Michelle Wegwart

Magdala's Artistic Director is Michelle Wegwart, one of the UK's most sought-after voice teachers. She is consulted regularly by leading singers from home and overseas and is Professor of Voice at the Bastille Opera, Paris. During the summer of 2001, she joined the faculty of the International Institute of Vocal Arts, an international programme with world's top singing, language and music coaches, at the invitation of its Artistic Director Joan Dornemann of the Metropolitan Opera, New York. She was also voice teacher to JVR, Opera du Rhin, Strasbourg from 2002-04.

Magdala's Artist in Residence is Tim Lole. After five years as a chorister at St Paul's Cathedral, Tim Lole continued his musical studies at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was Organ Scholar; The Royal College of Music and the National Opera Studio. He began his freelance career as a repetiteur working at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and for City of Birmingham Touring Opera. From 1991-95 he was Staff Conductor at Scottish Opera, where he conducted several operas, including The Turn of the Screw, which was filmed for BBC2.

In 1992, he won the Donatella Flick Conducting Competition at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. Since then he has conducted operas for most of the opera companies in the UK. In August 2004 he was Musical Director for 'A Night At The Opera', a 33 date national tour showcasing the winners of Channel 4's Operatunity programme.

Tim started studying singing with Michelle Wegwart in 1997 and has been closely involved with Magdala ever since. As Artist in Residence he has conducted, accompanied, written arrangements for and sung with the chorus, as well as running education workshops around the county.

Magdala's Language & Vocal Coach is Jane Robinson. After early training at The Royal College of Music in London she completed her studies at the National Opera Studio. Her career as vocal coach and repetiteur began in 1980 at the Grand Theatre de Nancy, followed by seven seasons at Glyndebourne Festival and Touring Opera.

From 1987 Jane spent four years at the English National Opera as Assistant to Mark Elder and Vocal Coach to the company. Since 1990 she has worked with Graham Vick at the Birmingham Opera Company on most of their productions.

In 1997 Jane was invited to become Vocal Coach at Glyndebourne, a post created for her. Her work training young singers has also taken her to the Opera Studio, Opera de Lyon; the Fondation Royaumont, Paris; The Paris Opera School; the Musicalische Sommerakademie Lenk, Switzerland and the Wiener Meisterkurse in Vienna.

Since returning to Britain, Jane has coached at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama, the National Opera Studio and at the Royal Academy of Music. More recently she has coached for British Youth Opera and directed the Opera Scenes at the Porto Opera Studio and the Birmingham Conservatoire and will be returning to both.

For Sony Classical Jane played an integral part in the vocal preparation of Marcelo Alvarez, before and during all the recording sessions of his album 'Bel Canto, conducted by Carlo Rizzi, as well as for Salvatore Licitra's debut album. In 1998 Philips Classics enlisted Jane as coach for their recording of 'Falstaff", conducted by John Eliot Gardiner.

Jane started studying singing with Michelle Wegwart in 1997 along with her husband, Tim Lole and like him has been closely involved with Magdala ever since.

Magdala's Administration Manager, Koren Harris joined Magdala in 2004 having held previous administration roles at Nottingham Playhouse and The Boots Company.