- Three-part special focusing on the journey from first experiences with opera to becoming a professional artist
- Guest hosts include Welsh soprano Natalya Romaniw talking about their own experiences and those of their peers
Following the launch of Welsh National Opera’s first podcast series in 2020, The O Word and Cipolwg are back with two new mini-series’ launching on 11 March with weekly episodes.
Both the English language podcast – The O Word – and the Welsh language podcast – Cipolwg – return with a three-part series that looks at the journey of a young artist from their first exposure to classical music to their experience as a student leading up to their first professional performance. The aim of these episodes is not only to help and encourage any young person who is thinking about a career in the arts but to also to give an unfiltered insight from the hosts themselves whilst also learning from others going through the same process today.
Three guest hosts take the reins for The O Word:
- Soprano Natalya Romaniw opens the series, reflecting on her early singing days with WNO Youth Opera and chats to her friend and fellow Youth Opera alumnus soprano Rhian Lois. She also talks to three students who are part of WNO Youth Operato find out what drew them to opera.
- In episode two, Director of Music at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Tim Rhys-Evans investigates the process of studying at conservatoires and universities and meets with Clair Rowden from Cardiff University’s School of Music along with students to discuss the difference between the two.
- WNO Female Conductor in Residence Tianyi Lu presents episode three, where she hosts a round table discussion to discover the first steps a graduate takes towards a professional career. Tianyi is joined by singers and key figures in the arts including soprano Elin Pritchard and Head of the Royal Opera House’s Jette Parker Young Artists Programme Elaine Kidd.
Natalya Romaniw said: “I wanted to explore how formative musical experiences can impact young singers and to incorporate this with looking back at my own experiences with WNO Youth Opera. Youth Opera provided a nurturing environment for me and other like-minded performers, all eager to share the wonderful process of music making. It was here that I made one of my lifelong friends, Rhian Lois and I was thrilled to be able to take a trip down memory lane with her in my episode. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it,”
Cipolwg also returns for a three-part series hosted by WNO Dramaturg Elin Jones. Comedian and journalist Lorna Prichard joins Elin once again, this time on the road as a roving reporter meeting young people, students and professional singers across Wales and finding out more about each stage on the path to a professional operatic career.
Throughout this mini-series, Elin takes a look at the training and development opportunities available for young aspiring singers and artists with Lorna interviewing WNO Youth Opera’s North Wales practitioners Morgana Warren-Jones and Jenny Pearson, as well as one of its members, Millie Roberts. Tim Rhys-Evans is a guest for the second episode where Lorna interviews him about conservatoire training, as well as his previous experience of leading youth groups such as Only Boys Aloud. The series ends with a glimpse into the professional world of a singer, with Lorna meeting two young singers Alys Roberts (graduate of Royal Academy of Music Opera school) and Elgan Llŷr Thomas (English National Opera Harewood Artist) who discuss what it’s like as a young artist post-graduation looking for your first professional role.
WNO General Director Aidan Lang said: “We’re delighted to announce the return of our podcast series and are looking forward to sharing these new episodes over the coming weeks. Despite the current situation, it’s more important than ever that we invest in nurturing and developing young artistic talent for the future, and during the lockdowns we have found that many of our young participants have continued to enthusiastically engage with our online programmes such as Youth Opera. We hope this mini-series gives a thoughtful and interesting insight into the process of becoming a young artist and will perhaps act as inspiration to the next generation of opera singers, musicians and artists.”
New episodes will be available to download weekly from 11 March via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and via the WNO website.
wno.org.uk
Ends
Notes to Editors
- Welsh soprano Natalya Romaniw is one of Europe’s brightest young stars. Recent winner of the RPS Singer award 2020, Young artist of the year at the Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2020 and the 2017 Critic’s Choice Award for Music. Romaniw’s debut recital CD ‘Arion- voyage of a Slavic Soul’, released in 2020 featuring songs of many of the major Eastern European composers, received resounding critical acclaim.
- Tianyi Lu is WNO Female Conductor in Residence and Assistant Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Following her Dudamel Fellowship with the LA Philharmonic in 2017/18, and masterclasses with Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in 2018, Lu has recently conducted the CBSO, Romanian Radio National Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Auckland Philharmonia.
- Tim was appointed Director of Music at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2020. He is a highly sought-after choral conductor, arranger, composer and TV presenter.After some years working as a professional opera singer, Tim realised that his real passion lay in the creation and facilitation of music specialising in choral music, opera and musical theatre. He is passionate about creating grassroots musical opportunities for all; ensuring that everyone with the talent, discipline and commitment has access to pathways into advanced study of music and performance.
- WNO Dramaturg Elin Jones: Originally from Anglesey, Elin studied at Cardiff University, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin and the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama before becoming Welsh National Opera’s Dramaturg in 2018.
- Welsh National Opera is the national opera company for Wales, funded by the Arts Councils of Wales and England to provide large scale opera, concerts and outreach work across Wales and to major cities in the English regions. We endeavour to provide transformative experiences through our education and outreach programme and our award-winning digital projects. We work with our partners to discover and nurture young operatic talent, and we aim to show future generations that opera is a rewarding, relevant and universal art form with the power to affect and inspire
- The podcast will be available to download from a number of podcast directories, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. To locate and subscribe, listeners should search for ‘The O Word’, ‘Cipolwg’ or simply ‘Welsh National Opera’, then click subscribe. It will also be available via the WNO website: wno.org.uk/podcast
- WNO production images are available for download at www.wno.org.uk/press
- For more information, photos or interviews please contact:
Rachel Bowyer / Penny James, Press and Public Affairs Manager (job share)
029 2063 5038
rachel.bowyer@wno.org.uk / penny.james@wno.org.uk
Christina Blakeman, Press Officer
029 2063 5037
christina.blakeman@wno.org.uk