Producer's Notes

I first saw James perform in 2003 in the lead role of Alex in the Blenheim Operatic Society production of Aspects of Love. Even in those early days it was clear that James was a special talent. I saw him last in the NZ Opera production of Madame Butterfly last year (hence Lloyd Webber to Puccini!), where he demonstrated that now he was not only a fine tenor, but also an outstanding actor. After the show we got together and organised their return to Blenheim for this show. 

I knew Rachelle’s father, Gavin, rather better than I knew Rachelle, as she became prominent in her performing career after I had left Blenheim. She followed a similar education and training path to James, a year or so behind him. But I have done my research, and read the reviews, and can promise you that in Rachelle’s performance, you are going to hear a very special voice. Wow!

Having James and Rachelle back in Blenheim to perform for us will be a special occasion, made even more so by also having on stage as accompanist and performer Jillian (that’s her accompanying husband James in the Schumann video clip above) and their two special guest performers.
 
We all derive a measure of vicarious pride from the achievements of the sons and daughters of Marlborough who succeed at the highest levels, whether they be performers, vignerons, All Blacks, Olympic rowers or academics. Nothing wrong with that! So take a little pride in the achievements of the special group of performers  you will see on stage at the ASB theatre in February 2017.
 

James

Fresh from performing in Madama Butterfly and Tosca with New Zealand Opera, James has performed numerous Tenor roles in both Opera and Musical Theatre in New Zealand, San Francisco, and New York where he now lives. He has become a passionate advocate of the art song repertoire and a champion of new music. His awards include: An Arts Excellence Award from the Malvina Major Foundation (2010), Winner of the Joy in Singing Competition (2008), Winner of the Lotte Lenya Competition (2007), Wellington Rotary Scholarship, Marie D’Albini Scholarship, Bell Gully Travel Award, Sir Henry Cooper Memorial Scholarship in Music, as well as grants from the Lankhuyzen/Whetu Kairangi Masonic Trust and the Kurt Weill Foundation. In 2014 James released his debut album Exiled: The Evolution of Kurt Weill.

 

Rachelle

Born in Canterbury, Rachelle moved to Marlborough with her family, and attended Marlborough Girls College. She is a recent graduate from the Manhattan School of Music with a Masters in Music in Professional Studies, and was winner of the 2014 Metropolitan Opera National Council Connecticut District Auditions. Rachelle has been invited to attend master classes by many of opera's great sopranos and teachers, including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Lauren Flanagan, Linda Kitchen, Marilyn Horne, Malcom Martineau, and Paul Farrington. Although based in New York, she has recently performed with New Zealand Opera in La Cenerentola, Der Fliegende Holländer and La Traviata. In her short professional opera career to date, Rachelle has already mastered over twenty roles. 

Jillian

Since moving to New York in 2005, Jillian Zack Rodgers has had numerous performance opportunities with instrumentalists and both classical and musical theatre vocalists.  She has performed frequently at the Juilliard School, and at various other venues throughout New York City, including Carnegie’s Weill Hall and Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. She has also performed throughout the United States, England, and New Zealand. 

Jillian graduated with a BM in Piano Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, and was awarded the Josephine C. Whitford Award for her significant contribution to the enrichment of the school. She completed her studies in the Collaborative Piano Program at The Juilliard School in 2012, where she studied under the tutelage of Margo Garrett, Jonathan Feldman, J.J. Penna and Diane Richardson. She was a recipient of the Irene Diamond Graduate Fellowship, the William Petschek Piano Scholarship, and the Greene Fellowship.  While at Juilliard, she began a collaboration with cellist Hannah Sloane, and together they formed the y3duo, which performs throughout the US and UK. 

Robin Sutherland