Versatile Classically trained singer/actor/performer Sarahlouise has performed many genres and styles of music. She has sung in many of Europe’s illustrious theatres under the batons of celebrated conductors and worked with noted staging directors.
Australian born Sarahlouise gained a Bachelor of Music (Hons) in Classical Voice, from Australian National University and went on to Postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. At both places she worked and studied with some highly notable teachers and had masterclasses with renowned singers, vocal coaches and accompanists, such as the great Lieder accompanist Geoffrey Parsons. In turn she had success in international Singing Competitions.
While still studying she began working in the ensemble of Bayreuth Wagner Summer Festival, which launched her international career.
In this time, she was engaged in Europe, in the WDR (Cologne Radio), Bayreuth, Opera theatres of Brussels La Monnaie, Paris Châtelet, Frankfurt, Hannover and Hagen. She worked with great conductors, singers and stage directors.
Among her opera roles are: Violetta (La Traviata); Antonia (Tales of Hoffmann); Edeldame (Lohengrin, Bayreuth); Chauve-Souris, Berger, Chouette, Pastorelle (L’enfant et les sortileges) Yniold (Pelléas et Mélisande).
Sarahlouise’s performance experience embraces many genres: Musicals (Legit, including Gilbert & Sullivan), Musical Theatre, Opera, Operetta, Music Hall, straight theatre, Oratorio and Liturgical music repertoire, Early Music and Art Song.
From breadth of experience, she has come to understand the style and sense of what the composer intends and the spirit of the Age the music was composed.
Since her return to Australia in 2007, Sarahlouise has established herself as a concert artist and recitalist of Art Song, having performed with the Canberra Choral Society, University of Canberra Chorale, National Capital Orchestra, Canberra International Music Festival, and given regular recitals for Art Song Canberra and Wesley Music Centre.
Through her business, Canta Viva, with a small troupe of players, she presented a highlights version of La Traviata, to sold-out houses.
‘Les musettes’, an all-female early music ensemble, she established to premiere and present the recently unearthed works of Gillier, which went on to perform at the 2019 Canowindra Early Music Festival. The group also aims to tour these exquisite works.
Specialising as a singer of Art Song, most recently she has collaborated with pianist Katherine Day forming Canberra’s Foremost Art Song Ensemble, PAYSAGE. The pair have toured the South Coast with their Art Song program, Impressionist Expressions to great acclaim.
Sarahlouise has a particular interest in finding and singing the works of lesser known or obscured composers, with a leaning towards music of the early to mid 20th German composers (Expressionism and Weimar).
As a champion of works by women, and Australian composers, Sarahlouise has commissioned a number of local composers to write songs in response to Covid and the events of 2020, as part of ArtsACT Homefront Grant. The composers are Michael Dooley, Sally Greenaway and Margaret Legge-Wilkinson.
Currently she is preparing to tour the Regions with her show on the life of scandalous, Victorian international Diva, Anna Bishop (see Current Projects)
Since her return from Europe, Sarahlouise has made the most impact through singing teaching, and conducting community choirs (predominantly with seniors). Her work with the Seasoned Voices Choir won them the Positive Ageing Award for 2019.
She has taught the spectrum of ages and abilities, from children through to seniors, Beginners to Advanced, and those aiming for professional careers.
Sarahlouise was a Performance Teaching Fellow at Australian National University 2013-17, also teaching the Pre-tertiary Vocal Ensemble in 2018.
In her studio she teaches many styles of vocal music but with an emphasis in grounding a good foundational technique that the student may have the flexibility to cross over genres and maintain vocal health.
She is also conversant in many languages, mainly, German, Italian, French (some Spanish).
cantaviva.com 