Mezzo-soprano Rosie Middleton specialises in new music. In 2019 Rosie was artist-in-residence at Snape Maltings and The Banff Centre, where she collaborated with composers on voice(less) – a series for voice and electronics with works by Mira Calix, Laura Bowler, Esin Gunduz and Michael Betteridge exploring voice loss and communication.
Highlights of 2020-21 include Laura Bowler’s Gold with Riot Ensemble, a Somerset House Residency with Catherine Kontz on 12 Hours, winning the Michiko Hirayama Prize for experimental vocal music and Jamie Hamilton’s Versionland with Phaedra Ensemble.
An experienced performer of contemporary opera, Rosie has created roles in Will Todd’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (the Royal Opera House Linbury Theatre), Michael Betteridge’s #echochamber (Reykjavik/UK Tour), Catherine Kontz’ A Certain Sense of Order (UK and Luxembourg tour), Alastair White’s Robe and Guy Harries’ Two Caravans. In 2020 she was cast in the Royal Opera House production of She Described it to Death (cancelled due to covid-19).
Rosie’s 20th and 21st century core repertoire includes Pierrot Lunaire (Southbank Centre – reviewed as ‘staggeringly good’ – New Statesman), Boulez Le marteau sans maître, Berio Sequenza III and Saariaho From the Grammar of Dreams.
In 2022, Rosie worked with Melanie Wilson on Oracle: The Dreaming Species, performed the world premieres of Philip Cashian’s Madrigali with cellist Louise McMonagle and Athanasia Kontou’s Antigone: Pure in her Crime with the Liverpool Philharmonic Ensemble 10/10. She will perform in Laura Bowler’s The Blue Woman at the Royal Opera House Linbury Theatre in July and at Snape Maltings in September 2022.
Future projects include collaborations with Diana Soh and Laura Bowler for voice, movement and ensemble, Wernicke’s Area – an installation created by Owen Boss and Emily Howard for ANU Productions in Dublin in October 2022 and a performance of voice(less) with violinist Angharad Davies for Music in the Round.
Header Photos by
Bobby Shoebotham
Olga Ivanitskaya