Every year BIF recruits 10 young singers to be part of our Young Artist Programme. These artists sing in our chorus, receive mentoring and performance opportunities throughout the year. Mezzo-soprano Rebecca Anderson was part of the 2023 programme. She has this to say about her Buxton experience:
La Sonnambula is a hidden gem in the bel canto repertoire: full of luscious music to accompany a compelling and, at times, amusing storyline. The Chorus are part of the majority of the action and it was so exciting to create our individual characters and narratives throughout the opera. As a part of the Young Artist Programme, a big component of my time with Buxton International Festival was to further my musical and stage training and I couldn’t have been in better hands with Harry Fahr (Director) and Adrian Kelly (Conductor) leading brilliant creative and production teams. The other chorus members and the principals were in turn a joy to work alongside; incredibly kind and considerate, but compelling and engaging people to call colleagues.
The first four weeks of studio rehearsals were held in central London, creating a gorgeous sound world, mapping out and finessing complex mass movements incorporating set and costume changes into our characters, and building a truly exhilarating show. When we first arrived in Buxton 10 days before opening night, moving the production into the theatre after the lofty rehearsal room had its challenges. The stage suddenly felt a great deal smaller for moving around lots of tables and chairs, and what had been a friendly line of tape on the rehearsal room floor was suddenly a three-metre drop into a shadowy orchestra pit. Adapting to the new surroundings came quickly even though there were a few tight corners to navigate furniture moving.
Musically, La Sonnambula is quintessential bel canto and it truly came alive with the orchestra in situ. The sensual strings and soaring winds created a sound world that you could curl up and spend the rest of your life imbibing. A particularly special moment for me was towards the end of the second act when the principal cello accompanies a heartbroken Amina (sung by sensational Ziyi Dai). The chorus at that point were on stage silently enrapt in Amina’s ‘sleepwalking’ aria. The atmosphere was heart wrenching and you honestly could have heard a pin drop a mile away.
The festival was actually my first ever visit to the town of Buxton. It’s rather hard to fathom such world-renowned stars rocking up to a small town in Derbyshire, but that’s before you have a chance to appreciate the unique and truly special nature of Buxton International Festival. The people of Buxton made the festival come alive, the local impact and shared love for the arts is what an international festival should be about. At every concert I went to see I ended up chatting to those sat next to me. Whether it was their first time, or they were lifelong friends of BIF it was special to see the importance that the festival had in their community.
Being part of the Young Artist Programme at BIF was an educational experience, full of fun and enriching moments.