? Please describe the applicant’s ability and potential to build a successful career in opera/classical singing:
xxxx is one of the most talented and interesting young artists I’ve had the pleasure of working with. She is currently singing Titania in Opera North’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and somehow managing to balance performing at the highest level, with caring for her newborn child, and also managing the childcare and happiness of her 6 year old daughter, which is a tall order.
Much of her success is down to her being extremely hardworking, and organised, but she deserves, at this stage of her career and her motherhood, to have a period of reflection, to take stock of her art, check in with the professionals on your wonderful course, and have the chance to record fresh recordings, for her developing career.
As a colleague and fellow retreat member, you could not wish to find a better person. She looks out for all her friends and colleagues, contributes brilliantly to any discussions, and is all in all a wonderful person to have around! Supporting xxxx will benefit both her and your programme!