SOPRANO Madeleine Pierard was one of hundreds who applied for a place on the Parker Young Artists Programme in London, and on her third attempt was rewarded with a position in the company.
Madeleine (right) says this is beyond her wildest dreams when she performed with the Orpheus Choir of Wellington Bach Mass in B Minor performance recently.
The Jette Parker Young Artists Programme is known by singers all over Europe as the most coveted company programme meaning Madeleine was well aware of it before applying.
“Many singers spend years trying to get on to the programme, and I would have continued to try if I hadn’t made it,” she says.
Madeleine, who started singing in choirs while still at secondary school, in the New Zealand Secondary Students’ and the Choir.
“Both of which consolidated my interest and love for singing,” she said via e-mail between rehearsals and seeing her family in the Hawkes Bay.
Opera came later for her than most singers. She first had inkling that it would be something to pursue when she was about 21.
“It is a perfect culmination of several of my passions – incredible music, drama and visual arts.”
Madeline as Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro. Photo by Chris Christodoulou
On comparing the opera scene in London to here, she says New Zealand does not have the sheer population, cultural history, proximity to Europe and huge tradition.
“The opera industry in London is a huge and highly competitive one.
“The Royal Opera itself is like a vast well-oiled and rather wonderful machine.
“They have financial access to the best singers in the world, an enormous company staff and two in-house orchestras.”
Madeleine loves the travel involved with studying in London as well as coming home to perform: “I hope I can do it for the rest of my career.”
Her goal is to make a good impression during her time with the Royal Opera so that she can carve a name for herself and “perhaps one day sing Bel Canto at La Scala or the Met in New York”.