An opera I grew up with
Award-winning soprano Louise Alder on her debut as Pamina and returning to Garsington in 2018.
This is your role debut as Pamina. What are you looking forward to about singing the role and what does it mean to you?
Die Zauberflöte is an opera I grew up with, watching my mother play the violin in Adrian Noble's fairytale production at Glyndebourne. The score is second to none, and Pamina gets some of the most beautiful music ever written by Mozart. I am honoured to add this role to my repertoire.
Have you worked with any of the cast or creative team before?
I'm so happy to be joining what feels like a huge group of friends next summer. I've been lucky enough to work with both Jonny McGovern and Christian Curnyn before; Ben Hulett, James Creswell and I have just finished some performances of Fidelio together at the BBC Proms and in Spain, and Katherine Crompton and Marta Fontanals-Simmons are two of my closest friends.
What are you looking forward to about returning to Garsington Opera at Wormsley?
Garsington is a truly special company to work for. Idomeneo in 2016 was an enriching, musically uplifting and life-affirming experience for me. I felt that everyone in the company made an exerted effort to make each other feel welcome and comfortable throughout the entire creative rehearsal process in order to make a spectacular and individual show. Then there's the opera house itself and its home at Wormsley - I haven't yet come across a more beautiful or inspiring setting for magical storytelling, the like of Garsington's innovative productions.
What other roles are you currently preparing for?
This season is full of new roles for me. I start with Purcell's King Arthur and the title role in Semele, then I move swiftly on to Despina in Così fan tutte and Sophie in Massenet's Werther, all new roles and all before Christmas. Then I have my first foray into Rossini opera with an ugly sister (Clorinda) in La Cenerentola, some rehearsals for Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier and then I will hop back to the UK for the beginning of Die Zauberflöte. I can't wait!
