Our Wigmore Hall Showcase on Tuesday 4 November brings together six Samling Artists who are all enjoying flourishing careers and recent successes. Soprano Sarah Gilford has just made her debut as Nerea in Handel’s Deidamia at Wexford Opera Festival and was described by Bachtrack in a 5-star review as ‘irresistibly effervescent’.
Mezzo-soprano Ellen Pearson and baritone Sam Hird have both just started as Jette Parker Artists at Royal Ballet and Opera. Ellen has just made her debut in Die Zauberflöte as one of ‘a classy trio of ladies’ (The Times) and Sam will appear in La traviata and Boris Godunov in January and February.
Among other projects, Hugo Brady just given an Irish-themed recital at Oxford Song, praised by reviewer Robert Hugill for lyric beauty and great story-telling. Pianists Jonathan Ware and Francesca Lauri have just spent six days with us in the North East coaching our Samling Academy Singers. Francesca and Ellen are also the next recipients of our Samling and Song award and will be taking up their residency in May.
Samling Artist Showcase: more details
New recordings
Nick Pritchard and Ian Tindale have released their first album together and Nick’s debut recital disc. ‘Little Wanderer’, reflects their shared love of English song and includes Benjamin Britten’s Winter Words and the first ever recording of Songs of Illumination by Daniel Kidane, commissioned for Nick and Ian by Leeds Lieder in 2018. There are also songs by Imogen Holst and Britten folksong settings.
signumrecords.com/product/little-wanderer
Joseph Middleton has a new album out with soprano Mary Bevan. ‘Elegy’ is a journey through mourning and transcendence, with a wide-ranging programme that explores the solace music can offer.
signumrecords.com/product/elegy
Opera Singers’ Survey
Anush Hovhannisyan has launched a survey-based research project looking at the realities of life as an opera singer in the UK today. Anush says: Opera singers are the lifeblood of the art form, yet while institutions are able to campaign effectively for their survival, so many individual artists face uncertain futures. By sharing their experiences during training and in the profession, singers can help us build a fairer, more sustainable industry for future generations.
To find out more and to take the survey, visit voca-research.uk/
News in brief
William Thomas reached the finals of Plácido Domingo’s Operalia competition, where he was awarded the CulturArte Prize.
operaliacompetition.org/operalia-2025/
Wigmore Hall have announced their January to March song season, which includes a focus day with James Baillieu; and recitals by Lucy Crowe with Anna Tilbrook and Quatuor Agate; Nardus Williams with Elizabeth Kenny and Mary Beard and Christopher Maltman with Graham Johnson.
wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/series/202526-season-january-march
Jamie Woollard makes his house debut next year at Grange Festival as Colline La bohème, alongside Patrick Dow as Marcello.
Samantha Price joins Steven Swales Management.
Jong Sun Woo has been selected for the City Music Foundation Artist Programme (working with Felix Gygli as an Associate Artist) She receives two years of career development, performances and agency management. Sebastian Hill is also an Associate Artist with pianist and composer Will Harmer.
citymusicfoundation.org/2025-city-music-foundation-artists-announced/
Samling Artists in the North East
Opera North come to Newcastle this week with three Samling Artists taking the lead roles in La bohème. Olivia Boen sings Mimì in the 6 November performance and Elin Pritchard and Katie Bird share the role of Musetta. Ahead of the production, David Whetstone interviewed Elin Pritchard for Cultured North East:
culturednortheast.co.uk/
Opera North’s other production is a collaboration with Phoenix Dance Theatre of Handel’s Susanna, with Claire Lees and Amy Freston in the cast.
Cleveland Philharmonic Choir have an all Samling line-up of soloists for their performance of Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Stockton Parish Church on 22 November, with soprano Jessica Lawley, mezzo-soprano Ellen Pearson and baritone Sam Hird, and former Academy Singer tenor Max Robbins.
clevelandphilharmonicchoir.com/concerts
