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Mission
New Voices Theatre brings new and revived opera, theatre & circus by female creators from around the world to audiences across Europe.
As the 21st century progresses, dialogue around gender and opera is increasingly prominent. While ever more companies include living female composers and writers in their repertory, as well as employing more women as stage directors, the gulf between male and female representation remains stark, and works by women from previous centuries remain almost entirely forgotten.
Charlotte McKechnie founded New Voices Theatre in 2017 to fill this gap and to present the richest of contemporary and historic repertoire. From black box theatres to libraries, cafes and even refurbished swimming pools, New Voices Theatre performs chamber operas and physical theatre works to illuminate figures from our artistic history as well as the best emerging contemporary talent.
NVT has been recognised as a Top Ten Finalist in Kickstart Entrepreneurial Challenge and Semi-Finalist for the Converge Creative Challenge for our impact on gender equality.
Follow our social media @OperaEos and @CirqueViola to keep up with the latest news on performances!
Charlotte McKechnie, Artistic Director
Originally from Glasgow, Scotland, Charlotte McKechnie works extensively across the United States and Europe as a Director, Soprano, and Producer, mounting multiple European- and world-premiere operas, including The Body Politic (Hurley), Freedom Ride (Shore), and Drumpf and the Rheingold (Kovler), alongside large-scale multi-disciplinary collaborations, at institutions such as the American Repertory Theatre, Opera America and the National Opera Centre in New York. Recent directing projects include Next Station Is Green Park in residence at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; creating and touring Viola, a Shakespearean acrobatic physical theatre work; assistant directing British Youth Opera (La Cenerentola) and an assisting observership with Scottish Opera (Iris). Upcoming directing work includes Il Turco In Italia (Rossini) with Longhope Opera and Cupboard Love (Dring)/Book of Faces (Harder) with New Voices. Recent operatic roles include Amore (Orfeo ed Eurydice), Edonide (Alcide al Bivio), Fiordiligi (Cosi fan tutte), Galatea (Acis and Galatea), Ofelia (La Grotta di Trofonio), and Prilepa (Queen of Spades), with appearances and recitals at the Berlin Opera Academy, Snape Maltings and the Songfest art song festival in Los Angeles. Charlotte has a First Class Honours degree in History and Literature from Harvard University and Master of Music from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. More at charlottemckechniemusic.com
Artistic Director Charlotte McKechnie
Stephanie Childress, Music Director
Stephanie Childress is a Franco-British conductor based in London. She read Music at Cambridge University aged 16, later graduating with a BA (Hons). Conducting engagements at Cambridge included Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia & Les Illuminations, Lennox Berkeley’s A Dinner Engagement, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony Gilbert & Sullivan’s Ruddigore.
In 2018, Stephanie made her debut with the Southbank Sinfonia as soloist and conductor and was the assistant conductor on British Youth Opera’s production of The Enchanted Island.
Recent engagements have included a project conducting Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra with the Guildhall Artistry Students alongside members of the LSO and a performance of Brahms’s Ein Deutsches Requiem with her ensemble, Orchestra Rheia. Stephanie will be working as assistant conductor to Alexander Joel at the English National Opera in 2020. Also an active violinist, she will make her debut as a soloist for BBC Prom 49 in August 2019
PERFORMANCES
Photo credit: David Mar Photography
“THE NEXT STATION IS GREEN PARK”
A chamber opera in one act by Anna Semple. (world-premiere)
Thursday 2oth June, 7.30pm | Friday 21st June, 2.15pm
New Athenaeum Theatre, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Five passengers become trapped in their Underground train carriage during their morning commute. Whilst at first merely frustrated at the inconvenience, passengers become increasingly overtaken with claustrophobia and paranoia as the wait continues and they discover an unattended bag in the carriage. A commentary on social anxiety and domestic terrorism, The Next Station is Green Park is a psychological drama that challenges us to re-examine our inherent biases and social interactions.
PRODUCTION TEAM
Producer/Director - Charlotte McKechnie
Music Director - Stephanie Childress
Set Designer - Julia Quante
Costume Designer - Megan Adair
Technical Stage Manager - Lewis Douglas
Assistant Technical Stage Manager - Ewan Sullivan
Photographer - Donagh Marnane
CAST
A - Jasmine Munns
B - Will Frost
C - Harim Oh
D - Anna Brady
E - Emma Walton
“Viola”
A dark reimagining of Twelfth Night featuring aerial, acrobatic, contemporary dance and live music.
24th May 2019 - Kelvinhall, Glasgow*
9th Oct 2019 - Mac Arts, Galashiels
10th Oct 2019 - Platform Theatre, Glasgow
11th Oct 2019 - Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh
15th Feb 2020 - Jackson’s Lane, London
*Appearing as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 2019.
Viola is a brand new aerial theatre exploration using movement to investigate the psychological journey through depression, anxiety and isolation. Reimagining Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night through the eyes of Viola, this devising performance blends contemporary circus, dance and theatre with music and engaging multimedia, drawing parallels between psychological phenomena and creative expression.
With a solo aerialist, this production interweaves Shakespeare’s original text with aerial performance (Silks and Corde Lisse) and floor acrobatics to illuminate the inner questions and turmoil of Shakespeare’s most vibrant heroine.
Director/Producer: Charlotte McKechnie
Choreographer/Aerialist: Adam Wright
Music: Rufus Huggan and Zakarya Hussan
Supported by Aerial Edge, Best Western, Hope Scott Trust, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Split Infinitive.
“cabildo”
A chamber opera by Amy Beach (European premiere)
19th-20th November 2018 | Cottiers Theatre, Glasgow
Written in 1932, Cabildo follows Pierre LaFitte, a pirate wrongfully imprisoned in New Orleans' jail (the eponymous 'Cabildo'), in a fantastical dream sequence as he struggles for freedom. Set during the American Revolution, this luscious work remains Amy Beach's opera only and sees its European premiere during June 2018. Scored for six principals, a rollicking chorus, and piano, violin, and cello, it is sure to enrapture opera newcomers and existing enthusiasts alike.
Stage Director - Charlotte McKechnie | Music Director - Gregor Forbes | Designers - Julia Quante, Megan Adair.
Cast: Pierre LaFitte - Arthur Bruce, Lady Valerie - Filipe Portela, Dominique/Tom - Seumas Begg, The Barker - Ben Chinapen, Mary - Emma Walton, Gaoler - Chris Dollins
“Soir des femmes” opera series
15th April 2017, 2pm | Brookline Public Library
Dashing heroines. Love-struck pirates. High-jinks in the country and town...This program includes scenes from five electric operas across two hundred years.
Featuring selections from -Cabildo Amy Beach (1932), Jeanne Justine Chen (2007), Zizi Eva Dell'Acqua (1906), Le Mariage d'Antonio Lucile Gretry (1786), Cendrillon Pauline Viardot (1904).
Stage Director: Charlotte McKechnie | Music Director: Max Phillips
Featuring: David Evans, Stephanie Mao, Ethan Sagin, Christian Schwebler, Anna Ward.
Viola
Photo credit: David Mar Photography
