Date/Time
Date(s) - 09/Jan/2023
Genre - Opera and art songs
“Monteverdi to Sondheim – An evening of opera, art song and chamber music”
Lars Fischer, tenor
Sandeep Gurrapadi , tenor
Antonia Thwaites, soprano
Martha-Maria Mitu, violin
Chiara Naldi, piano
In association with Consulate General of Switzerland in Mumbai
In a programme of Songs and arias from Monteverdi: L’Incoronazione di Poppea; Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Beethoven: Fidelio; Clarke: The Seal Man; Debussy: Préludes Book I; Édouard Lalo: Le roi d’Ys; Chopin: Mazurka in a Minor Op. 17 No. 4; Ciprian Porumbescu: Balada for violin and piano; Puccini: Tosca; Kreisler: Praeludium and Allegro (In the Style of Pugnani); George Butterworth: Six Songs from a Shropshire Lad; Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro; Sondheim: Follies; Bernstein: West Side Story and Eduardo di Capua: O sole mio
Antonia Thwaites is a classical soprano and singing teacher based in London. She studied for five years at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, gaining a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours in classical vocal performance. Prior to this, she trained at the specialist music school, Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester. Antonia is also an Associate of Trinity College London with a diploma in vocal performance. In 2021, she studied abroad at the Conservatorio di Musica G.B.Martini in Bologna (Italy), where she learnt the ‘Bel Canto’ style, and in Kandersteg (Switzerland), performing in Puccini’s Suor Angelica with the Berlin Opera Academy. Recently she performed the role of Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart at The National Liberal Club, London, in an abridged adaptation that she arranged and directed herself. In the summer of 2023, Antonia will perform title role of Suor Angelica by Puccini.
Swiss-British tenor Lars Fischer holds an MMus with Distinction from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. He has performed throughout Europe including Ireland, Switzerland and France. Recent roles include: Perlimpinpin (Le Dernier Sorcier; UK Premiere) with Gothic Opera, Remendado (Carmen) for Longborough Festival Opera, Remendado/Morales with Opera Loki in France and the UK, Mr Williams (The Trilobite, Jones) and Gronw (Her Face was of Flowers, Jones) at Tête-à-tête Opera Festival and at Chamber Music on Valentia, Achille (La Belle Hélène) with Blackheath Halls Opera, Monostatos (Die Zauberflöte) with Hurn Court Opera, King of the West and Sun (The Enchanted Pig, Dove) with Hampstead Garden Opera, Marley’s Ghost (A Christmas Carol, Musgrave) and Lucano (L’Incoronazione di Poppea) with Trinity Laban Opera. In June 2016, he created the role of Tommy in the world premiere of Stephen McNeff’s opera Banished. Lars has worked with directors such as Elaine Kidd, Mathilde Lopez, Harry Fehr, Stuart Barker, Chris Lane and James Hurley. He made his debut as Director for Uncovered Opera’s abridged versions of Der Rosenkavalier and Ariadne auf Naxos and assisted Laura Attridge for Trinity Laban Opera’s The Rape of Lucretia. He is also training as a Feldenkrais practitioner.
– www.larsfischer.com
Chiara Naldi is an Italian classical pianist based in London. She first started learning the piano at the age of six and at thirteen she was admitted to the Conservatoire G.B.Martini in Bologna to study with Professor Mauro Landi.
Chiara holds a Master’s Degree with Honours in Piano Performance from the Bologna Conservatoire and a Postgraduate Advanced Diploma at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance where she studied with Professor Sergio de Simone as a Trinity Scholar.
She has been twice awarded the Magone piano prize. She has also studied with Professors Deniz Arman Gelenbe, Eileen Aviss, Eugene Asti, Martino Tirimo, Margaret Fingerhut, Peter Tuite, Pascal Rogé, Jonathan Plowright, Derek Aviss on interpretation and chamber music, Professor Douglas Finch for improvisation and Professors Carlo Mazzoli and Silvia Rambaldi for historically informed performance on fortepiano and harpsichord.
She has performed in numerous concerts in Italy (Cappella Farnese, Accademia Filarmonica, Istituto Liszt, Oratorio di S. Cecilia and Circolo degli Ufficiali in Bologna, Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Sala Fellini in Faenza), France (Salle Varèse, CNSMD in Lyon) and London (The Chapel of the Old Royal Naval College, Peacock Room in Trinity Laban, Blackheath Halls, The Polish Hearth Club, York Hall at Spitalfield Music Festival). www.chiaranaldi.com
Martha-Maria Mitu is a classical violinist, interdisciplinary performer, composer, and music educator. Alumna of the Lucerne School of Music Switzerland, and Bern School of Music – Martha has performed and showcased her work in various prominent international stages (both classical and contemporary) all over Europe, Asia, and the UK. Martha is currently a 1st violin member of the prestigious BBC Concert Orchestra where her most recent performances include – Royal Albert Hall, Wembley Stadium, Snape Malting BBC Proms, the Nevil Holt Opera and new recordings with internationally acclaimed soprano Barbara Hannigan; Martha has also performed recitals at Wigmore Hall with Effra String Quartet and has been Concertmaster within the Lucerne Festival Switzerland.
Also an avid composer, Martha has composed and performed a series of interdisciplinary works, often designed for classical instruments, electronic music, and visual arts (paintings, interactive video projections, and dance). Martha’s compositions have been showcased in festivals such as HSLU New Music Days Festival – Lucerne, Switzerland; Perceptions Festival at the Apt Gallery in London, and others.
Sandeep Gurrapadi is an Indian-American operatic tenor, educator and composer with experience in the UK, Europe, India, China and America. He’s been invited to perform as a soloist in venues ranging from the Beijing National Stadium, the Royal Opera House of Mumbai and the Southbank Centre in London to name a few. In 2022, Sandeep made his debut with the Welsh National Opera in the production’Shoemaker’ and was artist in residence with the prestigious Benjamin Britten/Pears foundation at Snape Maltings. Sandeep then covered the role of ‘Clockkeeper’ in the acclaimed opera Violet for the Aldeburgh Festival with the London Sinfonietta (produced by ROH – Covent Garden) and originated leading roles in The Aspern Papers by Pegasus Opera Company, Witchfinder by Cohere Arts, Meal One by 509 Arts [6 City – UK wide tour] and Silver Spoon by Keynote Opera [Beaumaris Festival].
As a contemporary classical music specialist Sandeep has been highly sought after and has premiered works in festivals such as Tete a tete, Grimeborn, Beaumaris and London Festival of American Music. Alongside performing Sandeep is also a Doctoral Researcher on full-scholarship with the Guildhall School of Music. Please visit: www.sandeepgurrapadi.com
