SPRING OPERA SHOWCASE

Spring is here, and with it heralds the annual Masterclasses, and the subsequent Spring Opera Showcase, which offers a rich variety of semi-staged opera scenes and arias, set into context, to entertain opera novices of all ages and seasoned opera lovers in equal measure.

Masterclass

Visitors to the Masterclass are able to follow a performance’s journey from the rehearsal to production, offering a more in-depth view, at an earlier stage in the week, of what goes into the workings behind a performance.

“My enjoyment (of the Spring Opera Showcase) was greatly enhanced by attendance of the Masterclasses in the days before, where we watched the singers being trained into dramatic ensembles by some of the best teachers in the world.”
Clonter’s former Chairman – Patrick Furlong

The Company

Sara Donnelly – Soprano

Soprano Sara Donnelly recently graduated with a Master of Music from  the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), where she studied under  the tutelage of Eiddwen Harrhy and received the Dame Eva Turner  Award. She also holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance and  Graduate Certificate in Music Studies from the Queensland  Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU), where she was awarded the  Linda Edith Allen Undergraduate and Postgraduate Award, Donald  Penman Prize and Elizabeth Muir Postgraduate Award. Sara made her  operatic debut with Opera Queensland in the regional production of  Rossini’s Barber of Seville in 2016. Highlights include her operatic role  debut as Nella in Opera Gold Coast’s production of Gianni Schicchi,  Poussette in Massenet’s Manon (QCGU Scenes), Pamina in Mozart’s Die  Zauberflöte (QCGU Scenes), Dido in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas (QCGU),  Anna Maurrant in Kurt Weill’s Street Scene (QCGU), Stella in Previn’s A  streetcar named desire, Kupava in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Snow Maiden  (RNCM) and Colombina in Wolf Ferrari’s Le donne curiose (RNCM  Scenes). Other professional engagements include the State Opera of  South Australia in their Inaugural Opera Academy (2021), Opera  Queensland’s Verdi Requiem and Bernstein’s Mass at the Bridgewater  Hall. Recent engagements include Soprano soloist in the Mozart C  Minor Mass and Soprano soloist in Haydn’s Creation. Recently, Sara was  awarded the Oratorio Prize and Runner up in the Recital Class at the  David Clover Festival of Singing.

Julie Goussot – Soprano

Julie Goussot began her opera singing studies with the Toulon Opera Maîtrise under the baton of Giuliano Carella. In 2016, she entered the competition for the CNSMD (Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse) in Lyon. She was admitted and joined the class of Brian Parsons, then Mireille Delunsch. She continued her studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München in the class of Andreas Schmidt and was a member of the Brahms class at the Académie Jaroussky. Joining Opera Fuoco, directed by David Stern, she was Luise in Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Die Stumme Serenade, Romilda in Händel’s Xerxes, Barberina in Mozart’s Nozze di Figaro, Cintia in Cimarosa’s Il Pittor Parigino and Mimì in Puccini’s La Bohème. She takes her first steps on the Strasbourg stage, joining the Opera Studio for the 2019/20 season in Dvořák’s Rusalka en Seconde Nymphe, Vierte Blumenmädchen in Wagner’s Parsifal and the cover of Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte. Then for the 2020/21 season, she is Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel, the title role of Friederike by Lehàr, and the title role of Madame Chrysanthème by Messager. She was invited back to the Opéra du Rhin for the French premiere of Die Vögel by Walter Braunfels in the role of the Zaunschlüpfer and in Die Zauberflöte as Erste Dame. In August 2020, she won the Concerto Theresia prize and the 1st Nachwuchspreis at the Cesti International Competition, returned to Innsbruck for the Young Singers Project in the role of Axinia by Boris Goudenow at the Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik 2021 festival, and made a recording in the same role. She also took part in the latest release of Die Zauberflöte on the Aparté label with Orkester Nord as Erste Dame. A prizewinner in several international competitions, she was recently awarded the First Prize for Opera, the First Prize for Melody and the Audience Prize at the Nuits Lyrique de Marmande 2021 competition. With pianist Rodolphe Lospied, they perform as a chamber music duo under the name Duo Symbiose, and were awarded the Grand Prix at the Mélodie competition in Toulouse in October 2021. Together, they are taking part in the Lyon Opera’s ‘Secrets de Famille’ festival in 2022, are LiedBasel 2024 scholarship holders and recently gave a recital at the Avignon Opera. They are due to record their first CD in 2025. She is pursuing her career in Sweden with the Örebro Chamber Orchestra, and in Poland with the Arte Dei Suonatori orchestra. In France, she is Micaëla (Carmen) under the direction of Chloé Meyzie, Fiordiligi (Così Fan Tutte) with Opéra Éclaté, Guadalena and Manuelita (La Périchole) at the Opéra Comique, Deuxième Nymphe (Rusalka) at the Opéra de Bordeaux, le Gardien du Temple et la Voix du Faucon (Die Frau Ohne Schatten) and Cupidon (Orphée aux Enfers) at the Opéra du Capitole and added the title role of Cio-cio- san in Madama Butterfly (Puccini) to her repertoire at Nuits Lyriques 2024. 

Jade McLellan – Mezzo Soprano

Jade McLellan is a first-year Master’s of Music student (mezzo-soprano) at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. She completed her undergraduate studies at Leeds Conservatoire, where she earned a first-class degree with honours and won the Peter Roberts CBE Memorial Prize for achieving the highest overall grade in the Leeds area. Jade was also awarded the Margaret Markland Bursary as part of a choral scholarship with the Yorkshire Philharmonic Choir. Her most recent achievement includes being accepted into the Serena Fenwick Young Artist programme with the British Youth Opera, which runs from February to May and coincides with her ongoing studies. Jade is also preparing for the role of Nancy in the Conservatoire’s spring production of Albert Herring and recently performed as Martha in Faust during RBC’s opera scenes in November. In addition to her academic pursuits, she has accepted a position as a workshop leader with the Birmingham Opera Company, where she will lead weekend music workshops for community singers. Jade is also the co-founder of Leodis Consort, an early music group with international links to ensembles in Spain and Australia. She currently studies under the tutelage of Louise Crane, with previous teachers including Geraldine Cassidy, Adriana Festeu, Hannah Mason, Sarah Dacey, and David Usher. Her coaching experience includes working with Hervé Goffings, Charlotte Forrest, Robin Bowman, Elaine Kidd, Wilma MacDougall, Jonathan Swinnard, and David Cowan. Additionally, Jade has participated in masterclasses with renowned artists such as Helena Westwood Dix, Martin Pickard, Elizabeth Llewellyn, Amy Freston, Oliver Rundell, and Nadine Benjamin. She was selected for a week-long masterclass at the Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg with Jon Thomasson, part of the Salzburg Festspiele. Outside of her opera studies, Jade is actively involved in contemporary music projects. She participated in the New Music Collective, performing lesser-known works by David Lang, and is currently a member of Mindsuite, an ensemble performing improvised dance music. Additionally, she is part of The Collective of Artistic Interventions, a free-improvisation group that blends baroque style and themes with other genres and multidisciplinary artists. During her time at Leeds, Jade was also a member of both the Leeds Conservatoire Chamber Choir and the Leeds Baroque Choir. Recently, she performed in RBC’s Black History Month Concert, where she showcased works by Florence Price, as well as in a concert dedicated to the life and works of André Caplet. Alongside her full-time studies, Jade works as a specialist dementia carer, finding joy in helping others. She has previously led sensory music sessions in care homes across Yorkshire, sharing her passion for music. Furthermore, she has conducted similar projects for young children with profound multiple learning difficulties and severe autism in Wakefield, as she strongly believes that music is for all.

Aidan McCusker – Tenor

Aidan McCusker is a Scottish tenor currently studying at the Royal Northern College of Music under the tutelage of Samuel Queen, pursuing a Master of Music in Vocal Studies and Opera. His operatic roles include Monsieur Triquet (Eugene Onegin) with Preston Opera, Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) with Oxenfoord Festival Opera Scenes and Pasquin (Le Docteur Miracle) in RNCM’s Opera Scenes. He has sung in the chorus in Simon Boccanegra with Opera Rara and Opera North, as well as in Die Fledermaus with RNCM, Manon Lescaut, and The Magic Flute with Dorset Opera. Aidan has also performed with the Hallé under Sir Mark Elder for Madama Butterfly and in Elgar’s The Apostles, as well as Steve Reich’s The Desert Musicwith the Hallé Orchestra. This summer Aidan will be singing with Buxton International Festival as a young artist in Ambrose Thomas’ Hamlet and their new production Shorts. Aidan is excited be singing with Clonter Opera which offers a wonderful opportunity to further develop his skills and artistry.

Sebastian Stride – Baritone

Baritone Sebastian Stride read music at Edinburgh University and studied voice at Trinity College of Music. Sebastian is also a recent alumnus of Morley Opera School in London. Operatic highlights to date have been roles as Prince Yamadori / Commissioner in “Madama Butterfly”, extra chorus in “Parsifal”, chorus in “Tosca/Il Barbiere di Siviglia”, Paris in “Romeo et Juliette”,  Don Alfonso in  “Cosi Fan Tutte”, Figaro in “Le Nozze di Figaro”, The Speaker of the Temple in “Die Zauberflote”, Leporello/Masetto/Don Giovanni in “Don Giovanni”, Harkekin in scenes from “Ariadne auf Naxos”,  Vater in scenes from  “Hansel and Gretel”, Le Gendarme in scenes from “Les Mamelles de Tiresias”.  Sebastian currently studies with bass Blaise Malaba.

Steve Elias – Director

His recent directing credits include the European premiere of Mo Willams award winning musical Elephant and Piggie – We Are In A Play. Choreographic/Movement Director credits include; Our Dancing Town (BBC2 / Twenty Twenty – RTS Winner of Best Observational Documentary) Save the Cinema (Sky Cinema) Grandpa In My Pocket (BBC1  / Aadstra) Marcaroni and Dwylor Enfys (S4C / Ceidiog TV) Patience, The Yeoman of the Guard (BBC Proms -ENO) The Silly Kings (The National Theatre of Wales) Swansong (National Theatre Studios) La Maupin (The Lion and Unicorn – Offies, Winner of Best New Musical) Un Ballo in Maschera, La Traviata, La Rondine, Gioelli Della Madonna (Opera Holland Park) The Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado (Scottish Opera) Ariadne auf Naxos (Garsington Opera, Den Norske Opera) Mirandolina (Garsington Opera) The Original Chinese Conjuror (Almeida Opera) Dr Faustus (Chichester Festival Theatre) Orphee Aux Enfers – (Royal Academy Opera) The Beggers Opera (Linbury Theatre – ROH) The Pirates of Penzance, Iolanthe (Gielgud Theatre) The Merry Widow (Carl Rosa Opera). Directing credits include, Caitlin (UK Tour), Alice in Wonderland (Birmingham Old Rep) Cuckoo’s Nest (Stockwell Playhouse – Winner of Best New Musical) The Addams Family, Little Women, Urine Town, Drowsy Chaperone, 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee (BOA) God of Carnage (Manchester -Immersive Theatre Festival)The Famous Farter (Millennium Centre, Cardiff) Peter Pan, Oliver, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chichester Festival Theatre).

Philip Sunderland – Music Director

Philip was born in Norwich and educated at the Cathedral School. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music and the National Opera Studio, Philip began his professional like as a repetiteur, working for all the major opera companies in the UK. This led to many conducting opportunities, first with English Touring Opera, for whom he conducted Marriage of Figaro, Cenerentola, Pearl Fishers, Daughter of the Regiment and Cosi fan tutte. In 1999, having worked as an assistant conductor at Opera North, Philip was appointed Chorus Master, a role he performed for five years. Whilst working for Opera North he conducted La traviata and the company’s acclaimed production of Sweeney Todd, as well as numerous concerts including the Brahms’ Requiem in York Minster. Philip has continued to conduct for ETO, winning an Olivier Award for Paul Bunyan in 2015 and returned the following year with Tales of Hoffman. He was music director to Swansea City Opera and W11 Opera for Young People and Chorus Master at the Bregenzer Festspiele. In 2014 he was commissioned by the Saffron Hall to write an opera for over 200 schoolchildren, professional singers and orchestra. The Glass Knight was first performed in the Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden in March 2015. Advent Calendar, a setting of biblical texts and a poem by Ronan Williams, was premiered in St Mary’s church, Saffron Walden in 2018. Philip is delighted to return to Clonter Opera, having conducted Rigoletto in 2009, a particularly exciting time as his son was born prematurely during the final stage and orchestra rehearsals! Philip is currently Head of Preparatory and Vocal Faculty Opera at the Royal Academy of Music, for whom he conducted Cunning Little Vixen in 2019.

Alex Norton – Répétiteur/Accompanist

Alex Norton is a British pianist and continuo player, who trained as a Young artist at the National Opera Studio (2023/24). As a repetiteur recent productions include the UK premiere of Salieri’s La fiera di Venzia and the Danish premiere of Mascagni’s Zanetto, and multiple premieres with the Music Troupe. Other highlights include various projects with the Royal Opera House’s Learning and Participation programme, English Touring Opera, Welsh National Youth Opera and Lyric Opera Ireland. As a collaborative pianist Alex has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Wigmore Hall, various European venues, and made his concerto debut with the Leeds Symphony Orchestra.