rehearsals for Schubert's Singspiel Die Verschworenen, The Conspirators, which we presented on 19-20 March as an education project in association
with Queen's College, London. This was our fifth and most ambitious project at Queen's (a quite remarkable central London girls' school), and enabled a group of talented girls, aged 13 - 18, to participate as the major female roles, working alongside professionals Tom Raskin and Edmund Connolly, and a professional band conducted by Bampton Artistic Director, Gilly French. Some teachers were able to take part as well. It was one of the most delightful productions I've ever directed, with some really sound singing from the girls both in solos and ensembles, and the highest standard of acting. Everyone from the youngest to the oldest (me, unfortunately!) was thrilled by the process of working together to present a marvellous piece of music - anyone tempted to dismiss Schubert as an opera composer should encounter this totally endearing and very well constructed Singspiel. Thanks to listings in The Times and Opera Now we attracted some audience from the general public eager to hear such a rarity - our longest-distance visitor flying in from Chicago! Once again we demonstrated that opera can be relevant and life-changing even for city teenagers.
with Queen's College, London. This was our fifth and most ambitious project at Queen's (a quite remarkable central London girls' school), and enabled a group of talented girls, aged 13 - 18, to participate as the major female roles, working alongside professionals Tom Raskin and Edmund Connolly, and a professional band conducted by Bampton Artistic Director, Gilly French. Some teachers were able to take part as well. It was one of the most delightful productions I've ever directed, with some really sound singing from the girls both in solos and ensembles, and the highest standard of acting. Everyone from the youngest to the oldest (me, unfortunately!) was thrilled by the process of working together to present a marvellous piece of music - anyone tempted to dismiss Schubert as an opera composer should encounter this totally endearing and very well constructed Singspiel. Thanks to listings in The Times and Opera Now we attracted some audience from the general public eager to hear such a rarity - our longest-distance visitor flying in from Chicago! Once again we demonstrated that opera can be relevant and life-changing even for city teenagers. 
