You are currently singing the title role in Brett Dean’s Hamlet at Sydney Opera House, having performed it to great acclaim in other houses. What goes into preparing a role like this for the opera stage?
It depends on the repertoire and the role; Hamlet is just a monster. There's an enormous volume of notes and words, and the music is incredibly complicated because it's Brett Dean. I'm lucky that I've done it before, which is sort of paying off now because it means I know it fairly well.
People always ask whether there’s an easy cheat and unfortunately there isn’t, it's just hours spent learning and writing out the texts, going through it in your head and sitting on the train or the tube or the flight, silently singing to yourself and conducting.
Is this process similar when you’re learning a new role for the first time?
Yes, because I don't like to listen to too many recordings of other people singing a role, but in the case of new music, that doesn’t exist. When I first did Hamlet, I couldn’t listen to anyone doing it. So, it's just sitting at the piano and going through it and crucially, learning the beats where you don't sing. Learning the music in between is the most important thing.
Is there anything you learnt at the Academy which you take with you in your career now?
So much, but I think particularly the sheer volume of things I had to do at the Academy. It could be song class in the morning, opera rehearsals in the afternoon and maybe a concert in the evening with a chorus society somewhere. It meant that I was keeping my mind and my voice busy in different aspects of the job, which is crucial to how I work now. I don't just do one element of my job; I do English, German and French song, Italian and Baroque opera, Wagner, as well as contemporary opera and concert work. My time at the Academy was frantic but really enjoyable – it was an incredible three years.
I also learned that no matter how busy you are, there is no excuse for turning up and not being prepared because it's not fair on your colleagues. It was always important to me, and still is, that I didn't walk into a rehearsal room and think ‘my colleagues are going to know I haven't prepared this well enough’. When you’re a student, there's so much on and you're expected to be abreast of so much, but that’s the job. It means that you’re going into the profession as well prepared as you possibly could be, because of the experiences you had at the Academy.
You are returning to perform at the Proms this year, as the soloist for Britten’s War Requiem. What does performing at the Proms mean to you? What about this piece is special to you?
The Proms is great. It’s world-renowned, and the nature of the Proms means it attracts a wide audience, which is brilliant. It was probably one of my earlier introductions to classical music as a kid because my parents would stick it on the telly if it was on. Certainly, the last night of the Proms my dad was particularly keen on.
I think the fact that the BBC, despite the financial pressures it faces, continues to provide classical music, performance education and all these wonderful things with leading musicians is vital. It’s very special that the Proms gets to highlight not only the best of the world's orchestras, choirs and soloists, but also what's so brilliantly done by the BBC orchestras and all the teams there that make music in Britain thrive as it does.
Britten’s War Requiem is probably his most celebrated concert work. I just did a tour of it in Germany last month and it was rapturously received. It's a work that speaks, sadly, particularly now, about pacifism and about the need for reflection on military action.
It is as relevant as when the texts were written in the First World War as it is today, and the music is astonishing and gripping. After you've had these depictions of war and hellish circumstances (scenarios illustrated so brilliantly in the brass), you get this sort of wonderful, reflective payoff at the end with the children's chorus and the full chorus, full orchestra and all the soloists. It’s an absolute masterpiece.
What does the Academy mean to you?
I love it, I had such a good time there. When I went to the Academy, I was exposed to what this world is in terms of the music that is out there, as well as the vast breadth and talent of musicians who go to the Academy.
Turning up on the first day, hearing some of the voices and walking past the practice rooms, everyone there is amazing. That’s what was astonishing and a real eye opener in terms of the level I needed to be if I wanted to have a career. It was a time of exploration for me, I saw and heard more live music than I had before, which was incredibly exciting.
What advice would you give the next generation of opera singers?
Explore all the young artist programmes out there, particularly on the continent. I’ve worked with lots of current and graduate members of these schemes over the last few years in Munich, Berlin, Paris (amongst others), and I think their participation in main stage productions, the opportunity to learn a new language, and the exposure to casting agents across Europe is a hugely beneficial thing. It also gets you a foot in the door with a particular company, and possibly a chance to work more freely in the EU. BUT, there are many different routes to a full time career in music, so don’t be disheartened if the young artist thing isn’t for you!
You have had an incredible career. Has there been a highlight so far, or something you have set your sights on for the future?
For the singer I am, doing Peter Grimes at Covent Garden was pretty special – and that wouldn't have happened without Hamlet. Being part of the creation of that role and a very small part of the wonderful process that Brett Dean and Matthew Jocelyn went through to create the opera was incredibly special. Because I went to the Met to perform Hamlet, that led to them offering me Grimes there, as well as other roles I’ll be performing in the future. The role has been a real gateway for other opera houses to hear me.
In the future, I think there are, hopefully, some changes coming to the profession which will make it easier to be a freelance singer. These should benefit people, maybe at the Academy now or who have recently left or who are thinking about going there in the future. I’d like to play a part in that positive change.
Role wise, I think as long as I keep getting to do interesting work with interesting people, then I'll be lucky and very happy.