Redheaded Soprano

Hello! I'm Sophie, a training redheaded soprano, captivated by music and fascinated by the beautiful people who define our art form to such a glorious standard in a society so very negligent of the beauty that is OPERA.

[omgthegreywolf]

Can we talk about this candle? So cute 🎶🎹

[thatdarnmusicgeek]

But what does it smell like??

[oh-bow]

A failed Aural Skills course

[tinyoperadiva-deactivated-6-2-1]

Possibly the tears of musicians in debt

[illbebachinaminuet-deactivated2]

Smells like practice room tears

[official-contrabass-saxophone]

Broken reeds

[themusicianlife]

I have this candle! It actually smells kind of like vanilla

[operasingermemes-deactivated201]

Vanilla musicians? Ha.

[sophieangharad]

I’m totally in that singer slump where you dislike the music your singing teacher has given you and now your hatred of the music is fueling your procrastination which is fueling your stress levels which makes you want to hide under your duvet.

[sophieangharad]

have you collaborated or worked with any other musicians recently? If so, how did it go, what did you learn and would you do it again?

Hello anon.!

I’m always grateful for a question or two, so thank you for sending one my way!

I have worked with other musicians recently, lots of them actually. Being at RWCMD (Royal College of Music and Drama) gives loads of opportunity to work with other musicians as a part of my degree but also outside of our college timetable, which I love! We (BMus2 Singers) recently performed a children’s opera in schools in South Wales which was so much fun. Be part of an ensemble is incredibly challenging at times as well but is so rewarding. It’s what I want to do for the rest of my life and would always recommend people who wants to be soloists work as part of team as well. Ensemble work really shapes who you are as a musician, it teaches you how to understand where you fit in the story of the score - I think it allows you to be more expressive!

I also worked with one of the classical guitarists at college just a few weeks ago. I’ve never worked one on one with a guitarist before and it was so different to working with a pianist! We performed a piece of Dowland and a piece by Stephen Goss from his cycle on Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas. It was super modern, the most modern thing I’ve sung to date actually and brought a whole new set of challenges I have had to deal with. It was so good to have someone to run things by and try stuff out with. We’re looking to do more work together in the future after really enjoying the process.

So yes. I would do it again. I get so much more out of working with someone than just turning up on the day to perform. I mean of course that’s bread and butter money, but having time to go through music in a collaborative environment is much more my style.

[les-sanglots-longs]

[countessalmaviva]

10 most performed operas in the world in the 2013/14 season (x)

[parmandil]

professional opera singers Jamie Barton and Christine Goerke after singing the shit out of the Gioconda duet

[lesbianishstuff]

What my friends think opera singers look like

But here is what they really look like…

Get it?

[sophieangharad]

The sympathetic looks. #BMus2 #schoolsopera #rwcmd #opera #theanteater

[sophieangharad]

Great excitement for Daisy the flying cow!! #thecow #opera #rwcmd #schoolsopera #BMus2 (at Willowbrook Primary School)

[sophieangharad]

Famished, sad, and neglected anteater. #dirtybeasts #theanteater #opera #rwcmd #BMus2 #schoolsopera (at Willowbrook Primary School)

[sophieangharad]

Joining the club and posting a couple of shots from schools opera this week! I’ve had a great time and the kids have been wonderfully responsive and really enjoyed themselves! Fantastic opportunity and I’m looking forward to doing more like it in the future. #friendsnotjustcolleagues #schoolsopera #BMus2 #rwcmd #opera #dirtybeasts #thecow (at Willowbrook Primary School)

[sophieangharad]

So impressed we got all of us in one shot. Whole class snapshot at the beginning of our schools opera journey, doing a great job job.

[sophieangharad]

Spontaneous lift selfie for the win. #rwcmd #likeaboss #thatswhatfriendsarefor (at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama)

[sophieangharad]

@ffion_elisabeth stole my phone and took a selfie. It's so good I had to post it. #thatswhatfriendsarefor #rwcmd #selfie #likeaboss #bodyconfidence (at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama)

[operagifs-blog]

Giulio Cesare - Handel

Cecilia Bartoli flies away on a rocket, leaving behind a distressed Andreas Scholl.

[sophieangharad]

Incredible playing from Rachel Starritt, BMus2 pianist at RWCMD. Not only is Rachel an incredible standard for both her age and stage of study, but she is also blind. Truly inspiring to hear the piano solo of Beethoven's Choral Fantasy played with such finesse and style. #RWCMD #RachelStarritt #beethoven #ChoralFantasy #BMus2 #inspiringpeople #dorastoutzkerhall (at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama)

[verdiprati]

Sarah Connolly as Phèdre in the Glyndebourne 2013 production of Hippolyte et Aricie. (Screencap from the livestream.)