David Butt Philip masterclass

Abbie Ward is a mezzo-soprano from Essex and a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, having previously trained at the Royal Academy of Music. She studies with John Evans. Most recently Abbie was a 2025 Alvarez Young Artist at Garsington Opera, covering Flávio in Rodelinda and performing in the choruses of L’elisir d’amore and The Queen of Spades. Other operatic roles include Carmen (St Paul’s Opera) and Third Lady (The Magic Flute, Wild Arts). Concert highlights include solo performances in the Bach in Leipzig series under Dame Jane Glover, Peter Whelan, and Iain Ledingham, and Elijah at the Barbican under Sir Antonio Pappano. She recently performed her first trouser role as Nerone in L’incoronazione di Poppea with HGO, directed by SPO colleague Ashley Pearson.

Edvard Adde is an Anglo-Norse Award holder supported by the Maria Björnson Memorial Fund Award. Edvard got his bachelor's degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is currently doing his master's at the Royal College of Music where he studies with the bass Jonathan Lemalu and Gary Matthewman. Edvard just performed the role of Beppe in the opera Pagliacci by Leoncavallo with North Wales Opera Studio. Earlier this March he played the role of Don Curzio in Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart in the Royal College of musics production. Last summer he covered the role of Ernesto in Don Pasquale by Donizetti for Scherzo Ensemble at Longhope Opera. In 2021 he was awarded second place in the junior Kathleen Ferrier competition. The same year he made his operatic debut as Rinuccio in the opera Gianni Schicchi by Puccini for Opera Rogaland in Norway. In 2022 he reprised the role in Palermo, Italy.

Louisa trained at the RWCMD, Trinity College of Music and ENO Opera Works. She has worked with Opera Holland Park, Raymond Gubbay and OperaUpClose working in the West End and touring the UK. Roles include Violetta / La Traviata (Offie Nomination) Mimi / La Bohème, Countess / Le Nozze di Figaro and Fiordiligi / Così Fan Tutte.

Louisa is also an actress and comedy writer and is the co-creator of the mockumentary Warehouse Opera. Take a look:

https://www.youtube.com/@warehouseopera

Ted Day is an emerging artist and recent graduate from the Royal College of Music, where he held the Douglas and Hilda Simmonds scholarship. His recent performances include Belcore in L’Elisir d’amore with St Paul’s Opera, and Courtier in Hampstead Garden Opera’s production of La Cenorentola. Ted’s opera credits also include Antonio in Le nozze di Figaro, and Kromow in The Merry Widow, both with the Royal College of Music’s Opera Studio; of Baritone in Song Queen: A Pidgin Opera at the Royal Albert Hall and Wilton’s Music Hall, and HE in Cupboard Love. In 2026, Ted will premier the role of John Adams in the new opera Hidden Star – The Story of Annie Walker in a performance at the Observatory at the University of Cambridge in March, before reprising it at the Tête à Tête opera festival in October. Ted also returns to Hampstead Garden Opera to cover the role of Junius in their production of The Rape of Lucretia.

Adrian Salinero is a London-based Basque Spanish pianist working as répétiteur, music director and coach. Recent operatic engagements include Simon Boccanegra (Verdi) with Grange Park Opera, The Rape of Lucretia (Britten) and L’elisir d’amore (Donizetti) with English Touring Opera, and Acis and Galatea (Handel) with Opera Holland Park. He has served as Music Director for St Paul’s Opera’s productions of L’elisir d’amore and Little Red Riding Hood (Cesar Cui).

In 2026, Adrian will join Thames Opera Company as Assistant Music Director, return to St Paul’s Opera as Music Director for La traviata (Verdi), and make his Spanish debut as répétiteur in Calixto Bieito’s semi-staged production of Shostakovich’s Fourteenth Symphony at Teatro Arriaga.

In the 2022–23 season, he was a Young Artist at the National Opera Studio.