Stuart Skelton sings Wagner

CELEBRATING OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY 13th September 2017

STUART SKELTON SINGS WAGNER

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Stuart Skelton sings Wagner 13th September 2017

©Sim Canetty-Clark

St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge

In the presence of The High Commissioner of Australia HE The Hon. Alexander Downer AC & Mrs Nicola Downer AM Principal Partner Commonwealth Bank of Australia

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE Derek Nimmo with Isla Baring OAM, at the launch of the Tait Memorial Trust Australia House 1992

In some ways I find it’s a miracle we have survived 25 years helping Australian performing artists in the UK. Yet over this time we have had such inspiring talent to support that we have continued to work hard on their behalf, finding a niche for ourselves in London life, and here we still are.

My love of Wagner is well-known, which is why I was so excited to be able to present Heldentenor Stuart Skelton for our audience, and what’s more, to celebrate our birthday! Not only Wagnerian, but also Australian, and at the top of his game - a shining example for all our Australian talent. We are so grateful that he has so generously agreed to support us in this way.

It’s also very special to have Richard Wagner’s great-great-grandson Antoine Wagner celebrating with us! He has also been greatly influenced by his descendant’s life and music, having retraced Wagner's steps during his exile in Switzerland, and captured on camera those astonishing landscapes which so inspired his work.

In the early years the Tait Trust presented many concerts of Wagner, and lecture-recitals with the late, great musicologist Rudolph Sabor at Australia House, and Leighton House, so I would like to dedicate this concert to Rudi, who inspired me and many others to a love of Wagner’s work.

We also have some highly talented young Australian singers and pianist Jayson Gillham to support Stuart tonight, many of whom have personally benefited from Tait financial help. We are especially delighted that dramatic-contralto

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE Liane Keegan is here with us from Melbourne. 25 years ago Liane sang in our first concert at Australia House, with the late Derek Nimmo as Master of Ceremonies.

Her talent inspired me to try to help her and the increasing numbers of Australian performing artists arriving in the U.K to study, and the Trust was born! From these very small beginnings, our growth has been gratifying: this year we have been able to award £50,000 for Isla Baring OAM, Rudolf Sabor & Liane Keegan Australian performing artists Leighton House 1992 studying in the U.K. I am most grateful to St Paul's Knightsbridge who have offered us this beautiful church for our special celebration, and particularly to Reverend Alan Gyle for hosting the post-concert reception, so we can drink a toast to Stuart and these splendid artists, and to the Tait's achievement.

Our gratitude to the Commonwealth Bank and its Chairman, Paul Orchart, for support with tonight's concert and over the past few years as Principal Partner; likewise to Chevalier Richard Gunter who supports our venues, and the many individuals and Friends who have given so generously towards this evening’s concert, and the establishment of an Endowment Fund for the future.

We also recognise the unstinting support of the Australian High Commission in London, since that very first concert to the present day. The current High Commissioner HE Alexander Downer AC and his wife Nicky have been particularly keen champions of our work. Heartfelt thanks to our Trustees and hard-working Committee - and last but not least, our wonderful Tait audiences: the Australian community and its dear UK friends who make our events the warm and convivial occasions that they have always been - something uniquely and proudly ‘Tait’!

With your help, may there be many more!

Isla Baring OAM Chairman, Tait Memorial Trust

PRINCIPAL PARTNER MESSAGE The vision of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia is to excel at securing and enhancing the financial well-being of people, business and communities, and this includes supporting leading arts organisations in Australia. Our partnerships with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Bangarra Dance Theatre and Opera Australia have helped make the arts more accessible to all Australians and have helped ensure continues opportunities for the exceptional talent in our country.

Thanks to our relationship with Tait Memorial Trust in the past three years, Commonwealth Bank has been able to expand its support for our talented artists beyond Australia’s shores as they further their careers in the United Kingdom.

On the occasion of the Tait Memorial Trust’s 25th anniversary, I am delighted to confirm on behalf of CBA that we will continue as its Principal Partner to ensure that together, we can continue to support an important facet of Australia’s heritage and culture.

Congratulations on the Tait’s 25th Anniversary.

Paul Orchart Managing Director Europe Commonwealth Bank

Stuart Skelton sings Wagner At St Paul’s Church Knightsbridge Sponsored by Chev. Richard Gunter Wednesday 13th September 2017

Introduced by Antoine Wagner In the presence of The High Commissioner of Australia His Excellency, The Hon. Alexander Downer AC & Mrs Nicola Downer AM

Principal Partner, Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Stuart Skelton, tenor Richard Peirson, piano Catherine Carby*, mezzo-soprano Vivien Conacher*, mezzo-soprano Samantha Crawford*, soprano Jayson Gillham*ᵅ, piano Eleanor Greenwood, mezzo-soprano Deborah Humbleᵅ, mezzo-soprano Liane Keegan*ᵅ, dramatic-contralto Kirstin Sharpin¹, soprano Katrina Sheppeard*ᵅ, soprano Ashlyn Tymms*, mezzo-soprano Valda Wilson*², soprano Artistic Director: Jessica Cottis*ᵅ Event Consultant: Cameron Menziesᵅ Stage Manager: Sascha Kelly * ᵅ ¹ ²

Tait Awardee Member of Tait Music Board Travel sponsored by the Countess of Portsmouth Travel sponsored by Richard Bonynge AC CBE

These new photographs by photographer and filmmaker Antoine Wagner (born 1982) celebrate the artist’s world-famous ancestor--the great German composer Richard Wagner. The images afford us a glimpse of how the remarkable landscape of the Swiss Alps influenced the composer’s operas.

Text in French/English/German forward by Bob Wilson, Lord Birkett and Andy Sommer For more information contact info@antoinewagner.com Julierpass #3 2013 120 x 150cm edition of 5 - c-print with enlarger

by Antoine Wagner for more information on Antoine Wagner's "October Studio visits" in London please email: info@antoinewagner.com www.antoinewagner.com /@antoinewagnerstudio

CONCERT PROGRAMME Introduction by Antoine Wagner Ride of the Valkyries Die Walküre, Act 2

Gerhilde - Katrina Sheppeard Helmwige - Valda Wilson Ortlinde - Kirstin Sharpin Waltraute - Deborah Humble Siegrune - Catherine Carby Schwertleite - Vivien Conacher Grimgerde - Ashlyn Tymms Rossweisse – Eleanor Greenwood Piano - Jayson Gillham Piano - Richard Peirson

In fernem Land Lohengrin, Act 3

Lohengrin - Stuart Skelton Piano - Richard Peirson

Pilgerchor transcription

Piano - Jayson Gillham

O sink hernieder nacht

Tristan - Stuart Skelton Isolde - Katrina Sheppeard Brangäne - Catherine Carby

Der Engel &Träume Wesendonck Lieder

Liane Keegan Richard Peirson

Liebestod transcription

Jayson Gillham

Nur eine Waffe taugt Parsifal, Act 3

Parsifal - Stuart Skelton Piano - Richard Peirson

Siegmund & Sieglinde Die Walküre, Act 1

Siegmund - Stuart Skelton Sieglinde - Samantha Crawford Piano - Richard Peirson Piano - Jayson Gillham

PROGRAMME NOTES For all that Wagner’s music dramas were conceived in through-composed structures rather than self-contained numbers, as conventional operas of the time tended to be, he had no principled objection to presenting his works in the form of excerpts, or ‘bleeding chunks’, as they subsequently became known.

The eight concerts given by Wagner at the Albert Hall in 1877 consisted of precisely such bite-sized pieces.

Brünnhilde with the Valkyries ‘The Rhinegold The Valkyrie’ Arthur Rackham 1910 The Ride of the Valkyries (which opens the third act of Die Walküre), always a favourite with audiences, was given at more than one of those Royal Albert Hall concerts. The Valkyries are the nine daughters of Wotan, the ruler of the gods, whose task it is to scoop up the bodies of slain heroes on the battlefield and transport them to Valhalla, where well-trained Wishmaidens will wait on them hand and foot, serving them drinks, and preparing them for whatever task Wotan has in mind. The Ride is a graphic depiction of the hectic aerial galloping of eight of the Valkyries (the ninth, Brunnhilde, is making her way separately, pursued by Wotan), emitting their exhilarating greeting, ‘Hojotoho!’, counterpointed by a rising dotted figure and a hurtling chromatic descent.

PROGRAMME NOTES ‘In Fernem Land’ is the narration delivered by the hero knight Lohengrin in the third act of the opera of that name. Lohengrin makes an unexpected arrival in Antwerp, on the banks of the Scheldt, responding to the cries of help from Elsa of Brabant, falsely accused of the murder of her brother. In exchange for his help, he insists on a pre-nuptial agreement (she must not ask his name or place of origin) that she fails to keep. In his narration, Lohengrin tells how he came as a servant of the Grail; such knights are granted invincible power on condition of anonymity. Now that his secret is revealed, he must return to Grail headquarters at the castle of Monsalvat. His father is Parzival, he announces, and his own name Lohengrin.

Stuart Skelton Siegmund, Die Walküre The Melbourne Ring Cycle © Lisa Tomasetti 2014

Wagner’s close friend and eventually father-in-law Franz Liszt made fifteen piano transcriptions of numbers from the operas, most of them requiring considerable keyboard virtuosity. The arrangement of the Pilgrims’ Chorus from Tannhäuser is essentially of the chorus as it appears in the Overture of the opera with an ending of Liszt’s own. The piece was composed in 1861 and published in 1864.

Tristan und Isolde is Wagner’s depiction of a passion so intense, a yearning so inextinguishable, that its consummation can be experienced only in death. The

We are honoured to support the Tait & Sir Charles Mackerras Chair at the Southbank Sinfonia jointly with the Estate of Lady Mackerras for the next 10 years “To enable players to devote themselves fully to the fellowship, every place is free, and every player receives a bursary. Southbank Sinfonia receive no public funding and is indebted to its many individual donors, trusts & foundations, and corporate supporters who believe in the potential of its young musicians.“

www.southbanksinfonia.co.uk

PROGRAMME NOTES couple give expression to their love in the extended duet that occurs in Act II and the centrepiece of that duet begins to the words ‘O sink hernieder, Nacht der Liebe’ (O sink down, night of love). Tristan has led Isolde to a flowery bank in the garden of King Mark’s castle in Cornwall. Over a gently syncopated accompaniment, the lovers spin sensuous phrases, their passion gradually mounting, heedless of the warnings sung by Isolde’s maid, Brangane, from the watchtower.

The married woman who inspired Tristan und Isolde, Mathilde Wesendonck, was also an Tristan und Isolde accomplished poet who provided the verses Baden-Baden 2016 for a cycle of songs from around the same time © Monika Rittershaus as the opera and related to its philosophical sentiments. ‘Traume’, the last of the set, recalls the music of the love duet from Tristan, celebrating the dream-world where the lovers dwell, beyond mundane reality. In ‘Der Engel’ the poet envisions an angel coming down to relieve the suffering of the human soul by transporting it to heaven. The palpitating beat of the ‘heart in sorrow’ is heard in the second stanza, while the final heavenly ascent is suggested by sweet celestial harmonies.

The celebrated conclusion to Tristan und Isolde was arranged by Liszt in a piece that he titled Isolde’s Liebestod. His transcription is a miraculous reimagining of the Liebestod in terms of the piano.

Wagner’s final opera, Parsifal, concerns the young hero, a fool made wise by compassion, who brings redemption to the community of the Grail and its leader, Amfortas. In Act III of the opera Parsifal returns to the community having travelled widely. He is brought to the Grail hall where Amfortas, refusing to uncover the Grail, is being threatened by his fellow knights. Amfortas has been mortally wounded in his side and the act of uncovering the Grail exacerbates his agony. Parsifal appears unobserved and to the words ‘Nur eine Waffe taugt’ (Only one weapon serves), he holds out the spear he has recaptured from

PROGRAMME NOTES the evil Klingsor and with its point touches Amfortas’ wound. Amfortas is miraculously healed, and he yields his office as lord of the Grail to the new redeemer. Parsifal takes the Grail from the shrine and waves it in blessing over the worshipping knights.

Siegmund and Sieglinde, the sibling Volsungs, separated in childhood, encounter each other again in Act I of Die Walküre and fall in love. As they embrace passionately, the door flies open, revealing a glorious spring night with full moon.

In the celebrated ‘Wintersturme’, Siegmund sings how the winter storms have given way to spring. He speaks of Spring and Love as brother and sister, to which Sieglinde replies that he is the spring for whom she has so longed. The remainder of the act is an ecstatic declaration of their love. He admits that the name Woeful is no longer appropriate and she renames him Siegmund, guardian of victory. To her delight he pulls the sword promised to him by his father out of the tree in which it was embedded. She tells him that he has won both sister and bride with the sword. They embrace rapturously.

Barry Millington ©2017

©Sim Canetty-Clark

BIOGRAPHIES

Stuart Skelton is one of the finest heldentenors on the stage today, critically acclaimed for his outstanding musicianship, tonal beauty, and intensely dramatic portrayals. His repertoire encompasses many of opera’s most challenging roles, from Wagner's Parsifal, Tristan, Lohengrin, Erik, and Siegmund, to Strauss’s Kaiser, Beethoven’s Florestan, Saint-Saens’ Samson, Dvorak’s Dimitrij, and Peter Grimes.

The tenor makes his debut at Teatro alla Scala in the 2017-18 season in Fidelio conducted by Myung-Whun Chung in a production directed by Deborah Warner and joins the Salzburg Easter Festival, on tour in China, for Die Walküre conducted

by Jaap van Zweden in a production directed by Vera Nemirova. Stuart Skelton’s robust concert calendar includes performances of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with Asher Fisch and the Milwaukee Symphony; Adam Fischer and the Dusseldorfer Symphoniker; Sir Simon Rattle and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, and the London Symphony Orchestra; Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius with Sir Andrew Davis and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and with Sakari Oramo and the BBC Symphony Orchestra; and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with David Robertson and the St Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Stuart Skelton opened the 2016-17 Metropolitan Opera season in the company’s new production of Tristan und Isolde conducted by Sir Simon Rattle; he first reached the zenith of the tenor repertoire – as Tristan – for the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden in a new production by Mariusz Trelinski and later assayed English language performances in a new production designed by Sir Anish Kapoor at the English National Opera directed by Daniel Kramer, conducted by Edward Gardner.

BIOGRAPHIES Richard Peirson studied at Cambridge University, the Royal Academy of Music and the National Opera Studio. He was on the music staff of Scottish Opera from 1993 to 2001 where he worked as repetiteur, played solo piano in The Turn of the Screw and Ariadne auf Naxos, harpsichord in Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte and The Marriage of Figaro; he was chorus master for The Magic Flute and Gavin Bryars' Medea and was Music Director for Scottish Opera Go Round's La bohème.

Richard joined the music staff of English National Opera in 2005 and has worked with many conductors including Sir Charles Mackerras, Ed Gardner, Sir Richard Armstrong and Mark Wigglesworth.

Richard also works as a freelance coach and accompanist and has given many lecture recitals for the Chelsea-based opera group "Divas and Scholars". His setting of W B Yeats' "He wishes for the cloths of heaven" is published by Stainer and Bell.

His vocal works include several settings of words by Edward Lear and, for chorus, liturgical titles and Lear’s The Akond of Swat and An Animal Alphabet.

Antoine Wagner (b.1982) is a French/American visual artist working in photography, video and installation. He was born in Evanston, Illinois, and lives and works in New York and Paris. Wagner holds degrees from Northwestern University and Sciences-Po Paris in theatre, political science, and film studies. He has completed residency at the Robert Wilson Watermill Foundation in New York and at the Villa Medici in Rome. Wagner holds an award for "special cinematography" from the Nantuket film festival and the Prix Lyric of Pierre Berge for the documentary Wagner: A genius in Exile. His book Wagner in der Schweiz published by the Verlag fur Moderne Kunst was followed by his exhibition "EXIL" by Volkerkunde Museum in Hamburg where he explored migration, territory and displacement through music. Other notable exhibitions featuring his work include: Supersonic, DECK Singapore, (Sept 2017), Echo, Julien David Tokyo (Sept-Oct 2017) Silence, Hermes Collection, Paris (2017), YOU Breda Photo, Holland (2016), Patrice Chereau: Musee Imaginaire at La Fondation Lambert en Avignon(2015). His work is part of the public collections of La Fondation Lambert en Avignon, the Hermes collection in Paris and the Volkerkunde Museum, Hamburg. He is the great-great-grandson of Richard Wagner and great-great-great grandson of Franz Liszt and Marie D'Agoult.

BIOGRAPHIES Australian mezzo-soprano Catherine Carby studied at the Canberra School of Music and the Royal College of Music, London. Catherine was a finalist in several major competitions including the Kathleen Ferrier Award, the Richard Tauber Award and the Young Concert Artists Trust. Other roles have included Romeo I Capuleti e I Montecchi for Chelsea Opera Group, Aurelio L’Assiedo di Calais for English Touring Opera, Vitige Flavio and the title role in Muzio Scaevola at the London Handel Festival, Don Ramiro La finta giardiniera at the Buxton Festival, Soeur Mathilde Dialogues des Carmélites, Second Maid Elektra and Voice from Above Die Frau ohne Schatten for the Royal Opera, London; Kate Pinkerton Madama Butterfly for English National Opera, Octavian Der Rosenkavalier for Scottish Opera and Brangane Tristan und Isolde for Longborough Festival Opera.

Catherine’s recordings and broadcasts include Satanella for Naxos CD, Messiah for the BBC, The Love for Three Oranges for Chandos CD, Der Rosenkavalier for Opera Australia CD/DVD and Classic 100 Opera for ABC. Soprano Samantha Crawford graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, studying with Yvonne Kenny. In 2017 she was awarded the Golden Medal with Honours at the Berliner International Music Competition, and in 2016 won First Prize at the Wagner Society Singing Competition. Samantha made her debut in the role of Mrs. Coyle Owen Wingrave Aldeburgh and Edinburgh Festivals, under Mark Wigglesworth. Other roles include Agathe Der Freischütz Blackheath Opera, Angelica Suor Angelica Theatre Fontainebleau, Fiordiligi Così fan tutte cover Scottish Opera, Erste Dame Die Zauberflöte Garsington Opera, Blumenmadchen Parsifal Teatro Real Madrid under Semyon Bychkov, Miss Jessel The Turn of the Screw cover Glyndebourne Touring Opera and Dido Dido and Aeneas Brandenburg Sinfonia. Her recent concert performances include Elias British Sinfonietta, Strauss’s Vier Letze Lieder St George’s Hanover Square, Chausson’s Poème de l’amour et de la mer Barbican Milton Court and Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder City of London Festival. Samantha has recently been awarded a Wagner Study Scholarship from the Wagner Society of NSW.

BIOGRAPHIES Born and raised in Queensland, London-based Australian pianist Jayson Gillham is recognised as one of the finest pianists of his generation. Jayson is internationally praised for his compelling performances and relentless elegance. His playing was brought to international attention when he won the 2014 Montreal International Music Competition.

He now performs with some of the world’s leading orchestras including all of the Australian and New Zealand orchestras, the London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, the Halle, English Chamber Orchestra, Nashville Symphony and Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal amongst others, and with esteemed conductors including the late Sir Jeffrey Tate, Sir Mark Elder, Asher Fisch and Vladimir Ashkenazy. In recital, Jayson performs at prestigious venues across the globe including the Wigmore Hall, Louvre Auditorium, Pollack Hall (Montreal), City Recital Hall Sydney, and many others.

Chamber music forms an important part of Jayson’s career with highlights including performances with the Jerusalem, Carducci, Tinalley and Brentano string quartets. Jayson records exclusively for ABC Classics.

“With huge thanks to Stephen and Jeany Cronk for their generous donation”

Tonight’s delicious rose wine has been courteously provided by Mirabeau Wines.

www.mirabeauwine.com

BIOGRAPHIES Dramatic-contralto Liane Keegan was awarded the Opera Foundation Australia, Shell Royal Opera House Covent Garden Scholarship which enabled her to study at the National Opera Studio London. Liane was the inaugural Tait recipient, and the inspiration for creating the Trust. Liane came to the attention of both critics and public alike with roles including Azucena Il trovatore with State Opera of South Australia, Ulrica Un ballo in maschera with Opera Australia, conducted by Simone Young, First Norn The Twilight of the Gods, and Offred’s Mother in The Handmaid’s Tale with English National Opera. Klytemnestra Elektra, and Brigitte Die tote Stadt with Theater Hagen (ensemble member 2006-2008). As a member of the ensemble of Deutsche Oper Berlin from 2008-2012, Liane sang among many other roles: First Norn and Siegrune Der Ring des Nibelungen, Adelaide Arabella. Liane sings Erda, First Norn and Waltraute Die Walküre on the 2004 Melba Records recording of the first Australian Ring Cycle, conducted by Asher Fisch. Liane is a regular principal soloist with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and the Victorian Opera. Liane is the founder and Artistic Director of XLArts, a young performer development company, and is delighted to be with us this evening to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Tait Memorial Trust.

Katrina Sheppeard is one of the UK’s most exciting up and coming dramatic sopranos, last year jumping in for the title role in ENO’s Norma to great acclaim. Since moving from Australia to London in 2008 Katrina has worked extensively with UK companies, and in particular with English National Opera. Roles covered by Katrina for ENO include Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana, the title role in Turandot, Marta in Weinberg’s The Passenger, Leonore in Fidelio, Katerina in Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, and most recently Tosca. Other UK companies Katrina has performed with are Welsh National Opera, Opera Brava, Riverside Opera, Swansea Opera, Midland Opera and Bloomsbury Opera - roles include Tosca, Aïda, Turandot, Tatiana Eugene Onegin and Rosalinde Die Fledermaus. This year, Katrina has been awarded a coveted Wagner Scholarship from the Wagner Society of NSW and is very grateful for the continued support of the Tait Memorial Trust.

BIOGRAPHIES Sydney-born mezzo-soprano Vivien Conacher trained on ENO OperaWorks and at the Royal College of Music (M.Perf with Distinction). She has performed roles for Wexford Festival Opera, Iford Arts Festival and Grange Park Opera, and as a concert soloist for the Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Foundation, St-Martin-in-the-Fields, St James Piccadilly, and Devon Opera. Vivien is a Concordia Foundation Artist, a Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme alumnus, and a Tait Memorial Trust Awardee. Recently she played Fidalma in Cimarosa’s comic opera Il matrimonio segreto to critical acclaim, with reviewers praising Vivien’s “vocal panache” and “titilatingly sassy” and “hysterical” performances. Vivien also runs a dementia-friendly concert series in central London called Songhaven.

Award-winning singer Eleanor Greenwood has sung on stage in London, in the UK, in Australia, in Europe and throughout China. She made her start at the International Opera Festival in Wexford after graduating from London’s Royal Academy of Music Opera School. Before leaving the UK she performed with various groups in Europe. She joined Opera Australia, and won the Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship competition for Australasian Opera Singers in 2015. Eleanor is a graduate of the Australian National University where she completed her Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours. In opera productions Eleanor has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, Schweizer Radio DRS and RTE Radio Ireland.

Born in Bangor, Wales, Deborah Humble was raised in Adelaide, Australia. She received her musical and vocal training first at the Elder Conservatory of the University of Adelaide and later at the University of Melbourne. Deborah was a member of the Young Artist Program of the Victoria State Opera and was the winner of the prestigious Dame Joan Sutherland Scholarship She then joined the Hamburg Staatsoper ensemble. Deborah recorded the role of Erda in Wagner’s Das Rheingold and Siegfried, in concertante with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Jaap van Zweden (recently released on CD by Naxos). Deborah made her debut at Boston Symphony Hall with the role of Erda in Siegfried, and debuted the role of Brangane in Tristan und Isolde with conductor Jan Latham-Konig in Mexico City.

BIOGRAPHIES The winner of the triennial International WagnerStimmen Wettbewerb in Karlsruhe in 2015, Kirstin Sharpin read English and Italian at the University of Auckland before graduating from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland as Master of Opera with Distinction. Further study followed at the Cardiff International Academy of Voice with Dennis O’Neill, as an Independent Opera Postgraduate Fellow and Samling Artist. Recent operatic engagements include the title role in Beethoven’s Leonore for the Buxton Festival, concert performances of the title role in Weber’s Euryanthe, Ada Die Feen & Mariana Das Liebesverbot for Chelsea Opera Group, and Gerhilde Die Walküre for Saffron Hall Opera, as well as a criticallyacclaimed Elettra Idomeneo (Blackheath Halls Opera), and Gertrud Hänsel und Gretel with Garsington Young Artists at West Green.

Ashlyn Tymms graduated as a HF Music Scholar at the Royal College of Music, Masters of Performance with Distinction 2017. Ashlyn is the recipient of the Outstanding Australian Musician Award from the Royal Over-Seas League 2017, and the Louise Worthington Award, Tait Memorial Trust. Ashlyn is also honoured to have received the Basil Coleman Award, Sylvia Harris Award, Joan Carden Award and scholarships from the Ian Potter Cultural Trust and PPCA Performers Trust.

Most recently she toured to South Korea with the London Cello Orchestra; performed Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music at Buckingham Palace, hosted by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, under the baton of John Wilson; and the role of Rosimonda in Handel’s Faramondo with the London Handel Festival.

Valda Wilson is one of the most versatile, exciting and musically curious sopranos of her generation, balancing a career between Germany and her homeland Australia. Her extensive opera and concert repertoire ranges from Bach through Mozart to Bellini, Verdi, Mahler, Shostakovich and Miroslav Srnka and Paul Stanhope. Valda has worked with the orchestras of Covent Garden, the Semperoper Dresden, deFilharmonie, Teatro di San Carlo Naples, Orchestre des Champs-Elysees, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Verbier Festival Orchestra and the Halle, with conductors Richard Bonynge (concert and CD of Rodelinda), Charles Dutoit, Antonio Pappano, and Philippe Herreweghe. This season she makes her debut with the Strasbourg Philharmonique under Maestro Marko Letonja and she joins the Saarlaendisches Staatstheater where her roles include Musetta La bohème, First Lady Die Zauberflöte, and Fiordiligi Così fan tutte.

THE TAIT MEMORIAL TRUST - 25 YEARS Photos from the past 25 years taken by our photographer extraordinaire, Angus Forbes.

OUR SUPPORTERS Tait Grainger Patron £10,000+ Julian Baring Family* The Estate of Lady Mackerras* Mr Michael Whalley & Mrs Karen Goldie Morrison

Mrs Jacqueline Thompson & Mr Damian Walsh

TMT Sponsor £200+ Mrs Susan Baring OBE Bernays Trust Tait Sutherland Benefactor £5,000+ Mr Peter Box Earl Cadogan* Mr & Mrs Christopher Braithwaite Sir David & Lady Higgins* Mrs Jaki Bryant Mr John Frost AM* The Dowager Countess of Harewood Tait Bonynge Partner £3,000+ Mr & Mrs David Hunter Chevalier Richard Gunter Dame Norma Major DBE Mrs June Mendoza AM OBE Tait Helpmann Circle £1,000+ The Countess of Portsmouth Mrs Jaki Bryant Lady Anya Sainsbury CBE Mrs Jan Gowrie-Smith Mr & Mrs Paddy Linaker TMT Friends £75+ Mr Andrew Loewenthal & Miss Marylyn Abbott Ms Eugenie White* Mr Eric Adler The Thornton Foundation Mrs June Allison Mrs Margaret Rodgers Ms Ariadne Jane Baring Ms Louise Worthington* The Hon. Mark Baring VEC Acorn Trust The Hon. Susan Baring OBE Ms Nina Bialoguski TMT Frank & Viola Friends £500+ Mr Lindsay Birrell Mr Julian Agnew Ms Sue Bradbury Mr Hugh Bayne Viscountess Harriet Bridgeman Mrs Diana Burley Tait Melba Supporter £250+ Mr John Crisp Mrs Lorraine Buckland Ms Fay Curtin Mrs Jane Butter Mr Roger Davenport Mr John Coke Mrs Anne Davidson The Hon. Sarah Joiner Mrs Sandra DeMonte Mrs Anne Longden Mrs Celeste Ekerick Mr Henry Lumley Mr Edward Field Mr Kerry Rubie Dr Rodney Foale The Hon. Sir R. Storey Bt CBE Mrs Lorraine Freedberg

Miss Rosemary Frischer Mrs Diana Furlonger Mr Phillip Hart Lady Gail Jopling Mrs Juliet Jowitt Dr John Keets Mr Patrick Kennedy Mr Martin Kramer Mrs Wendy Kramer Lady Rosa Lipworth CBE Mr Henry Lumley Miss Joanna McCallum Ms Sue McGregor Miss Ellen Moloney Ms Lisa Orlov Mr Frederick Pyne Ms Mary Rayner Mr John Rendall Mrs Patricia Rochford Ms Jacqueline Rowlands Ms Katherine Scholfield Mr Ian Tegner Mrs Annette Thorp Rev John Wates OBE Mrs Sue Williams *Adopt a Performer Supported this Concert Mr David Baillieu Mr Richard Bonynge AC CBE Commonwealth Bank Stephen & Jeany Cronk Mrs Jan Gowrie-Smith Chevalier Richard Gunter The Countess of Portsmouth Rio Tinto UK Lord Vestey

We are very grateful for the support that we receive from Principal Partner Commonwealth Bank of Australia Partners: Britain-Australia Society Royal Over-Seas League Australian Charity Art Auction Australian Women’s Club, London With thanks Bury Court Opera Harmony Magazine Lark Insurance Limelight Magazine Mirabeau Wines Roses Only UK St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge

Wagner Society of NSW Wagner Society UK West Green House Opera

Jeremy Vinogradov Antoine Wagner Michael Whalley

Special thanks Humphrey Burton CBE Angus Forbes The Reverend Alan Gyle The late Andrew Loewenthal Cameron Menzies Barry Millington Diana Murray Ann Seddon Katrina Sheppeard

Acknowledgements: Jessica Cottis Karen Goldie-Morrison Hannan Images, Photo Sascha Kelly Anne Longden The Tait Committee The Tait Music Board The Tait Trustees Stuart Skelton & soloists

Proudly supporting young performing artists from Australia and New Zealand studying in the UK Founded in 1992

Principal Partner Commonwealth Bank of Australia Chairman Isla Baring OAM Founding Patrons Dame Joan Sutherland AC OM DBE, Viola, Lady Tait AM, John McCallum AO CBE, Googie Withers AO CBE Patrons Leanne Benjamin AM OBE, John Frost AM, Julian Gavin, The Dowager Countess of Harewood, Barry Humphries AO CBE, Piers Lane AO, June Mendoza AO OBE, Danielle de Niese, Ermes de Zan Trustees Justin Baring, Isla Baring OAM, Anne Longden, John Rendall, Susie Thornton The Leanne Benjamin Awards—Ballet Leanne Benjamin AM OBE, Artistic Director & Patron Committee Fay Curtin, Jan Gowrie-Smith, Wendy Kramer, Alice McCahey, Gayle McDermott, Patricia Nimmo, Margaret Rodgers, Ann Seddon, Jacqueline Thompson, Rosemary Tuck Stuart Skelton sings Wagner event sub-committee Isla Baring OAM, Lorraine Buckland, Wendy Kramer, Katrina Sheppeard Music Board Caroline Almonte, Dr Helen Ayres, Isla Baring OAM, Jessica Cottis, Julian Gavin, Jayson Gillham, Dr Leslie Howard, Deborah Humble, Liane Keegan, Cameron Menzies, Anthony Roden, Katrina Sheppeard, Chad Vindin Honorary Member Nicola Downer AM Administrator James Hancock Registered charity 1042797 Tait Memorial Trust 4/80 Elm Park Gardens London SW10 9PD Phone +44 207 351 0561

info@taitmemorialtrust.org

www.taitmemorialtrust.org

TAIT AWARDS 2017 The Tait Memorial Trust is pleased to be assisting these talented young Australian performing artists in 2017/18 Discretionary funding Name State

State

Artform

Institution

Award / Donor

Wilbur Whitta Courtenay Cleary Iona Allan Kate Amos Jade Moffat Samantha Crawford

ACT Qld Qld Vic NSW NSW

Jazz Piano Violin Violin Soprano Mezzo-Soprano Soprano

Royal Academy of Music Royal Academy of Music Royal College of Music Private Studies Private Studies Private Studies

tbc tbc tbc tbc Whalley/Goldie-Morrison Award Julian Baring Award

ACT NSW Vic NSW

Bassoon Royal Over-Seas League prize Cello Southbank Sinfonia Mezzo Soprano Aust International Opera Awards Bel Canto Award - Australia Baroque Viola Dartington Int Summer School

Tait ROSL prize Tait Sir C. Mackerras Chair Frost Frank & Viola Award Performance Platform / TMT John Amis Award / TMT

Qld NSW NSW SA WA WA

Composer Cello Oboe Classical Guitar Soprano Mezzo-Soprano

Tait Scholar / Baring family Higgins Scholar / Higgins family Andrew Loewenthal Award Nicholas Heesom Award Thornton Foundation Louise Worthington Award

Partner awards Justin Sun Bernadette Morrison Bronte Zemlic tba Cecile Ross Adopt a Performer Connor D’Netto Waynne Kwon Madeleine Randall Andrey Lebedev Samantha Clarke Ashlyn Tymms

Royal College of Music Royal Northern College of Music Guildhall School of Music & Drama Private Studies Guildhall School of Music & Drama Private Studies

Leanne Benjamin Awards

Leanne Benjamin Awards

Rebecca Blenkinsop Chloe Keneally Breanna Ford Maeve Nolan Lauren Songberg

Ballet Ballet Ballet Ballet Ballet

Vic Qld Qld NSW NSW

Royal Ballet School English National Ballet School English National Ballet School English National Ballet School English National Ballet School

John Frost Award tba tba tba tba

The Trust has helped over 300 young Australian performers since 1992 We hope to help many more in the years to come Lauren Fagan • Grant Doyle • Siobhan Stagg • Julian Gavin • Brad Cooper • Helena Dix Sky Ingram • Kevin Penkin • Daniel de Borah • Hoang Phan • Jessica Cottis Lachlan Monaghan • Thomas Rann • Tristan Dyer • Amy Dickson • Valda Wilson Liane Keegan • Alexandra Hutton • Stefan Cassemenos • Derek Welton • Morgan Pearse • Duncan Rock • Helen Sherman • Adrian Dwyer • Elena Xanthoudakis Jayson Gillham • Lauren Easton • Coady Green • Greta Bradman • Gavin Zev Yelian He • Catherine Carby • Samuel Sakker • Nicholas Lester • Caitlin Hulcup Kate Howden • Adam Szabo • Lauren Zolezzi • Gerard Schneider • Liwei Qin Marshall McGuire • Claire Howard • John Heuzenroeder • Chelsea Andrejic Natalie Christie • Kate Ladner • Benjamin Bayl • Joanna Cole • Jacqueline Dark Leanne Kenneally • Mary Jean O’Doherty • Russell Harcourt

UPCOMING TAIT EVENTS Christmas Carols & Cocktails Tuesday, December 12th 2017 A joint Christmas carol party Chicken & Chablis Club Australian Women’s Club Tait Memorial Trust Australia House The Strand, London WC2B 4LA

Dancing in the Salon with Ross Alley Wednesday, April 11th 2018 Music that’s set to a dance rhythm Leighton House 12 Holland Park Rd London W14 8LZ