In this month's In Conversation With..., Louise Winter, Trustee and Mentor, takes us through the inspirations behind her love of classical music, her tips on juggling a busy career, and her dream new opera production.
Where did your involvement with SingersResound, begin?
Out of Covid came many creative projects and SingersResound came through Linda who asked me to take part. It has been extremely beneficial, really forming part of my own healing as a singer, and now, has become a way to support others; passing on and sharing life experiences and the challenges one faces in the music profession.
To who do you attribute your love of classical and operatic music?
I think for me, my love of singing and music always comes back to people like Julie Andrews, Dame Janet Baker, and of course, Maria Callas. The music of Edward Elgar also played a huge part in my love and understanding of classical music, and specific operatic works such as Rossini’s Barber of Seville and Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, have stayed with me throughout my career.
What are your thoughts on the singing profession at present?
Sadly, I’m aware there is an enormous lack of music in education and yet a saturation of young singers coming out colleges with fewer platforms for them to develop and shine. There is an urgent need to create and make your own work but one needs the tools to do that. I am also rather sad that the old singing techniques are a dying art form, although I know there’s a balance at play and to some extent, we do need to morph into a new world of theatre and communication, helping each other to achieve it!
If you could see one story adapted for opera, what would it be?
I would absolutely love to see an operatic version of The Royale Family, a British sitcom set in 1990s Manchester. It is such a brilliant comedy, with vivacious, bold and delightful characters, and I think it would bring an exciting energy and style to opera!
Where do you see yourself career-wise at the moment?
I will always be a singer, but these days I’m not chasing the work. Instead, I’m open to many other platforms, particularly creating programmes that interest me. In the last three years I have focused on concerts with friends for charity, teaching singers of all different ages, examining at Conservatoires, conducting Masterclasses and creating the Ashburnham English Song Awards.
How do you manage juggling so many different jobs?
It is always going to be hard, running any job alongside a career in singing but I find many little changes can often help. Switching off the phone at night, making time for your loved ones, and speaking your concerns, are all things I do to help balance my busy working life.
In recent years, what is the most exciting performance of opera you’ve seen?
Hamlet was performed at Glyndebourne in 2017, directed by Brett Dean and starring the brilliant Allan Clayton as Hamlet. It was a fantastic production, with a very exciting and innovative interpretation and depiction of a classic story.
Which character in opera do you feel inspired by?
I think there are a lot of very inspiring characters in opera but if I had to pick one, I would choose Didon in Berlioz’s Les Troyens. She maintains her dignity as a Queen in the face of lost love and tragedy.
And finally, if you could have one piece of music on repeat, what would it be?
The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Its celebration of nature and the beauty of the countryside, seems to ground me like no other!
