Kate Freston-Davy - Head of Stage Management, Opera North

From jumping in as a rehearsal pianist at the Salzburg Festival, through taking on ENO at the age of thirty-one, and onto the legacy of the LPO , Ed Gardner gives a refreshingly honest insight into his journey from a young chorister to the multi award-winning conductor that he is today. Nina chats to Ed about nurturing and sustaining his musical - and managerial - relationships, his approach to collaboration, and why cross words in a rehearsal room isn’t always a bad thing Find out more about the London Philharmonic Orchestra and their upcoming season here and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra here.

How can we find balance when our schedules can be so punishing? How can we find meaning in our work in a world that celebrates immediate success?  And how can we tackle that unrelenting desire for perfectionism? Returning guest Lou Platt explores these questions and more, and gives ideas and insight into what we can do to better take care of our mental health and wellbeing. You can find Lou on her website or at Artist Wellbeing, on Twitter here, & on Instagram here.  

What happens when the career you have is not the one that you really want? Do you stay and climb the ladder, or do you take a risk and step into your story? Nadine Benjamin found herself thriving in the world of Finance, but always remembered her teacher Mrs. Lake who introduced her to the Queen of the Night’s music at school, telling her that she too could sing like that one day. Taking three months out to try to make singing into her career, Nadine’s talent alongside her bravery and tenacity took her from constantly asking for auditions, to writing up her business plan and asking people to support her, on to finding her own unique path to training her voice.  Needless to say, she didn’t look back. Now, alongside her thriving career - from ENO to the Royal Opera House & Glyndebourne and beyond - she works as a mentor, Mind Coach, certified High Performance Coach, & founder of her own mentorship programme Everybody Can! where she coaches and champions others to step into their own stories.   If you need to reach out for help – The Samaritans can be found here https://www.samaritans.org/ and called on 116 123 for free (UK).   You can find Nadine on Twitter & on Instagram, via her website and through Everybody Can!. 

Hailing from the German equivalent of the Von Trapp family with plans to be a solo violinist, Kathleen’s career took an unexpected pivot when she was unceremoniously sacked from her first job and bumped into Richard Branson in the veg aisle in Marks and Spencers.  Gathering her thoughts alongside her graphic designer boyfriend Alan Long, she launched WildKat PR, a creative PR agency for classical music, something that Kat felt needed a serious change of image. From being less awkward on social media, to finding out whether we really have to be ‘across all platforms’, onto resilience and recovery in the face of failure, we explore the highs and lows of Kat’s journey, and discover tips on how to survive and thrive in the performing arts world. Find out more about Kat here and more about WildKat PR here Follow Kat on Twitter here and Instagram here, and read more about her latest venture PostKultur here.

Have you ever been judged on your appearance? Or been on the receiving end of well-intentioned advice that - in fact - turned out to be not that helpful?  Nina chats to the Soprano and Fat Politics Activist Tracy Cox on judgement, setting boundaries and living freely as an artist.  From early expectations, through learning to filter criticism, to her approach to high-pressure moments such as competitions, Tracy’s extraordinary journey is a lesson for us all in how to survive and thrive in the opera world.    Find Tracy online on her website here on Instagram here and Twitter here, or through her agent here

For over a decade, Kate was a busy lead Soprano singing across UK opera houses and around the world. However, some worrying panic attacks and serious vocal health issues came to the surface and required swift surgery. During her own long rehabilitation process, she discovered a newfound fascination with vocal health, and wanted to ensure that other people didn’t have to go through a similar experience alone. She has dedicated herself to removing the mystery and stigma surrounding vocal health, wellbeing and injury, and actively encourages singers to be open and reach out for help when they’re suffering. Kate chats about listening to your body, knowing and setting your boundaries and the desperate need for kindness in the opera world. You can find Kate at the Valentine Voice Care Clinics in Lewes & Glasgow, through the Voice Care Centre in London and Clyde Consulting Rooms in Glasgow, and on Instagram.

Allyson was surrounded by music in Ottawa as she grew up - from jazz to classical and calypso - and playing the piano was an intrinsic part of her childhood, where she gathered happily with friends at festivals and competitions. She initially planned to become a paediatrician after her music degree, but music persuaded her to continue her studies - from the Conservatoire de Musique in Quebec to Oberlin Ohio and onto the Royal Academy of Music in London.  As doors opened for Allyson and one opportunity led to another, she developed a career carefully balancing her work as a Music Director with accompanying, coaching, teaching, composing, as a recitalist performing around the world and as Artistic Director of Nitrovox, an a cappella group that tells stories about the African diaspora through spoken word and song. Allyson shares her unique experience of becoming a fully-rounded artist, and reveals her thoughts on the relentless quest for perfection in the opera industry.

Leaving home at just sixteen to get a place at a London drama school, Anna-Marie needed to support herself, so walking around the Royal Opera House she found her way to a stage door, and was brave enough to ask for a job.  Beginning as an usher, and working her way onto the stage as a performer, Anna-Marie has become a regular actor at UK opera houses including Glyndebourne and the Royal Opera House, alongside juggling a diverse acting career. More recently she has branched out into revival choreography and movement direction, and she’s acted as opera advisor on film.  Directors such as Mariame Clément now create roles in operas especially for her, integrating her completely into the drama. Anna-Marie chats with Nina about the highs and lows of negotiating her way through a career where 90% of actors are out of work at any given time. Find out more about Anna-Marie Sullivan on her website here and on the Royal Opera House website here Follow Anna-Marie on Twitter here and Instagram here  

One of Mark’s earliest performing experiences was actually on stage for the Metropolitan Opera in Aida as a supernumerary, or as others might say, an actor, little knowing that he would go on to become a Metropolitan Opera Finalist Winner just a few years later. His first ambition however, was to become a Catholic Priest and despite having begun his training, he pivoted to studying voice at Indiana University. From an apprenticeship at Santa Fe Opera to becoming an ensemble member at Chicago Lyric Opera, singing at The Met and on to performing internationally, Mark’s career took off at an exceptional speed. Now, having performed one hundred roles in over sixty houses worldwide, and won a whole host of awards, Mark shares the twists and turns of his extraordinary career. Find out more about Mark on his website here or through his agent here You can follow Mark on Twitter @marksdoss and Instagram @marksdoss Watch Fachtually Correct and Heart & Soul on his Facebook page here  

Kate remembers both music and theatre from her Methodist church and her local amateur dramatic society, where many of her family took roles on the stage – and they had to find a suitable place for Kate. So backstage was where she began, and when their performance of Oliver! went on tour to the Minack Theatre, Kate was surprised to discover that Stage Management was a real profession, and dug out a dusty drama school prospectus on her return, and applied to the Central School of Speech and Drama. From her early roles as a dresser and an ASM, to attempting to get a job as a follow-spot operator under the name of Kate Moss, Kate chats through her journey which saw her join Opera North over 20 years ago having never seen an opera production. Read the short interview with Kate on the Opera North website here Learn more about Opera North on their website here