Continuum: An Evening of Opera, Chamber Music, and Sculptures

Sandeep Gurrapadi is an American operatic tenor, educator and composer with experience in the UK, Europe, India, China and America. Sandeep has premiered leading roles in new opera at the Téte a Téte festival, Grimeborn festival, Southbank Centre - UK, Royal Academy of Music, Royal Opera House and London Festival of American Music - amongst many others. He has been invited to perform as a soloist in venues ranging from the Beijing National Stadium (Dialogue for Asian Civilizations Conference for the Chinese President), to the Beaumaris Festival of Wales and the Royal Opera House of Mumbai. In 2022, Sandeep was an understudy in the highly acclaimed opera Violet for the Aldeburgh Festival with the London Sinfonietta (produced by Britten Pears Arts and Royal Opera House - Covent Garden). He then went on to originate roles in the productions Witchfinder by Cohere Arts, Meal One by 509 Arts [UK wide tour] and Silver Spoon by Keynote Opera. Whilst in India, Sandeep will be performing in recitals for the Art Song Festival alongside soprano and artistic director Nina Kanter in cities across the country. As an experienced facilitator, Sandeep has worked with organizations such as Streetwise Opera, KM Music Conservatory, English National Opera (Baylis), Trinity Laban Conservatoire - London and the Singapore Raffles Music College. Alongside performing, Sandeep is also a doctoral researcher with the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he is investigating music facilitation practices within the context of exploring third space identity and intercultural artistic partnerships. Further info: www.sandeepgurrapadi.com

Lars Fischer grew up in Hergiswil (Switzerland) and Djursholm (Sweden). He holds a BLaw from the University of Lucerne (Switzerland, 2012), a BA in Music from the Lucerne School of Music with Prof. Hans-Jürg Rickenbacher (2015) and recently graduated from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance with an MMus with Distinction under the tutelage of Sophie Grimmer, Rob Bottriell and Derek Aviss OBE. Most recently, Lars had his Longborough Opera Festival debut as Remendado in their production of Carmen (as a cover going on). He has also performed the roles of Remendado and Morales in Carmen with Opera Loki, Mr Williams in The Trilobite (E. Jones) and Gronw in Her Face was of Flowers (E. Jones) - both at Tête-à-tête Opera Festival, Achille in La Belle Hélène with Blackheath Halls Opera, Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte with Hurn Court Opera, King of the West and Sun in The Enchanted Pig (J. Dove) with Hampstead Garden Opera, Marley’s Ghost in A Christmas Carol (T. Musgrave), King Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors (G. C. Menotti) and Lucano in 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 at Blackheath Halls with Jessica Cottis (musical director) and Elaine Kidd (director). Roles performed in scenes include Julien (Louise, G. Charpentier), Dr Caius (Falstaff, G. Verdi), Chevalier des Grieux (Manon, J. Massenet), La Théière (L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, M. Ravel), Soldier in L’incoronazione di Poppea and Triquet in Eugene Onegin (P. Tchaikovsky). Lars was also a finalist in the Lilian Ash French Song Duo Competition 2016 with Neus Peris and in the Elisabeth Schumann Lieder Competition 2019 with Andrea Emanuele at Trinity Laban Conservatoire. During his time at Trinity Laban, Lars was part of the newly formed vocal ensemble Rubythroat led by Dr. Linda Hirst, with whom he performed Luciano Berio’s A-ronne and Cries of London, Arnold Schönberg’s Friede auf Erden and settings of Wiliam Blake poems by Julian Marshall alongside tenor James Gilchrist. He has sung in masterclasses held by Nicky Spence, James Gilchrist, Dr. Ron Morris, Veronica Veysey-Campbell, Liza Hobbs, Tatiana Korsunskaya and has worked with directors such as Elaine Kidd, Laura Attridge, Harry Fehr, Stuart Barker, James Hurley and Matthias Behrends. Important musical influences include Graham Johnson, Eugene Asti, Edward Rushton and Derek Aviss OBE. With great interest and dedication, Lars has a focus on the German and Swedish romantic song repertoire. This was reflected in his bachelor’s recital project at the Lucerne School of Music with the title Nordic Legends and Myths. He regularly works with his duo partners Neus Peris, Miduo Zhuge and Andrea Emanuele. Lars is also a freelance stage manager and assistant director. He made his debut as assistant director to Laura Attridge for Trinity Laban Opera’s production of The Rape of Lucretia (B. Britten). Lars was the Crompton Scholar and a Kathleen Roberts Vocal Scholar (Trinity Laban Conservatoire) and a member of the Swiss Study Foundation. Prior to his music studies, Lars completed a Bachelor’s degree in Law at the University of Lucerne (magna cum laude). He then worked as a tutorial assistant to Prof. Dr. Jürg-Beat Ackermann (chair of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure Law at the University of Lucerne) and gained valuable experience in academic work and as a proofreader. Since 2006, he has been very active in various positions for the Swiss Guide and Scout Movement. During his studies, Lars was graciously supported by the Swiss Study Foundation, Haiku-Stiftung, Ignaz Staub Stiftung, Minerva Kunststiftung, Schüller-Stiftung and Rita Zimmermann Musik-Stiftung.

Antonia Thwaites is a classical soprano and singing teacher from the Isle of Wight where she started her musical studies at the age of nine. At sixteen she successfully auditioned for Chetham's School of Music in Manchester where she studied voice and piano for two years. In 2018 she was accepted as a Trinity College London Scholar at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, where she studied under the tutelage of Sophie Grimmer gaining a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours. During her time at Trinity she also completed a Vocal Performance Diploma making her an Associate of Trinity College London and in her second year she was chosen to compete in the Junior Kathleen Ferrier Awards in Blackburn. More recently she performed in Trinity Laban Opera's summer production: Strozzi! and this year was a finalist in Trinity Laban's English Song Competition with duo partner Francesca Lauri. The pair were also finalists in the British Art Song Competition, earning them a place in a masterclass with Dame Sarah Connolly as part of the 2021 London Song Festival.​ In 2021 she spent six months abroad studying at the Conservatorio di Musica G.B. Martini in Bologna, Italy, where she studied under Francesca Pedaci, a soprano best known for her performances with Pavarotti. Here, Antonia learnt the 'Bel Canto' style of singing, and improved her spoken Italian. Notably she was invited to sing a masterclass with the great Maestro Leone Magiera known throughout Italy for his extensive work with Pavarotti and Mirella Freni. Whilst in Italy Antonia also studied with opera house répétiteurs Giorgio D'Alonzo and Elia Tagliavia. She went on to spend the summer of 2021 in Switzerland with the Berlin Opera Academy where she performed with orchestra the role Una Conversa as well as covering Suor Genioveffa in Puccini's opera Suor Angelica. 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.

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 BBC Concert Orchestra where her most recent performances include - 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 many others.

Chiara Naldi is a classical pianist and piano teacher based in London. She first started learning the piano at the age of 6 and at 13 she was admitted to the “G. B. Martini” Conservatoire in Bologna to study under the guidance of Professor Mauro Landi. Chiara holds a Master’s Degree with Honours in Piano Performance from the Bologna Conservatoire. She recently completed a Postgraduate Advanced Diploma at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance where she studied with Professor Sergio de Simone thanks to a Trinity College Scholarship and to the Henry Wood Trust. She has been twice awarded the “Magone” scholarship for piano pupils of the Bologna Conservatoire. She has also attended classes with Professors Deniz Arman Gelenbe, Martino Tirimo, Margaret Fingerhut, Peter Tuite, Pascal Rogé, Jonathan Plowright on interpretation, 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) and France (Salle Varèse, CNSMD in Lyon) and in 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). Her repertoire ranges from Baroque to Contemporary music and improvisation, she enjoys performing as a soloist as well as a chamber musician and in large ensembles and orchestras. She has been collaborating with tenor Sandeep Gurrapadi since 2017, and together with Martha Maria Mitu they were joint winners at the Gladys Puttick Improvisation Competition in 2018. Chiara is also keen in collaborating with composers. She deeply enjoys teaching pupils of all ages, she is committed to sharing her passion for the piano and she is constantly evolving and developing her teaching methods. Since 2017 she is a piano tutor at Greenwich Music School.