Future Classic Women Awards LIVE SHOW – Maggie Cooper

Hello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonti, on Women's Radio Station, the program where we search for the most amazing new female artists on the classical panorama. Today our special guest on Future Classic Women Awards is Maggie Cooper, an amazing soprano, British, from Oxford, and actually a Londoner since her studies from Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Hello Maggie! Hello, good morning. Good morning. So you studied opera at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, singing and vocal courses, right? I did. And you were telling me, so how was coming to London from Oxford? It was great. I mean, Oxford's not too far away, so, and I was just so excited. I always wanted to be an opera singer, so I feel that my whole life was guided to this point and I finally, finally made it. And I mean, you know, London is particularly, musically speaking, is so active and so exciting and so it's a kind of like a whirlwind, you know, of opportunities and people. And so somehow with Maggie, we know a friend that used to live with me when we were students. But we never met, right? So the world of the music, it's— so small and then somehow so big. But that, yeah, that's so true, so true. So what have you done after your degree at Guildhall? I, so I was at Guildhall for 5 years and then I thought I'd go back and do an opera course, but I was getting bits of enough concert work, bits of opera work. A few years after leaving Guildhall, I sang Mimi at Longborough Festival Opera, and that was a massive highlight, still a highlight of my career, because I love that role and I love that place, and it was with amazing people. So things were going good. It's not easy, but I was getting enough kind of exciting bits. So let's say it's not necessary to get an extra degree specific in opera or, you know, like in performance when you're actually already performing, because there is no better school, I think, sometimes than the stage. Yeah, I think, yeah, actually working. Definitely. I didn't go back to— I didn't kind of think, right now I need to do my opera course, because I have friends that they keep studying over, you know, they keep having a teacher for forever and ever whenever they're preparing a new role. They just keep going back and studying. But I do see coaches, I If I'm working on a particular role, or for example, I was working on a Spanish opera that needed Andalusian dialect, and I looked at the score and I thought, goodness me. So I immediately go and find someone who's gonna help me with the text there. And then I suppose it's like seeing a doctor. Every few months, maybe even just every 4 months, I just go for a checkup, see an amazing vocal coach coach and just check that everything's good. It's another pair of ears, and your voice changes so much, especially as a woman and having children. And out of curiosity, is your coach a woman or a man? No, no, man. I see Robert Dean, and he is a singer, but he's also made a fabulous career as a conductor. Oh, wow. So Very interesting. So I wanted to ask you, when did you decide, when did you know you wanted to become an opera singer? I was quite young, I was 8. Oh wow, that's very young. And then my parents are both musicians, my mum's a pianist and my dad was a bassoon player, and so there's lots of music going on in the house. I had a really unusual voice at a very young age, it was just really loud and I loved singing, but for my 8th birthday, they bought me a video of Bizet's Carmen. Oh, wow. And I was completely spellbound, loved watching this video. And that was, that was literally the turning point. Do you remember who was the Carmen? Um, yeah, it was Maria, um, Maria Ewing. All right. Yeah. Oh, wow. Wonderful. It was just fantastic. But yeah, and that was was such a turning point. I just thought, ah, this is what I want to do with this kind of crazy voice, this unusual voice. Absolutely. Do you, did you have some role model or inspiration to follow your career, like some singer that you liked in particular? Yeah, well, it was mainly whatever my parents bought me, so from that stage they bought me tapes and obviously tapes back then, tapes and CDs. So it was Kiri Te Kanawa. Absolutely loved her. Jessie Norman. I suppose these were my— Mirella Freni. I mean, I have to say she's always been my favorite singer. She's from Modena, so I did meet her. Yes, when I was little with Pavarotti. I was fortunate enough to sing in the choir at the conservatory. I started very early. We were doing this special documentary with Pavarotti and I got to sing with him. Wow. I'm not a singer. Otherwise I would have put that in my CV. Yeah. Yeah. But yeah, they are indeed this big artist, big inspiration. Although I'm a pianist, I was very inspired by Pavarotti's Mirella Freni, they are such humble people and still, you know, working hard. She is working hard still. She's still teaching. Yeah. Impressive. Yeah, absolutely. So what do you think about opera today? Opera today? Like, is it something that you think still an 8-year-old might fall in love and decide to become an opera singer? Oh, I— yeah, I really hope so. I think things are changing slightly and maybe slowly, but the big opera houses and big opera companies are— have massive outreach programmes, which is great. I find that if you want to search for things, there are things on. I take my kids to all sorts— ballet, opera, concerts for kids. There's so much on in London if you know where to start, but for some that's not easy or affordable. Mm-hmm. I actually co-founded an opera company with my husband last year for our local community because we were passionate about providing something exciting to make opera accessible. Beautiful. So we bring amazing artists to Coshoughton, which is where we live, and it's been really successful and we have lovely feedback about that. So I think it's really important that these little projects are going on for those who don't want to travel into London, for those who it's just maybe too expensive to do so. And also it's opening to any age, that's the thing. For example, I wanted to bring my daughter to see an opera, but there is an age restriction restriction. Yes. Yeah. And that's a bit unfortunate because not all the children are the same. So Lucia has been going to musicals. We lied on her age. She was 3, we were bringing her to see musicals and she would be just spellbound, you know. And I wanted to bring her to see ballet and opera. She would be crazy about it. But, you know, not, not yet. I think I saw that the restriction is like 14. Oh, wow. Yeah, I think 8 is quite— for a lot, for a lot is— I know Hansel and Gretel, because it can be quite scary. So for some productions, that's, that's best. But so for the shows that we've been doing, we, we get babies, toddlers. The main audience is quite young. So from toddlers to about 10. But then we have had some older children and some teenagers come, but we make sure everything is short. Not necessarily all in English because I don't think you need to spoon-feed things. Absolutely. But we've really tried to make things kind of snappy and fun and visual. But the first aria that we're going to listen today, is that in Italian? It is! So we're going to listen to Come scoglio from Così fan tutte by Mozart with Elspeth Wilkes at the piano and Georgie Cooper. Voice. Non per voi, per gli altri in van si cerca l'illustrione sedur. L'incontro a fare che per noi già si tiene. I call on Monty, sopranor, to serve us in finum morte. God is big, God is mighty. Et de la sorte, comme Escoglio, il morto ritorna. Respect. Country, identity, and local history. Love and respect. Oh, the honor Welcome to Women's Radio Station, the voice of women worldwide. I'm Sarah Louise Ryan, and welcome to Love Lessons Live on Women's Radio Station. Hello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Women's Radio Station. Hello and welcome to Judy May Is Listening. Hello, this is Anna Kennedy at Women's Radio Station Live, voice of women worldwide, talking about all things autism. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. I'm Saskia at Sable Forex, and we specialize in saving individuals and companies money on their international money transfers or foreign exchange. So when money's crossing currencies, whether it's euros to yen or rands to pounds, That's where we can add value. So for all your foreign exchange needs, I'm Saskia at Sable. You can contact me on saskia.johnston@sableinternational.com, or my number is 0207 759 7541. Hi, I'm Helen Prosper. I'm a health coach and I support people to take back control of their health so they feel radiantly well and vibrantly alive. Because it's from that place of health that we really can do more, be more, give more, play more, and co-create a better world. If living your life to the full is of interest to you, then take a look at my website, livewellandprosper.uk, and let's speak soon. 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 thea-project.co.uk. Women's Radio Station can give a voice to your brand with a wide range of sponsorship opportunities, including individual programs, we can tailor your experience to you. For more information on how you can sponsor a show, go to womensradiostation.com. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. 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 are 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 Award 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 Maggie Cooper, an amazing British soprano. Maggie, we were talking about, um, singing opera, your favorite, um, the first opera that you ever saw, that was Mimi, uh, Bohème. By Puccini. So do you have a favorite role that you've been singing so far? Yeah, I think, well, I think Mimi has to be one of my favorites. I'm a massive Puccini fan. Madama Butterfly as well. I'm really fortunate to have performed both of those. Tosca would be one that's just up there. I haven't performed that role. That would maybe be my next dream role that I'd love to. Oh, Fiery Tosca. I was just at the Royal Opera House yesterday and I was looking at the dress by Maria Callas playing Tosca. Yeah, something quite unique, isn't it? I have had an image in my mind. I've seen that opera a few times. Yeah, it's quite special. And what do you think was the funniest role that you performed so far in the opera? The funniest. Oh, the funniest, sorry. Well, this is not a funny role at all, but going back to the Butterfly, it's a real— it's a really challenging role. I sang it for a kind of fringe production at the King's Head Theatre in Islington. This is quite a few years ago, and it was amazing because it ran for about 3 months. I've never been in a production that ran for that long. It was triple cast. I was singing Butterfly 3 times a week, which is, I mean, it's a massive role and it's challenging in itself and exhausting and emotionally draining. But to sing that 3 times a week for 3 months was literally, well, it was just amazing. It was like a dream. But it was quite an eye-opening experience odd production and it really worked, but it was trying something completely new. So the production team, the director, set Butterfly in Bangkok and Butterfly was a ladyboy. A ladyboy? So this was a bit different. How could she be a ladyboy? Why was she a ladyboy? Well, I think the idea was that Pinkerton came over and, you know, just had a night out out with friends, and this is how he wanted to try something new, something different. But then she— she— he had a baby, isn't it? Yeah. How did he have a baby? They— yeah, they had to kind of twist the plot a little bit here. This is why it was kind of— I shouldn't say this is a funny role, but it was a strange situation. I'm not sure I'll ever have to play a ladyboy again. All right. But yeah, no, they— it worked. She took on her sister's voice and, you know, they were involved with— her sister had been involved with drugs and her sister had died. So it was like a modern production. It was a very modern production. Like a modern setting. It was totally off the wall. So what do you think about taking opera out of its context and making it, you know, in completely different settings? Yeah. Changing the plot. Well, I think it's important to experiment with things and not always go down the traditional route. Some modern productions really, really work and some people like to see, I don't know, The Marriage of Figaro or Così fan tutte. I mean, you can set that any period. It will work. La Bohème is a classic. It's about some students. Those issues can be very current today. So I think for some it makes opera much more accessible and less maybe— They could relate more, you mean? Yeah, and we should. We should go to the opera and we should relate to it and see something in ourselves. That is quite interesting because some operas, like Aida, for example, it was composed in the 1800s, but it was set during the Egyptian period, so Egyptian era. So they did have historical plots, same as with Rigoletto or Othello, you know. So at the time, they didn't have this need to have contemporary characters and contemporary stories to relate to. It was just, it was more about the music, if you like, and then maybe the richness of the costumes. Because when you go back in time, you get the chance to create these amazing settings. And if you just put it to modern days, you just have cloth. Yeah, I mean, if I'm given the choice of doing something in traditional costume, I much prefer the— Traditional costume is much more exciting. You know, you get to wear a corset or whatever. Absolutely. Jewels. And I love the research. I love that part, you know, and you can look into the politics at the time and the artwork of the time. Really fun part of creating a role. But then I think maybe it is important to not always be producing the same productions. The one thing I'd say is that for those who are coming to opera for the first time, maybe I would advise, if it was friends of mine, I would advise them to go and see something more traditional, not too out there, to unless it is something like Bohème, which, as I say, just speaks in any time, in modern day. But, for example, for sure for the children to see the costume, that's something that always charm them, isn't it? Yeah, I know I'm going back to the company I set up, but we're putting on a production of The Magic Flute in October, and we had a meeting about it the other day, and you know, it was like, well, let's not try and do anything too crazy with this. It's for children. It's going to be the first time they see it. You know, if you love The Magic Flute and you go and see it at the opera house all over the world, then maybe you are craving something new or different. All right. But yeah, so for our production, it's just all about the fantasy and, and using traditional costumes. Absolutely. I think— but I do think there's a place for for trying. One particular, The Magic Flute, you need the Queen of the Night, isn't it? She needs to be the Queen of the Night. She can't be a housewife coming out. I won't be touching on that. How beautiful. So the next song that you chose to play today is Il Du from Massenet, Érodiade. Would you like to tell us about this aria? Yeah, she's a really different character to the Come Scolio, to Fiordellici. It's quite strong. So Salome, she's absolutely infatuated with John the Baptist, and in this aria she's kind of saying, I've been lonely and I've been sad, but whenever I hear his voice, I'm calmed, almost you know, in a trance. But she, yeah, she's completely obsessed with him. When will he return? She says. When he will return. Fantastic. So let's listen to Il Edu with Letizia Federici at the piano and Maggie Cooper singing. Si li du la parole fa sa tutta pene, le profete disi sever li che je vedo. He'll call to Satan. He ain't generous, he a bloodhound. Let's all turn deep, fast and somber. He'll call Puis-je vivre, vivre sans toi? C'est là tout ce désir, la folie tonnerre, avec ce désespoir qui m'a caït un jour. Welcome to Women's Radio Station, the voice of women worldwide. I'm Sarah Louise Ryan, and welcome to Love Lessons Live on Women's Radio Station. Hello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Women's Radio Hello and welcome to Judy May Is Listening. Hello, this is Anna Kennedy at Women's Radio Station Live, voice of women worldwide, talking about all things autism. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. I'm Saskia at Sable Forex, and we specialize in saving individuals and companies money on their international money transfers or foreign exchange. So when money's crossing currencies, whether it's euros to yen or rands to pounds, that's where we can add value. So for all your foreign exchange needs, I'm Saskia at Sable. You can contact me on saskia.johnston@sableinternational.com, or my number is 0207 759 7541. Hi, I'm Helen Prosper. I'm a health coach and I support people to take back control of their health. So that they feel radiantly well and vibrantly alive, because it's from that place of health that we really can do more, be more, give more, play more, and co-create a better world. If living your life to the full is of interest to you, then take a look at my website, livewellandprosper.uk, and let's speak soon. Do you need mediation? We are the A Project Charity. We provide conflict resolution and community engagement services. Our services include community mediation for neighbor 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 theaproject.co.uk. Women's Radio Station can give a voice to your brand with a wide range of sponsorship opportunities, including individual programs. We can tailor your experience to you. For more information on how you can sponsor a show, go to womensradiostation.com. Women, the possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. 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 07 956 371 483, or alternately 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 Maggie Cooper. A fantastic British soprano from Oxford. Maggie, we were talking about this brilliant idea of the opera accessible for everybody. What would you say— and the crazy story of performing Madame Butterfly as a ladyboy— what would you say was the most exciting moment in your career? Most exciting? I went out to Jordan and gave a— and just did an entertainment gig there, but it was— I don't think it was necessarily last minute, but I was just flown there and I didn't know what to expect. I used to do lots of these kind of entertainment gigs and I turned up and they said, oh yes, the royal family are going to be going to appear here. The King of Jordan is— wow— this, uh, this new massive complex, and the Prime Minister is going to be here. And so that was quite exciting. And, you know, we're on a massive stage with thousands of people. Um, it was, it was just very cool, and I think it was totally unexpected. And, um, I mean, and then I've just remembered randomly, I, I was in the, the green room getting ready and in walked the Gypsy Kings. What? The Gypsy Kings. Do you, um, I know that. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, so I grew up listening to their music. I quite enjoy it. And I was like, oh wow, I was totally starstruck. And then, um, so I was singing with these, I was thinking, singing with these other singers. We were doing, um, like, it was kind of like a crossover set. Yeah. And I don't actually do, um, very much crossover, um, singing, but it was for that night, it was just so much fun. Okay. Um, so I just sang with this kind of girl band and, uh, yeah, it was great. And, and then we did a cover with the Gypsy King. So that was just the most kind of exciting whirlwind of a crazy gig. That's impressive. That's quite, uh, yeah. How do you go on stage when you're so excited? Can you go on stage? Do you have your leg trembling or, you know? Yeah, I get I get nervous. Or somehow you go on stage and boom, you are your performer, you're a performer and that's it, like nothing else goes on. I'm not me, yeah, I feel like I'm not me. When I teach singing to kids and especially if they're nervous about performing or exams and I kind of think, well, I talk so much about the text that you're singing, you know, as a singer you've got these words that you have to go by, and I think I just say, you know, you're not you. You step into a role, you step into that character, who is that character, and it's really freeing. I love that I'm not me when I'm on stage. I can be whoever I want to be, whoever I've created. But I know we were talking before about the difference between opera work and recital work. I love recital, giving recitals, and I love the music, but I find it much more challenging than opera. Okay, because I find it very exposed. Um, you've got to be really meticulous with the music. You're alone for most of the rehearsals, um, and I think for opera you're coming together as part of a huge team. You're working with a conductor, working with the orchestra, there are loads of other singers, and you're playing this part, and it's more about the acting and the movement. So once you've worked really hard on the singing, everything will fall into place. Everything will fall into place. Yeah, and the technique. Part of my brain is always on the technique, but actually I'm just, trying to get across this character and the story, whereas recital work is, I feel, you know, quite vulnerable. I see. What would you say was the most challenging moment in your career? Most challenging? I would say it was— I'd go back to that Butterfly production. Because the role is just very challenging. She's on stage. That's the most challenging role I've performed in the fact that it's just exhausting emotionally. And she is on stage without a break for a long, long, long, long time. And we were doing it 3, as I say, I was giving 3 shows a week. It was exhilarating and I absolutely thrived off it, but yeah, it was really challenging. What would you say are the pros and cons of your job, of your career as an opera singer? Are there some cons? There are, excuse me. I suppose, as with any career where you're self-employed and doing freelance work, I think you've just always got to be ahead of the game, always looking for new work, never resting on your laurels. You know, I might have a busy month and I feel incredibly grateful to have the work in that month, but I've got to be planning for next year and getting out there to auditions and Certainly things have been challenging since I've had children. Definitely getting back into the career was much harder after my second child than with my first. It's hard to— is it more hard to travel, maybe, to leave your children alone when you are touring, or it's just the fact of not being there maybe in the evening Kissing Goodnight, for example. Yeah, I chose— when they were really, really young, I chose to not take on any touring work, and in a way I didn't find it hard because I just didn't even look at those audition things that were coming up. I just thought, you know, it would be too depressing to look at that, I'm not even going to consider it. So I chose not to do that, and I was really happy with that. And now they're a bit older, my youngest is about to start school in September, um, so which is great in the fact that I will have more time to do all of that admin work and, and audition and search for more, um, work. Um, I've been really lucky. I have an incredibly supportive family around me, um, my family and my husband's family, um, and lots of friends who help, help me out and, um, So, do you think you would recommend your children to have a musical career? Hmm, that's a really interesting topic. I don't know. So, my parents are musicians, and I am incredibly grateful that they absolutely drummed into me that you have to love opera. You have to love music with every single bone in your body. And I just remember so clearly they said that so many times to me. Do you love it with every bone in your body? Because if not, then it is just not, it's just not worth it. For you, yeah, uh-huh. So if my children were passionate about it, I would completely understand and I'd completely support them and I'd be terrified for their living. Well, I guess in a way you might be able to guide them, you know. Yeah, that's something not— I would. And I, and I'd then be able to give them all that support that I had from my parents, who— and I saw my parents, um, perform. I used to have to go and turn the pages for my mom as she was playing. Oh, that's so cute. Um, so I— it was just normal. And they taught on a Saturday morning and they'd give concerts and have rehearsals. I really didn't think anything of it. Strange of it, yeah. And it wasn't kind of annoying, oh, you know, oh, Mum and Dad are rehearsing. So it's just become part of normality, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah, it's just a job as another. Yeah, so, and I try and remind myself of that if I feel guilty. And somehow it's a beautiful job, isn't it? It is a beautiful job. Fantastic. Let's listen now, your next track. It's "Weihnacht mir der Schlummer" by Weber from the Der Franz Schütz with Letizia Federici at the piano and Maggie Cooper. Der Sinn. Ja, Liebe pflegt mit Kummer stets Hand in Hand zu gehen. Ob Mond auf seinem Fat wallet. Which should I open now? Leise, leise, frommeweise, schmiede ich aus'm Sternenkreise. Mite shalle, falle and walle, I will it so himmels heil. Oh, wie hell die goldenen Sterne mit wie reinem Glanz edeln! Nur dort in der Bergeferne scheint ein Wetter aufzuziehen, dort haben 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. Hi, I'm Liz van Linden, the UK travel consultant for Hazelmere Travel. 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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 creating a global network for the empowerment of women, and we want you to to be involved. Join us on Instagram and Twitter @WomensRadioStn or Facebook Women's Radio Station to keep up to date with all our exciting news. 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 are 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. Our guest today is Maggie Cooper, fantastic soprano with a beautiful career. And now, Maggie, it's time of the odd question. Uh, actually didn't preview at all. So for example, do you have any strange a hobby to free your mind or relax? Oh my goodness. It doesn't have to be strange, to be honest. Do you have any hobby that is not music? Oh no. Do I have— I mean, just any relaxation would be amazing. Do you know, I love art. I love artwork. So if I had any free time, I would go to an art gallery and and my dream is to do some kind of art, history of art course, I'd like to say. Ah, beautiful. But yeah, not much time for that at the moment. Ah, no, absolutely. Although, you know, with my daughter, we go often to museum. She's always painting, she's always thinking. What I love the most is the fact that in London, the museum are free. I know, great. And you can just walk in every day and you could have your pencil and your notepad and just copy the great master. I think that's quite unique. You don't have that in Italy or in France or in Spain, you know, you have to pay. So it's quite a richness of London. And do you have any superstition before going on stage or ritual? Yeah, oh yeah, I definitely have rituals. I like to be really, really prepared. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm crazy woman. I'm always running around. I'm often— I try not to run late, but I am often you know, literally by the minute. But when I perform, I just go into a different zone. I'm there. I mean, every opera I've done, I've been the first at the theatre. I just like to be there. I like to lay my things out. I like to— everything's timed so that I know I'm gonna have the prime, perfect time to warm up my voice. There's nothing worse than being worried about doing that in a rush or doing it too early or too late. Food and, you know, water. I've kind of got my rituals about those. And, yeah, and then I've got some kind of relaxation exercises I do before I go on stage. You don't have a favourite dress performing concert, for example, or some colours that you don't want to wear? No, I don't have super superstitions about colours. Just, oh, I don't know, it's a usual kind of women's nightmare of what am I going to wear, I don't have anything to wear, oh my gosh, I don't have enough jewellery, I wore that dress before. That's true, I know about that. I need a stylist. Okay, so what's the most funny moment or embarrassing moment that you can recall on stage or in your career in general? Oh my goodness, I think it have to be a wardrobe, talking about clothes, a wardrobe malfunction that I had and I had lost, I think I'd lost my kind of baby weight and I should definitely have had the top taken in and I hadn't really tried it on until the night before and so, and I was there with like safety pins trying to pin this top on before I went on stage and I just had to give this recital kind of holding either arm to the side of me. Oh wow, all right. So that could have potentially been really embarrassing but it was just awkward. Okay, that's— move like a robot. So what's your next project or concert or collaboration? Well, I've got some really lovely things coming up with Carlsholton Opera, the company we're doing this outreach for children. We're giving a fundraiser on the 21st of June, that's Midsummer's Day, and that's at Honeywood Museum in Carlsholton with a fantastic harpist, Kaziah Thomas, and fantastic cellist Elizabeth Andrews. But I have I have a really exciting, another exciting project coming up in October and it's for the Omnibus Theatre. I thought I'd mention it because it's a women's, themed around women. Oh, wow. Okay. And it's for their, they have 3 annual festivals and it's for their Perception Festival in October. And I'll be working with Letizia Federici again a pianist I collaborate with a lot, and we were trying to come up with something really different. So we came up with a wonderful programme, amazing music to do with women. It's very exciting for us, and we're both mothers. Women composers as well? Some female composers, some contemporary composers. We wanted a bit of everything. But then we came up with this idea of collaborating with an artist and creating something a bit different. Something a bit new. So we both found an artist we were inspired by, Daniela Ironside, and so the idea is that she's going to create some works of art inspired by the programme that we've chosen. She's also going to be creating a piece of artwork live as we perform our recital. Wow. Wow, that sounds amazing. Very exciting. Okay, so the last track we're playing today, It's My Wedding, is from The Enchanted Pig. Yes, by Jonathan Dove. So what's that about? Who are you singing in this? Enchanted? Are you the pig? No. So am I the pig? Am I the pig? No, I don't know. Is that with pig characters? No. So I haven't seen this opera and I'd absolutely love to, but I love this aria. It's a very useful aria. It's completely— it's a bit off the wall, and it's completely different to the other characters I sing. It's useful, it's fun as an encore. Um, and, um, so this is Adelaide's aria, and, um, it's 3 days or a couple of days before her wedding, and she's playing a massive bridezilla role, and she's ordering her servants around, and, um, you know, she says 'Where's my tiara? Oh, that tiara is not good enough.' And he says, 'It's my wedding, I'm allowed to throw a strop and everything has to be perfect.' Absolutely. He's been a real diva. I love it. Okay, wonderful. Let's listen to it then. Do you call this a tiara? I want a proper tiara, not this thing. I had more sparkle from beads on an old bit of string. I want shine, I want bling. And the veil— where's the veil? The design was so fine that 4 of the nuns who were making it found they'd gone blind. Do I look like I mind if some nuns have gone blind? The whole bleeding convent can drop down I am dead just so long as that veil is on top of my head. By tonight! All right! And the swan, where's it gone? The 16-foot swan that I'm sitting on as I'm pulled up the aisle by those dwarves. Cut! Those dwarves! Dwarves! Send them back! I said all along, I want dwarves that are strong, and those dwarves can't lift up my train. Send them all back again, and get out and hustle some meat, it's with a mustle! And the doves, the doves, the doves that are being released. And when I stand in front of the priest and say, "I do," they won't do. Shoot them all, little small. Maybe it's me, but I like a dove you can see. Is it really too much to ask? Have I set some impossible task? I just want some sparkle, I want things to shine. Ahahaha! It's my wedding! My wedding! My wedding! It's like some awful conspiracy. Why can't you get it? Why don't you see? It's my wedding, so whose is about? It's my wedding, I doubt what you shout. It's my wedding, so it's all about me. No, get out! And don't come back till everything's perfect! And this was It's My Wedding from The Enchanted Pig by Jonathan Dove with Maggie Cooper. If you have any question that you would like to ask to our guest, 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. 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