Join host Stefania Passamonte for an inspiring conversation with Gráinne Gillis, an Irish-American opera singer, voiceover artist, actress, and HuffPost UK blogger. Gráinne shares her remarkable journey from Cork to London, revealing how she grew up performing in her own neighborhood productions of The Sound of Music before discovering her true calling in opera. Despite initially pursuing acting at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, the universe had other plans—every acting role she landed involved singing, ultimately leading her back to her passion for opera.
In this engaging episode, Gráinne discusses the unique qualities that make opera such a special art form, combining acting, singing, orchestral accompaniment, and sometimes dance all in one performance. She opens up about her mentorship with the legendary Dolores Hadžić and what it means to truly understand a character, no matter how flawed. The episode features a stunning performance of “Mr. Keene” from Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes, showcasing Gráinne’s powerful voice and dramatic interpretation of this memorable village character.
Beyond opera, Gráinne discusses her work as a HuffPost UK blogger, where she writes about politics and women composers, proving that her creative talents extend far beyond the stage. Her story is a powerful reminder that when you follow your passion—even when the path isn’t straightforward—destiny has a way of guiding you home.
Main Topics
Gráinne Gillis is an Irish-American opera singer born in New York to an American father and Kerry-born mother, raised in Cork, now based in London
She initially studied music and Italian at University College Cork, focusing on Baroque music and jazz before pursuing acting at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Every acting role she took on involved singing, which she describes as a message from the universe to return to her true passion for opera
She found her ideal teacher in 2011, which reignited her commitment to opera singing after years of pursuing acting
Gráinne works as a voiceover artist and audiobook narrator alongside her opera career, finding these disciplines complementary
She spent three weeks studying with legendary soprano Dolores Hadžić in Reno, whom she credits as a major role model and inspiration
She is a HuffPost UK blogger writing about politics and women composers, demonstrating her diverse creative and intellectual interests
Full TranscriptHello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Women's Radio Station, the program whe...▼
Hello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Women's Radio Station, the program where we search for the most amazing new female artists on the classical panorama. Today on Future Classic Women Awards, we will be talking to Gráinne Gillis. Sorry, Gráinne. That's okay. It's lovely to be here. Gráinne, it's an amazing Irish name. It is. Yes. Yes. So do you want to tell us where are you from, actually? Yeah, absolutely. So I'm from Cork, but by way of New York. I was born in New York. My dad was American. My mum's from Kerry, and we all moved to Cork when I was quite young. So although I call myself Irish-American because that's what I am, I am a Corkonian through and through. Wonderful. Gronja is an opera singer and voiceover artist, an actress, and a Oofpost UK blogger. Wow. And you're based in London. So how does that come together? Oh, well, sometimes with great difficulty, but it's always fun. Yeah, so when I was growing up, I always just wanted to perform. And I think age 11, I put on my own version of The Sound of Music where I was playing Maria, got all the neighborhood involved in it. And I think Rolf, you know, the, the, the guy who informs on the von Trapp family. I think we forgot the ending, you know, age 11. And he ended up running across the Alps with the von Trapps. Why not? Why not? And it was great fun, you know. Our nuns had rubbish bags for veils and all of this sort of thing. I was really lucky to grow up in a seaside village in Cork called Fountainstown. And, you know, that was really— my mum was bringing me to kind of the theater, you know, lots of pantomimes and also opera and, well, not so much opera at that stage, stage, but musical theatre and plays, and I just loved it all. So that's how it came about, really. Amazing. So you started as an opera singer or as an actress? Well, I always sang, and I went to University College Cork, and I did my degree initially in music and Italian, but then, because of the way the degree is fixed in Cork, I was to go on and get my Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music. So when I was at university, I did sing. I sang— I tended to sing a lot of Baroque music and jazz. Oh wow. But also— oh my gosh, Baroque and jazz, that goes together, isn't it? They— well, they kind of do with the improvisation, so not that— they're not that far apart. But I also composed. And but it really, you know, although I loved singing, I've got a really big voice, and it was very difficult at the time to find someone who could help me manage that. So I took a few lessons with Felicity Palmer over here, and she kind of encouraged me to get the performing bug out. And through the Jigs and the Reels, I ended up doing some shows, a play and an opera for the Arcola in 2001. And then from that, went off to Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and I thought, well, I'm never going to be a singer. I threw out all my books and all of this sort of thing. I'm going to be an actress. Oh wow, so you started as a singer? Yes, and then I basically, every single acting job I got involved singing. So there was kind of like a message from the universe that, you know, there was something there. I was very lucky to work with the late Sir Peter Hall in 2005, and we did As You Like It, which is It has the most songs of any Shakespeare play, and I got a lot of encouragement from my fellow actors at the time to continue on that, but it wasn't really until 2011 when I met the right teacher that about 6 months in I thought, I really have to give this a go. So I don't act so much anymore. I do quite a lot of voiceovers and audiobooks. Yeah. And I find that that's quite compatible with opera singing. Amazing. Amazing. So somehow, yeah, that tells you that destiny, you know, when you have it, you cannot fight it, isn't it? Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. And, you know, as much as I kind of, you know, thought, well, I'll push this away. And I, you know, I was very lucky, I think, in the jobs that I got as an actress. I worked with some really fantastic people and met some really fantastic people in the biz. But, you know, there was this constant 'I have to do this' kind of feeling. And I think it's when you stick with something, even when it's not the easiest path, but it's the path that you love the most, then that is a real indicator of, you know, this is something I have to do. I have something. Totally. I'm a concert pianist, so I'm used to being alone on stage, but I've always been a big passionate of opera. Because I think it's the only form that really combines everything. Yes. Because you have to act at the same time while you're singing and you get the orchestra. Sometimes you get dancing as well. So it's very special, isn't it? It's a really special— it's a really special art form. My first opera in the UK going to was Der Rosenkavalier at the Opera House with Renee Fleming, Susan Graham, and also, oh gosh, it was conducted by Christian Thielemann. And I stood there for the 4 hours absolutely with a— there was a German girl who just made a big deal or something, who, she was standing next to me. I'll never forget it. And we stood for 4 and a half hours transfixed. And in the interval, you know, she said, oh, I've made this big deal. I'm going to treat you to a glass of champagne. You know, so this was— I've got just these beautiful associations with opera. And as an actor, I was very lucky to work at the Royal Opera House twice. And, you know, I just— I love being around singers as well. I think they're very special people and musicians generally. It's, it's— yeah, it's a really collegiate atmosphere because you're always in service to the music and the drama. It's the first time we hear that, actually. I like this idea of being all like a colleague. You know, that's very special. Yeah, well, I find that it's beautiful. So who would be your role inspiration? Do you mean in terms of role model? Role model? Well, this summer I was tremendously, tremendously lucky to work with the amazing legendary Dolores Hadžić, and I spent almost 3 weeks in Reno studying with her. And I have to say, Dolores for me is one in a million. I hope to go I'm hoping to go back and meet her this year for more lessons. So she's definitely a role model. I think she's an amazing artist, perhaps not seen so much in the UK, but, you know, her voice is phenomenal. There was one day when she acted out the role of Azucena in her living room, and we were— there was 5 of us in the room, and we were all transported to the Metropolitan Opera. And, you know, she's just a joyous loving person who is interested in everything. And I think that's the thing. I do know artists who are only interested in singing, and that's not what feeds me, actually. I'm really interested in what makes people tick, and I think in order to really play a role and really understand a role, you have to understand people and you have to love your character no matter how awful they are. And there's some awful characters in opera. So you chose as a first piece to hear today Mr. Keene. Mr. Keene, can you spare? Mr. Keene. Yes. Yeah. So it's from Britain. From Britain's Peter Grimes. Yeah. I mean, it's a phenomenal opera. I would rank it among my— well, it's definitely probably my favorite Britten opera. It's got some amazing set pieces, and what I love that Britten does in this is he brings out— there's a kind of— he brings out all the quirks of kind of ordinary people. I think that's a special thing to be able to do because it's all very well to be able to tell extraordinary stories on stage, but to be able to tell the stories of ordinary people and make them quite operatic and big is a technique all of its own. So I love this character. She's a real village busybody. Yeah. And it's one of my set pieces. Let's listen to it then. Mr. King! Mr. King! Can you spare a moment? I've something to say that's more than urgent. About Peter Grimes and that boy. Neither of them was seen yesterday. It's more than suspicion now, it's fact! The boy The voice disappeared. At least you've been trouble to hear what I've got to say. For two days I've kept my eyes open. For two days I've said nothing. Only watched until it closed. Peace be upon you, Tahu. Reconstructed all the crime. Everything points to Peter Grimes. He is the murderer! It is he, the Prentice Lize, whom nobody has seen for days. Murderer most highly Eerie I find it, my skin's a prickly heat, blood all behind it. In midnight stillness and thrilling quiet, the history I trace, the stifling secret. Murder most politest, murder most politest. Radio station, the voice of women worldwide. This is Women's Radio Station. You're listening to Avril Price with Kitchen Sink Spirituality. It's Anna Kennedy talking all things autism, and my guest today is Karen. Welcome to Future Classical Woman Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Woman's Radio Station. Woman's Radio Station, we want to hear from you. I listen to Woman's Radio Station. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. Hi, my name is Katie Young Gerald, and I'm the founder of Bespoke Textiles and author of bestselling book The Textile Touch. I've been working in luxury fashion and textiles for over 25 years, and I help brands design luxury bespoke uniforms to high-end limited edition collections. We've been doing this for clients such as the Ivy Collection to royal households, and we do it inside of a sustainable supply chain that saves waste. You can find us on bespoke-textiles.co.uk. Hi, I'm Liz van Linden, the UK travel consultant for Hazelmere Travel. People come to me as they want unique experiences and a personalized service. This happens from the moment that they inquire till they come back home. I work with luxury tour operators. You can contact me on 07825 44 12 12 and liz@hazelmyrtravel.co.uk. Are you struggling with money? Turn to us as a national charity Helping people struggling to make ends meet. Job loss, illness, or bereavement can cause a real financial crisis. We give practical help to get people back on track. Whether you're thinking of having a baby, trying to get out of an unhappy relationship, or just unsure what benefits you may be entitled to, we can help. Visit turn2us.org.uk. Women's Radio Station is a not-for-profit community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We're currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive. To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help. Hi, I'm Zena Mosconi. Head of Business Development at Women's Radio Station. Radio advertising is the most cost-effective way of reaching a huge audience globally. Moreover, our sponsorship and advertising packages can be tailored to your needs, whether it be a product or brand service you're looking to promote. If you are interested in sponsoring or advertising, please contact me on 07956 371483, or alternatively, zm@womensradiostation.com. Welcome back to Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station, the program where we search for the most amazing new female artists on the classical panorama. Today our guest is Gronja Gillis, an Irish-American opera singer, voiceover artist, actress, and uff, HuffPost UK blogger. Now I'm really curious about the HuffPost. Yeah, well, I kind of got in there at the ground when HuffPost were setting up in the UK. I do write a bit. I wrote a series in Ireland on women composers in 2000, which went on RTÉ Lyric FM, which is kind of the equivalent of the BBC in Ireland. National broadcaster. So writing wasn't a completely new thing for me. But yes, for the HuffPost, I'm very interested in politics. My grandfather was a local politician in New York. And I started— I guess I got in there in around 2008. I started posting things on my Facebook and then all of a sudden I had friends of mine on Facebook saying, we really understand politics I like so much more because you've posted about X, Y, and Z. And so a few years ago I set up a Facebook page which I run now on a pretty much daily basis called The Political Diva. I like it. And that's also my tag name on Twitter. YouTube, of course. I'm going to follow you there. Excellent. The Political Diva. Yeah. So, you know, I kind of I do believe that as an artist you have to be interested in everyone and everything in the world. You can't just shut yourself off from the world. But also the fact that I'm able to explain things to people in a way that's accessible but not— well, I hope not patronizing. So I've been told, you know, is, I think, a good thing and kind of shines a light in the world. And So part of that's— I had that already in hand. And then last— I think it was around last May or June, I can't remember which— I saw the thing about the locking children up in cages in the US. And this, you know, it's one thing to comment on politics because commenting, you're kind of in the the situation of Observer. Yeah, that really— I work quite a lot with children, um, and I was really upset. I spent a whole weekend, uh, just crying about it, you know. Also, uh, two of my nieces are Muslim, um, and there's been a lot of anti-Muslim rhetoric, um, from the current president. And so I thought, I've got to do something about this. And of course, we knew that Trump was going to come to the UK in July, and I thought I'm going to set up something. I'm going to get opera out into the streets. I'd worked as a busker for 2 years for London Underground at one point. Oh, wow. And I have an amp, a busking amp, and I thought, well, you know, I'll get a few friends out. And I thought 10 people would show up. And it was— I just tweeted the Women's March London and said, look, we want to be part of Bring the Noise. I can organize some opera singers for you. Would you be into that? All of a sudden we were starting off the women's march and about over 100 singers turned up on the day. So we sang Va pensiero, which is the Verdi big street anthem. It was used when we had the unification of Italy. Risorgimento. And then the March of the Women, which was Dame Ethel Smyth, the great suffragette. And also we had a few fun pieces like We Are Family to set the march off in a great mood. That whole thing went viral. I mean, it was quite amazing. And I was really pleased a few months later when they were doing the Kremlin Annex, as it called, the protests outside the White House, when Adam Parkerman, Parkhomenko, who is organizing that, gave a shout out for opera singers. So one of the people in the Women's March London tweet, he messaged me and he said, look what you started off. So this just passed, this Women's March just passed. Yeah, we did this again. We are in January. We added on bread and roses. Also, sisters are doing it for themselves and we had We Are Family as well as another song which name— the name escapes me. I'm so sorry. Sorry. But, you know, we had a great— we had a great fun day. Dame Dr. Helen Pankhurst was there. Munroe Bergdorf, a wonderful woman called Kalbir Bains, who I spent quite a bit of time talking to. And of course, the wonderful women of the Women's March London and their honorary woman, who is my partner in crime, Gio, who happens to be Italian. So, yes, so it was a fantastic day. What we're hoping for next year is to make it even bigger, to get more people involved, and also to do a day of action around female composers on the 8th of March 2020, which is a Sunday. I really just, my idea is, and I hope if people are interested in this that they'll get in contact, and if they're able to help out, brilliant. So the idea is to flood London with the works of women composers and end it off with a concert, not dissimilar to the wonderful concert I went along to from the women's radio station. That's exactly, I mean, the idea why this radio was was born and why this program specifically, the Future Classical Women Awards, was born. I had one of the artists invited, I was commenting that someone wanted to do a program on female composers and female artists and he says, well, we don't have enough material. We have tons of material. Indeed. I mean, I could have, at the time of doing the radio program, I could literally have done about 5 series. I did a 4-part radio series and I had to cut it down. I also, I mean, I seem to be surrounded surrounded by wonderful Italian male feminists in my life. And so I do have a gentleman who is based in Italy but who's a wonderful authority on women composers. And should anyone want to get involved, he's on hand to advise about music, which is fantastic. Marco Belluzzi. Yeah, yeah, okay, absolutely. Well, um, we want to listen to some more music of yours. Fantastic. Um, the next one is Fidang Monsieur by Massenet from the opera Cendrillon. Mignon. Yes. Why did you choose this piece? I love this role. This is a role that I would really love to play. I have tended in my career so far to play really dramatic roles because I've got a dramatic contralto voice, but I'm also a really good comedian. I went to see this recently at Glyndebourne and saw the wonderful Agnes Virko playing it, and I've done this as an audition piece for quite some time, quite a few years. So yes, it would be one of the roles I'd like to play in future. Let's listen to it then. Afraid, am I afraid? Madam Flora afraid? Can it be that I'm afraid? In my young days, I I've seen many terrible things. Women screaming as they were murdered, and a good times dripping with blood, and a man haunted by knives, and a little grotesque children Drained white by the voraciousness of filth, and loads of men insane with vice, and yearning with cankers crawling on their flesh like hungry lizards. Women's Radio Station is a fresh new broadcasting platform driven by love and passion, connecting women around the world in a global network. Is all about diversity from opinions, career, ethnicity, education. We aim to show the individuality of every woman everywhere, providing opportunities and a platform for your voice. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. I'm Tamina Zaman, founder of Empower and Enrich. When it comes to money, do you clam up or get confused? Do you wish you could save more money, or are you hoping you have enough for retirement? You are not alone. Many women want to be smarter with their cash but just don't know where to start. At empowerandenrich.org, you will find a host of options to help you take charge of your finances and learn how to put your money to work for you in an easy, affordable way. Get in touch with me at empowerandenrich.org and let's change your future together. Hi, I'm Lara Heems, founder and designer of Lara Heems Jewelry. I make luxurious jewelry at affordable prices using silver, semi-precious stones and high-quality AAA cubic zirconia. It's elegant, stunning, stylish, and long-lasting. Who needs diamonds? Find us at House of Fraser stores or Ella Boutique Knightsbridge. If not, visit us at www.laraheems.com. Make a statement and sparkle this season. Do you need mediation? We are The A Project Charity. We provide conflict resolution and community engagement services. Our services include community mediation for neighbour disputes, family mediation for separating couples, special education needs for parents, carers, and their children and young adults, as well as workplace mediation and restorative services. To find out more, head to womensradiostation.com or theaaproject.co.uk. Women's Radio Station is a not-for-profit community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We're currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive. To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help. Hi, I'm Zena Mosconi. Head of Business Development at Women's Radio Station. Radio advertising is the most cost-effective way of reaching a huge audience globally. Moreover, our sponsorship and advertising packages can be tailored to your needs, whether it be a product or brand service you're looking to promote. If you are interested in sponsoring or advertising, please contact me on 07956 371483, or alternatively, ZM at womensradiostation.com. Welcome back to Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station, the program where we search for the most amazing new female artists on the classical panorama. Today we're talking to Gronja Gillis, Irish-American opera singer and actress and activist. Um, Gronja, Before the advert, we were listening to this other piece by Giancarlo Menotti, opera The Medium. I'm afraid, I'm afraid. So you played Baba. I did, yes, in 2014. It was a production that was at the Grimeborn Festival at the Arcola Theatre. I've got a long association with the Arcola because I was in their first year and I'm very friendly with the artistic directors and producers there. One of their protégés, Natalie Katsu, directed the production. It is to date my favorite role. I think Menotti is really— he's an undervalued composer in the UK, and I think the medium is— it's one of the great pieces of music theater in the sense that the characterizations are really fantastic. We had a lot of people come along to it because obviously when a composer isn't, isn't performed that much in a country, there's kind of a niche audience there in a way for those who recognize how brilliant they are. And we had actually the director of Elektra from the Royal Opera House come along, and I was really complimented because it's one of my dream roles. As Clytemnestra in Electra, and he said that my performance as Baba reminded him of Clytemnestra, you know, and I really at the time saw it as a prototype and a kind of a jumping board for that role as well. Yeah, so yes, if anyone's doing a Manotti production out there and they want a contralto, I'm always available. Beautiful. So what would you say was the most exciting moment in your career so far? I have had so many exciting moments. I mean, as an actress, one of the most exciting moments was doing As You Like It to packed-out houses in New York, sold out, and having the Clintons, you know, come along. Whatever you think about the Clintons, they have massive star power. And there was a real buzz around around that. So, but also from a personal perspective, I had always wanted to put on a show about Shakespeare in opera, and last year I did as part of the Wandsworth Arts Fringe under the Fragility Theatre Company's takeover umbrella called Mezzo Sings the Bard. And I loved doing that. I was also this year in Traviata at the King's Head, which was very— the opening night of that for me was very electric. We've gone on to get an Offie nomination, so I'm very excited to go to the Offies this coming Sunday. Again, another fantastic female director called Helena Jackson, and my partner in crime, Panaretos, who was my pianist on Metzo Sings the Bard. So I mean, I've, yeah, I have found so many thrilling moments in my career thus far. And obviously as well, getting the whole protest Trump Sing Him Out off the ground was a huge buzz to be able to galvanize people in that way. So I think I'm kind of blessed with a lot of of very exciting moments. Amazing. Well, can we say also there is bad moments sometimes? Can you tell us of any challenging moments? Yeah, well, I think every artist has this, and I think there were moments when I thought, I think, you know, prior to 2011 and finding a really good teacher, Neil Baker at the time, who was able to help me to get to this point. I think I had a lot of very— I think a really bad moment for me which turned into being a really good moment. I did an audition in 2011 for the South Bank Symphony and Simon Over, lovely conductor. There was about 7 people on the panel and he had said, just, you know, give it your all. And I was singing Re dell'abisso and I thought I'd given it everything and I was really pleased. And he, he sat me down and he said, you know, the top of your voice is spectacular. The bottom of your voice is spectacular. But in between, you know, and you have to do something about that. And I phoned my then coach at the time, and I said, what are we going to do? You know, this is the feedback I've gotten. He said, we've just got to continue on as we are. And I went, I don't think so. But that led me on. It was a real kind of, you know, that moment of crunch for me, really. But it led me on to looking for Neil, and that also led me on to looking looking for, you know, other people that I can learn from as well, you know. So I think, yes, you can have down moments, but it's really what you do with those down moments that counts. It's also true that, I mean, from your story, this was one of those rare moments where the criticism was very, very constructive. Really constructive. It's not always, you know, you get criticism that is, you know, sometimes you read review and you're like, who is this guy or this woman this writing, why is just, you know, knocking you down like that? Yeah, I— yeah, absolutely. And I know that people bring their own agenda. Just to say it didn't happen to me, but I know about friends. But, you know, I think sometimes, you know, people can bring their own agendas to criticisms. And I'm all in favor of constructive criticism. I tend now with, you know, with shows and stuff, to ask friends, just send me through the critiques that are useful because, you know, at the end of the day, I have, I have to honor my commitment to a particular role and to a particular character. And for me, serving them is more important, you know, and then if I can learn afterwards from the criticism, that's brilliant. But during a show, I don't look at reviews. At all. So now the next song we want to listen to is Giunta all'albergo della giarettiera from Verdi's Faustal. Yes. Well, Verdi as a composer is, you know, himself and Wagner are the composers that I really cleave to. And Verdi, I feel very close to. I feel he was a great humanitarian. He was a political activist for 11 years of his life where he pushed away his composing and focused on political activism. There's a great humanity in his music. And this is a role again that would be a fabulous dream role to play. He was also a huge inspiration for me in putting forward Mezzo Sings the Bard, which I hope to get on to other festivals and stages because I really do think there's an amazing connection there. So yes. So again, if anyone's doing a Falstaff, I'm here, I can do it. So let's listen to Gröning again. Is singing Verdi falsetto. Junta al albergo de Los Aventureros, y donde será mesa la presencia de Camarilla, Secreta Mensajera. Se adjuntan a Papá New Year Audienza, Madonna e Trofia, Infurfantesca Posa. Buongiorno, Buona Donna, Reverenza, a lui mi inchino. Moto seguiosamente. Oi, passo lento, buziquiote, o imbecil grosso, e non gli dì mai sì, ciò proprio lo idiote. Infine parla Spiccio, mi crede gravemente innamorato di Coté, delle bellezze sue, e lo vedrete presto. Dalle 2 alle 3. Dalle 2 alle 3. From 2 to 3. All right, so, um, so this was Giunta all'albergo della giarrettiera. Fun story. I love it. Oh, it's wonderful, isn't it? It really is. It really is. I was so blessed to see it at the Royal Opera House as well, and a wonderful Italian singer singing it. And he was Ambrosio— I want to say, I can't remember his surname, but his first name was Ambrosio, which was just— and he was really like nectar, you know. He was just— well, Italian in general, we are actor, actor, actor, actress, an actor by nature, if you like. Very true. They always tell me I'm overdramatic when I play the piano. Imagine if I was singing. So, um, we talked about, you know, the challenging moment, exciting moment. What would you say in general is the— to a young inspiring student or a younger self, if you could go back time? Oh, if I could go back in time, I would say, you know, don't doubt yourself so much. That's always, I think, is something that artists struggle with. And really just go for it. If you fail, you fail, you know, but you learn something from that. I've always learned so much from my failures. The other thing is probably make friends with quite wealthy people because you, you'll need some, you'll need some money getting it on. So yeah, again, if there's anyone out there, uh, always open. Absolutely. Well, that was amazing. We will be back after a short break. Welcome to Women's Radio Station, the voice of women worldwide. This is Women's Radio Station. You're listening to Avril Price with Kitchen Sink spirituality. It's Anna Kennedy talking all things autism, and my guest today is Karen. Welcome to Future Classical Woman Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Woman's Radio Station. Woman's Radio Station, we want to hear from you. I listen to Woman's Radio Station. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. Hi, my name is Katie Young Gerald, and I'm the founder of Bespoke Textiles. And author of best-selling book, The Textile Touch. I've been working in luxury fashion and textiles for over 25 years, and I help brands design luxury bespoke uniforms to high-end limited edition collections. We've been doing this for clients such as The Ivy Collection to royal households, and we do it inside of a sustainable supply chain that saves waste. You can find us on bespoke-textiles.co.uk. Hi, I'm Liz van Linden, a UK travel consultant for Hazelmere Travel. People come to me as they want unique experiences and a personalized service. This happens from the moment that they inquire till they come back home. I work with luxury tour operators. You can contact me on 07825 44 12 12 and Liz spelt L-I-S, at hazelmaytravel.co.uk. Are you struggling with money? Turn to us as a national charity helping people struggling to make ends meet. Job loss, illness, or bereavement can cause a real financial crisis. We give practical help to get people back on track. Whether you're thinking of having a baby, trying to get out of an unhappy relationship, or just unsure what benefits you may be entitled to, we can help. Visit turn2us.org.uk. Women's Radio Station is a not-for-profit community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We're currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive. To donate, Simply head to our website. Every little will help. Hi, I'm Zena Mosconi, Head of Business Development at Women's Radio Station. Radio advertising is the most cost-effective way of reaching a huge audience globally. Moreover, our sponsorship and advertising packages can be tailored to your needs, whether it be a product or brand service you're looking to promote. If you are interested in sponsoring or advertising, please contact me on 07956 371483 or alternately zm@womensradiostation.com. Welcome back to Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Our guest today is Grainne Gleeson, a very eclectic Irish-American opera singer and actress and activist and everything. Grainne, it's now time for the odd question. Yes, brilliant. Love odd questions. So what is your strangest hobby to free your mind or relax, if you have a strangest hobby? My strangest hobby. Well, I do love— well, this is a recent thing. I really, really enjoyed the whole Netflix series on Marie Kondo. I was a little bit obsessed with that at the beginning of the year, the whole sparking joy thing of tidying, you know. So, yes, so I guess I wouldn't call that a hobby necessarily. I do I do to relax, I'm a qualified yoga teacher and I do quite a bit of yoga. I do Transcendental Meditation as well. So I guess maybe that scene is a little bit quirky. It's very interesting actually. Yeah, totally. Do you have any superstition before going on stage? Not so much superstition, superstitions. I, I do have to follow a ritual, so, um, because I— that kind of just gives— puts me in the right zone. I like to do a bit of yoga. Um, I always write out— I've got this, uh, um, kind of list from a book called An Attitude to Acting, um, of what I can bring, um, to a certain role, my bankability, and what I visualize my outcome. So I, I do that as a matter of course, for performances, for auditions. But the main thing for me really— well, the main two things for me is to have a really good warm-up, um, and also, uh, to kind of have some alone time. I don't really— I'm not one of these people who can just go from talking to other people straight into playing a role. So I normally take myself off into a dark corner or a toilet or something like that to have that alone time. Yeah. Talking of which, it happened to me. I was in Bulgaria. I was about to go on stage and I checked my phone. I'm performing Rachmaninoff piano concert. And I was, you know, before going on stage, I wanted to check the phone if my husband sent me the good wish for the concert. And I got some tragedy happening for a concert I was organizing. I was the artistic director at the time of a festival and one of the one of my performers was stuck at the border control at the airport because he was Argentinian. And oh my God, that was such a drama. And I was like, I have to go on stage. So I know very well about, you know, being in a moment alone. Yes. Yeah, yeah. No, I shut off all social media. I put my phone on airplane mode. I try and just be by myself. And then in that way, again, it's about service to the role. I know, totally. But, you know, but life goes on, doesn't it? So it's— And do you have any funny moment or embarrassing moment? I do. When I was— yes, I mean, I probably have many that don't come to mind immediately, but the one that does is I was doing a tour of Death of a Salesman as an actress in Germany, and we'd had a very hectic schedule. I mean, you don't really realize how big Germany is until you're doing kind of one-stop performances at different theaters and you're bouncing from one end of the country to the next. So we'd done a number of performances back-to-back where I was literally, you know, we were going to the hotel, literally getting about 4 hours sleep and having to get up. And we had a show in front of schoolchildren and I was on stage, I was about to play Linda Lohmann, and but at this beginning we played these kind of passersby on a New York street and I had trousers on. So I'm walking as if I'm on the street, and suddenly I feel the trousers slipping down, and I started— I had to turn my— I'm a terrible corpser, so it doesn't take much to get me laughing. So I had to turn my face upstage and kind of waddle off with the trousers coming down around my ankles. So I think there may be some very disturbed German schoolchildren out there, but These things happen. Did you have an underwear in style? Yeah, well, I just had, I think I had a slip-on that I was going to throw a dressing gown over. So one of the passersby just waddled off. That's very funny. So what's your next project or collaboration? The next big thing that I have on is is to play Ruth in Pirates of Penzance at the Cork Opera House. I am really— I can't tell you how excited I am to play this role. In December, I was in Greenwich and I went into a bookstore there and I bought the complete Gilbert and Sullivan. And I bought it because I thought, now I'm really ready to play these great kind of roles, contralto roles in Gilbert and Sullivan. And I thought, I'm just gonna put it out there. And, you know, if I put it out to the universe, hopefully, you know, something will come. And this Ruth is a gift of a role for me. It's a comedic role. I'm working in my hometown. My mom has alerted all the neighbors. Everyone is going to come. So I think it's going to be— it's going to be really fantastic. It's, it's in June. And before that, obviously, the rounds in terms of auditions. I've got a few auditions coming up and also just promoting the show that I did last year. There's a promo video of it on YouTube if anyone's interested, and it's a promo of Mezzo Sings the Bard. Yes, absolutely. So, yeah, and it just explains a bit about why it's so important that Shakespeare in opera be available to everyone. So that's something I'm really keen about. I sing in a restaurant, Flavours of Naples, a couple of times a month. And, you know, as I say, my background was in busking before I decided to really take this seriously. And I'm really keen that as many people hear great opera as possible. So that is a fantastic idea. So the next piece we want to listen to is Para Jane Pirate Jenny, you gentlemen, from the Threepenny Opera by Kurt Weill. Do you want to say something about this? Yes, I performed this recently in a cabaret at the Reform Club, and it's all done in my chest voice. I have quite an impressive chest voice, apparently. But what I love about Kurt Weill, again, a wonderful composer for the voice, Maybe not done as much as he should be, but, you know, beautiful music. This one is really quite— she's quite a demented character. So see what you think. See what you think. Absolutely. Let's listen to it. And maybe once you tip me and it makes you feel swell on a rowdy waterfront in a rowdy old hotel, and you'll never guess to who you're talking. And you'll never guess to who you're talking. Suddenly one night there's a scream in the night and you yell, what the hell could that have been? And you see me kind of grinning while I'm scrubbing. And you say, what the hell's she got to bring? And a ship, a black freighter, with a skull on its masthead will be coming in. You gentlemen can say, hey girl, finish the applause. Scrapsters make the beds and you keep here. You toss me your tips and look out at the ships, but I'm counting your heads while I'm making up the beds, 'cause there's nobody is gonna sleep here. Tonight, none of you will sleep here. Then that night, there's a bang in the night, and you yell, "Who's that kicking on the rug?" And you see me any kind of staring out the window, and you say, "What you got to stare at now?" And the ship, the black freighter, turns around in the harbor, shooting guns from below. Then you gentlemen can wipe off the laugh from your face Every building in town is a flat one. Your whole stinking place will be down to the ground. Only this cheap hotel standing up safe and sound. And you yell, why the hell spare that one? And you yell, why the hell spare that one? All the night through, it's a noise and to-do. And you wonder who's that person lives up there. Then you see me Steppin' out into the morning, lookin' nice with a ribbon in my hair. And the ship, the Black Freighter, runs the flag up its masthead and it cheers the air. By noontime, the dock is all swarming with men coming off of that ghostly freighter. They're moving in the shadows where no one can see, and they're chaining up people and they're bringing them to me, asking me, kill them now or later. Asking me, kill them now or later. Noon by the clock, and so still on the dock, you can hear a foghorn. And this was Pirate Jenny from The Threepenny Opera by Kurt Weill, sung by Gronja Gilles. If you have any questions that you would like to ask to our guest, or nomination for our Future Classic Women Awards, please email presenters@womensradiostation.com or tweet us @WomensRadioStn for a chance to win 2 tickets at our concert of the finalists of Future Classic Women Awards. A big thanks to our guest, Groenagliss. Thank you. It was wonderful to be here. So it was so interesting and it was so eclectic and everything. Thank you so much for everything. You've been listening to Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station live every day at 10 AM and 10 PM. London time. If you would like to listen to it again or catch up on our previous programs, please head to my presenter's page, Stefania Passamonte, Future Classic Women Awards, on womensradiostation.com. Thank you for listening. Welcome to Women's Radio Station, the voice of women worldwide. This is Women's Radio Station. You're listening to Avril Price with Kitchen Sink Spirituality. It's Anna Kennedy talking all things autism and My guest today is Karen Knopf. Welcome to Future Classical Woman Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Woman's Radio Station. Woman's Radio Station, we want to hear from you. I listen to Woman's Radio Station. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. Hi, my name is Katie Young-Gerald, and I'm the founder of Bespoke Textiles and author of best-selling book The Textile Touch. I've been working in luxury fashion and textiles for over 25 years, and I help brands design luxury bespoke uniforms to high-end limited edition collections. We've been doing this for clients such as the Ivy Collection to royal households, and we do it inside of a sustainable supply chain that saves waste. You can find us on bespoke-textiles.co.uk. Hi, I'm Liz van Linden, a UK travel consultant for Hazelmere People come to me as they want unique experiences and a personalized service. This happens from the moment that they inquire till they come back home. I work with luxury tour operators. You can contact me on 07825 44 12 12 and liz@hazelmyrtravel.co.uk. Are you struggling with money? Turn to us as a national charity helping people struggling to make ends meet. Job loss, illness, or bereavement can cause a real financial crisis. We give practical help to get people back on track. Whether you're thinking of having a baby, trying to get out of an unhappy relationship, or just unsure what benefits you may be entitled to, we can help. Visit turn2us.org.uk. Women's Radio Station is a not-for-profit community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We're currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive. To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help. Hi, I'm Zina Mosconi, Head of Business Development at Women's Radio Station. Radio advertising is the most cost-effective way of reaching a huge audience globally. Moreover, our sponsorship and advertising packages can be tailored to your needs, whether it be a product or brand service you're looking to promote. If you are interested in sponsoring or advertising please contact me on 07956 371483, or alternatively zm@womensradiostation.com.
