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Our Festival Friends ensure the success of each festival and are essential to sustaining the high quality of opera at The Grange.
Our Festival Friends ensure the success of each festival and are essential to sustaining the high quality of opera at The Grange.
Karen Gillingham is a freelance opera director, facilitator and creative director of Garsington Opera Learning & Participation. Karen launched and was co-artistic director of the Royal Opera House’s Youth Opera Company for nine years.
Directing credits include: PROM 66 at the Royal Albert Hall, The Happy Princess at Garsington Opera, Dare to Dream at the Royal Albert Hall, A Tale of Two Dragons BBC Singers at the Barbican, Water in the Desert at NYU arts centre Abu Dhabi, Bat out of Hackney at Hackney Empire, A Trip to the Moon at LSO Barbican with Sir Simon Rattle, Silver Birch at Garsington Opera, Watchers in the Wings a film for the Royal Opera House, Beautiful World at the National Theatre, Abu Dhabi, Hospital Passion Play at London’s V&A, The Magic Flute for Garsington Opera at West Green House, Twenty Women Singing a tour of prisons with Welsh National Opera, Magna Carta – The Freedom Game at the Royal Albert Hall, Out of the ruins at Royal Opera House – A Gala Celebration, The Crackle (as associate director) -Royal Opera House Linbury, Worldskills opening ceremony at O2 London, South of the River with English National Opera and Beached with Opera North in Bridlington.
Jessie is a musician with a passion for collaboration. She works for many of the U.K’s leading arts organisations as musical director, pianist, concert-presenter and workshop-leader – engaging people of all ages and abilities in making music. Her 80-strong all-female pop choir LIPS has performed at the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall and live on BBC television. She performs regularly in story-telling ensemble TROUPE and recently set up a charity called Girls Rock London which aims to build girls’ self esteem and confidence through song-writing.
Following a History of Art degree from Leeds University and a year studying scenic design under Allison Chitty at Motley, Rhiannon has amassed 18 years experience as a Set and Costume Designer, Art Director, and Producer. Rhiannon’s design experience is multidisciplinary, spanning; Theatre, Opera, large scale community shows, music festivals, immersive theatre and events. Rhiannon has extensive experience in using design in a devising process and delivering design workshops to all ages both in person and more recently in front of the camera.
Rhiannon has worked as a prop supervisor and buyer for The National Theatre, English National Opera and in the West End and was Props Production Manager for the London 2012 Olympic Ceremonies. Between 2012 and 2014 Rhiannon art directed 14 productions for Secret Cinema including Shawshank Redemption, Miller's Crossing and Grand Budapest Hotel. Rhiannon was Art Director for the first iteration of Alice Adventures Underground and has art directed many large scale immersive corporate events and parties for clients including Save the Children, Cancer Research, and King.
Alongside Rhiannon’s creative credits she has gathered logistical and managerial skills producing large scale events. These producing credits include: Back to the Future (Secret Cinema); The Cyberscene Project and Cookies (Theatre Royal Haymarket) and Rooms by FKA Twigs (Veuve Clicquot Widow Series).
Recent design credits: Unseen (Streetwise Opera); Dare to Dream (Royal Albert Hall); The Ring Cycle (Longborough Festival Opera) Water in the Desert (NYU Abu Dhabi); Falstaff (Liverpool Philharmonic); Silver Birch and Road Rage (Garsington Opera); Apollo et Hyacinthus, Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots (Classical Opera Company); The Hogboon and Monster in the Maze (Barbican LSO); Così fan tutte (RNCM); Tarka the Otter (Two Moors Festival, Exeter Cathedral); The Freedom Game (Royal Albert Hall); ROH Youth Opera Company Triple Bill (ROH Gala).
Natasha trained at London Studio Centre and began her career as a performer before deciding to concentrate on being a creative from behind the scenes. Her versatility enables her to work across the industry including theatre, commercials, bespoke commissions and Ceremonies.
Robert studied singing at Manhattan School of Music, New York, the Tanglewood Music Center, Aspen Music Festival and the Britten Pears School. He also has a Masters in Middle Eastern Politics from Exeter University.Robert also has a passion for educational work and regularly leads workshops for Streetwise Opera and Snape Maltings.