The SWAP'ra Gala was held to raise money for the various creative projects we have lined up, including our grant for opera parents, our mentorship schemes, and further performance opportunities for less established female artists.  SWAP’ra is run by five volunteers and everyone in the gala generously donated their time and expertise, stage managers included.

The evening was a huge artistic success with an incredible atmosphere.

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Hosted by star of stage and screen Fiona Shaw, the SWAP'ra Gala was a celebration of the incredible wealth of female talent in the opera industry.

A series of semi-staged scenes conducted, directed, performed and accompanied by some of the UK’s best loved artists, the evening was not one to be missed. Featuring music from opera favourites such as Le Nozze di Figaro, Madama Butterfly, and Eugene Onegin as well as contemporary work by female composers Elena Langer, Roxanna Panufnik and Josephine Stephenson, the gala was a spectacular event showcasing nearly 150 performers.

 

Conductors included: Jessica Cottis (Gala Music Director),  Alice Farnham,  Sonia Ben Santamaria,  Susannah Wapshott

 

Directors included: Lucy Bradley,  Poppy Burton-Morgan,  Karen Gillingham,  Sophie Gilpin (SWAP’ra co-founder),  Francesca Gilpin,  Ella Marchment (SWAP’ra co-founder),  Ruth Mariner,  Robin Norton-Hale, Genevieve Raghu, Fiona Williams

 

Singers included**: Rosie Aldridge,  Giselle Allen,  Jeni Bern,  Mary Bevan,  Katie Bird,  Lee Bisset,  Rebecca Bottone,  Katie Bray,  Katherine Broderick,  Rhonda Browne, Rebecca Caine,  Catherine Carby,  Emma Carrington, Sarah Castle, Fleur de Bray,  Anna Devin,  Carolyn Dobbin,  Anne Sophie Duprels,  Jennifer France,  Nazan Fikret,  Catherine Hopper,  Yvonne Howard,  Jennifer Johnston, Gaynor Keeble, Gillian Keith, Fiona Kimm,  Janis Kelly,  Rhian Lois,  Caroline Macphie,  Diana Montague,  Anna Patalong (SWAP’ra co-founder),  Madeleine Pierard (SWAP’ra co-founder), Samantha Price, Gillian Ramm,  Meeta Raval,  Amanda Roocroft,  Lucy Schaufer,  Helen Sherman,  Angela Simkin,  Sarah Tynan (SWAP’ra patron),  Kitty Whately (SWAP’ra co-founder),  Catherine Wyn Rogers.

 

Orchestra: All-female SWAP’ra Orchestra (see p20 of the programme to the right for a full list of players).

Concertmaster: Kirra Thomas