Ed Gardner OBE – Conductor, Principal Conductor - London Philharmonic Orchestra & the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
The Opera Pod
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 and the Bergen...
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Lou Platt – Psychotherapist & Artist Wellbeing Practitioner
The Opera Pod
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 or at , on Twitter , & on Instagram .
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Nadine Benjamin MBE – Lyric Soprano, Mentor, Mind Coach, Certified High Performance & Founder of Everybody Can!
The Opera Pod
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...
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Kathleen Alder, Founding Director - WildKat PR
The Opera Pod
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 , 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...
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Tracy Cox – Singer, Artist, Activist
The Opera Pod
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...
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Kate Valentine – Soprano, Voice Care Specialist & Founder of Valentine Voice Care
The Opera Pod
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...
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Allyson Devenish – Artistic Director, Music Director, Coach, Recitalist & Teacher
The Opera Pod
Surrounded by music from classical to calypso as she grew up in Ottawa, Allyson planned to become a paediatrician after her music degree, but music drew her on to study further at the Conservatoire de Musique in Quebec, Oberlin Ohio and on to the Royal Academy of Music in London. As one opportunity led to another, she developed a career carefully balancing her work as a Music Director with accompanying, coaching, teaching, composing, working worldwide as a recitalist, and as Artistic Director of Nitrovox
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Anna-Marie Sullivan – Actor
The Opera Pod
Leaving home at just sixteen to get a place at a London Drama school, Anna-Marie needed to find a way to support her studies. Wandering around the Royal Opera House she found a Stage Door, and enquired after a job. From her first role as an usher on to taking the Royal Opera House stage as a performer, to travelling the world both as an actor and revival choreographer, Anna-Marie talks through the highs & lows of negotiating her way through one of the most notoriously competitive careers in the world.
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Mark S Doss – Bass Baritone
The Opera Pod
From his earliest ambition of becoming a Catholic priest, through selling all his worldly goods for an audition trip to Vienna, Mark remembers his first performing role – as an actor in Aida for The Met on tour – and takes us through the multiple twists and turns of his multi award-winning career.
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Kate Freston-Davy - Head of Stage Management, Opera North
The Opera Pod
Kate recalls music and theatre from her church and local am dram society, where her family took various roles, and she was sent backstage. When their Oliver! production toured, she discovered Stage Management was an actual profession and dug out a drama school prospectus on her return. From roles as a dresser and ASM, to trying to get a job as a follow-spot operator under the name of Kate Moss, she chats through her journey which saw her join Opera North over 20 years ago, having never even seen an opera.
info_outlineNicky began his musical journey in Dumfries in Scotland, staying late after school singing Elaine Paige at pitch and tinkling on the piano until the cleaners threw him out. With ideas of becoming the Michael Ball of Dumfries, a singing teacher recognised his talent and pointed him towards Guildhall in London, so he jumped on the Megabus and auditioned at the tender age of sixteen. A self-confessed ‘rough diamond’ when he first arrived, Nicky began his training at Guildhall, and soon won a record deal with Decca Records, and found himself marketed as ‘The Scottish Tenor’, touring the country with Katherine Jenkins, singing with Shirley Bassey and chatting on TV with Lorraine Kelly among other extraordinary and surreal experiences. However, he recognised that it wasn’t quite the path he wanted for himself, and he returned to his training, going on to the National Opera Studio and to become an inaugural Harwood Young Artist at English National Opera. Nicky is now at the heart and soul of the international opera scene, singing all over the world on the most prestigious stages, even right now he is simultaneously working at the Royal Opera House & English National Opera in London.
Alongside his thriving international career, he’s also an ambassador for Help Musicians UK, who helped support him on his operatic journey when he didn’t have a bean.
Find out more about Nicky on his website here and through his agent here
Find out about Help Musicians UK here