MALCOLM RIVERS, LEE BISSET, DONALD THOMSON: Götterdammerung Masterclass Workshop

Part 1 will consist of a Masterclass conducted by Malcolm Rivers with Donald Thomson in the role of Hagen. It will cover Hagen's Watch: Hier sitz' ich zur wacht which opens Act I Scene 2 of Götterdämmerung. 
 Part 2 will be performance of the Immolation Scene with Lee Bisset as Brünnhilde.  

Malcolm Rivers (Masterclasses Coach)

After completing a scholarship at the Royal College of Music Malcolm worked with Benjamin Britten in his English Opera group before joining English National Opera. His career has also included extended spells with the D'Oyly Carte Company and in West End musicals. Malcolm has performed the role of Alberich more than 200 times with conductors such as Sir Reginald Goodall, Charles Mackerras, Bernard Haitink and Anthony Negus. He devotes much of his time to coaching artists through the Mastersingers Company which he established in 1998 to encourage talented young singers to develop their craft in the Wagnerian repertoire. Mastersingers provides access to distinguished performers and coaches who are able to share a huge resource of knowledge and of experience.

Lee Bisset (Brünnhilde)

Born and brought up on the banks of Loch Lomond, Lee studied first at the Royal Scottish Conservatoire then at the Royal Northern College of Music and subsequently at the National Opera Studio. She has sung the roles of Mimi (La Boheme) and Tosca for English National Opera, Leonore (Fidelio) for Dorset Opera, and the title roles of Kata Katanova and Jenufa for Scottish opera. Her Wagnerian repertoire includes the roles of Sieglinde (Die Walküre) and Isolde at Longborough, Brünnhilde (Die Walküre) for the Wagner Society, Sieglinde at Teatro Municipo in Sao Paolo, Senta for Opera de Bellas Artes, Mexico City as well as covering Senta (Die fliegende Holländer) for The Royal Opera, Covent Garden. Lee performed the roles of Sieglinde and Third Norn (Götterdämmerung) in the 2016 Opera North Ring.

Donald Thomson (Hagen)

Donald started his musical education as a chorister at St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh. He began his studies at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music. Since then Donald has sung across Europe in roles such as Peter Hansel and Gretel with Escales Lyriques, Balaga Guerre et Paix with RSAMD / Rostov State Opera Orchestra (Russia), The Parson Cunning Little Vixen with RSAMD / Scottish Opera, Serviteur Thais at the Edinburgh International Festival with the RSNO, Commendatore Don Giovanni with Westminster Opera, Hunding in Secret Opera’s Die Walküre and Landgraf in Tannhäuser at Longborough Festival Opera. Donald is the 2016 Winner of the Carole Rees Award for Advanced Musical Studies in Wagnerian Repertoire.