Teseo

James is General Director of ETO and has written original libretti for two operas and translations for three others, as well as several works of fiction.

Operatic work includes Katya Kabanova, Rusalka, Susannah, Eugene Onegin, Orfeo, Jenufa, Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as Teseo and Alcina (ETO); Ariodante, Erismena, Flavio, The Cunning Little Vixen (ETO and OTC); The Marriage of Figaro (RCM and ETO); Tolomeo (London Handel Festival/ ETO); Tamerlano, Amadigi, Rodelinda, L’elisir d’amore, Katya Kabanova and The Rake’s Progress (OTC); Cinderella (De Vlaamse Opera/ Transparant); Don Giovanni (Canadian Opera Company); La Voix humaine (Teatro Nacional São João, Oporto); staging of Kurt Weill songs (Culturgest, Lisbon); La Spinalba (Casa da Musica, Porto), The Cunning Little Vixen (Moravian National Theatre, Brno).

Michael performs a wide and varied operatic repertoire, working at the ROH, Covent Garden, ENO and ETO with regular appearances at festivals including Aldeburgh, Buxton and Montepulciano. As a member of the music staff of the Wiener Staatsoper, he assisted Claudio Abbado and worked closely with many of the world’s leading singers. He has conducted extensively throughout Germany notably Kassel, Wiesbaden and Mannheim, holding the position of resident staff conductor and as Associate Conductor for the London Handel Society, he has introduced many rarely performed Handel operas to the London stage. His recording with tenor Alfie Boe and the Orchestra of SO will be released this autumn.
Michael is Music Director for ETO and Director of Opera at RCM.

Adam received his BA with Honours in Theatre Design at the RWCMD. He was a group winner of the Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design in 2003. Recent operatic engagements include costume design for Roméo et Juliette (ON) and both costume and set design for Le nozze di Figaro (RNCM) and As I Crossed the Bridge of Dreams (Almeida Opera). Ballet engagements include Children of Adam and Sensorium (Royal Ballet at the ROH). Additionally, Adam worked with ETO as designer for Country Matters and Katya Kabanova.

Aideen was born in Dublin and trained in Dublin and London. Her opera engagements include Turn of the Screw, Le nozze di Figaro, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Cosi fan tutte, Mary Queen of Scotts, Jenufa and Tosca (all for ETO); Dialogues des Carmélites (RCM). In theatre, Aideen’s work has included Lighten Up, The Thought That Counts and In One Ear (Theatre Rites); Greed and Kiss My Echo (Clod Ensemble); Hirja and Dogs Barking (Bush Theatre); Coyote on a Fence (Royal Exchange Manchester/ West End). Aideen’s dance work includes A Compas (Paco Pena); Ether and Bhakti (Angika Dance Co.); Kaash and Polaroid Feet (Akram Khan Co.).

William studied at Durham University and went on to RADA where he took his MA in Directing and Dramaturgy. He has directed Ghosts (The Young Vic); Kean (Hori Pro and Thelma Holt, Tokyo); Scenes from An Execution (Hackney Empire); Two Noble Kinsmen (RSC). In 2010 William will direct Don Pasquale for ETO.

Claire studied at Oxford University; GSMD; NOS, where she was sponsored by ON. She was a finalist in the 2004 Kathleen Ferrier Awards. Operatic highlights include Nora/ Riders to the Sea (ENO); Mrs Green/ Down by the Greenwood Side and Soprano Narrator/ Into the Little Hill (Royal Opera Linbury Theatre); Mélisande/ Pelléas et Mélisande (OTC); Elle/ La Voix humaine, 1st Niece/ Peter Grimes and Zerlina/ Don Giovanni (ON); Anicia Eritea/ Eliogabalo (GPO); Concert engagements include appearances with the CBSO; CSO; BBCSO; BBCSSO; Miranda/ The Tempest (NRO); London Sinfonietta. Recent performances include Benjamin A Mind of Winter (Lucerne International Festival) and George Crumb Ancient Voices of Children (Proms). Future engagements include performances with the BBCSO, London Sinfonietta and the Nash Ensemble.

Born in Lancashire, Claire studied at the RNCM and NOS. In 2005, she received the prestigious John Christie Award from Glyndebourne Opera for the most promising young singer. Other awards include a Peter Moores Foundation Major Scholarship and scholarships from ENO, the Sybil Tutton Charitable Trust and the Countess of Munster Trust. Opera engagements include Emmie/ Albert Herring (GFO and GTO); Blonde/ Entführung (Frankfurt Opera), Nannetta/ Falstaff (WNO and GPO), Barbarina/ Le nozze di Figaro (ENO and GFO). Recently her roles include Despina/ Cosi fan tutte (Ivan Fischer in Budapest and Spain); Marzelline/ Fidelio (Garsington Opera). Future plans include Blonde/ Entführung (WNO); Tytania/ A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Susanna/ Le nozze diFigaro (ETO).

Paula studied at RCM and the Schwob School of Music. She has received the Karaviotis Prize at the Les Azuriales International Competition. At RCM, she was a finalist for the Young Concert Artists Trust and received the Coutts & Co. Award along with the Sir Thomas Allen Scholarship supported by a Clayton Award. Operatic roles include Pamina/ The Magic Flute (ETO); Gilda/ Rigoletto (Preggio Opera Festival, Italy); Atalanta/ Atalanta (Handel Society); Bastienne/ Bastien und Bastienne (Skipton Camerata); Mimi/ La bohème and Inez/ Il trovatore (Opus I Opera); Grasshopper/ The Cunning Little Vixen (RCM). Concert engagements include City of Dreams (Philharmonia Orchestra concert series 2009); City Music Society series (Eric Falk Trust Award). Additionally, Paula has recorded a Peroni advert soundtrack.

Lina Markeby studied at GSMD. She has performed Idamante/ Idomeneo (Chelsea Opera Group); Idamante/ Idomeneo and Sesto/ La clemenza di Tito (Mozart galas with John Eliot Gardiner/ English Baroque Soloists); Third Sprite/ Rusalka and Carmen/ La Tragédie de Carmen (Wexford Festival); Messagiera/ Ninfa/ L’Orfeo (Drottningholms Slottsteater). Lina’s work with William Christie includes the roles of Doris/ Zaide/ L’Europe galante (Ambronay Baroque Academy), a solo in his recent tour of Idomeneo and Second Woman/ Dido and Aeneas (Wiener Festwochen 2006, Opera Comique 2008, Wiener Festwochen 2009, De Nederlandse Opera 2009). Future plans include Dorabella/ Cosi fan tutte and Cherubino/ Le nozze di Figaro (L’Atelier Lyrique de Tourcoing/ Jean-Claude Malgoire in Tourcoing and Paris 2010).

Derek trained at the Sweelinck Conservatorium, University of Maryland and Oberlin Conservatory. He received 1st Prize in the International Munich Competition and in the Purcell-Britten Prize of Concert Singers. Operatic engagements include Egeo/ Teseo (ETO); Prometheus/ Prometheus (Dawe Production); Mr. Lies/ Nurse/ Angels in America (Opera de Châtelet); Oberon/ A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Metropolitan Opera). Concert engagements include Handel/ Porpora Mi palpita il cor (Florilegium). Derek has also made a number of recordings including Gluck L’Orfeo with John E. Gardener (Philips/ Decca) and Negro Spirituals with Moses Hogan (EMI and Channel Classics).