Emily Gottlieb Chief Executive Expand Emily has been Chief Executive of the National Opera Studio since 2015. Prior to this, she spent 15 years with the Royal Opera House; first as Stage Manager, managing over 60 productions for The Royal Opera, and then taking a leading role under CEO Alex Beard in the organisational development of the ROH, designing and developing its first Internal Engagement Programme. She was the first ever Consortium-supported Performing Arts Fellow on the Clore Leadership Programme in 2012-13. She has worked in leading opera companies around the world, as stage designer, company manager or stage manager, including Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Victoria State Opera, European Union Opera and Grange Park Opera. She is a Trustee of the Buxton International Festival and the Wandworth BID, a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts and a relational dynamics coach. She is a keen cook and loves wildlife, with an especial fondness for the giraffe.
David Sulkin OBE Director of Artist Development Expand David has been at the forefront of change, development and learning and participation while directing and supporting young artists since he graduated in Theatre Arts from the Rose Bruford College in the 1970s. He was Director of the Royal Court Young People's Theatre during which time he was awarded an Anglo-Soviet Study Scholarship and also assisted with the creation of Interplay - the International Festival of Young Playwrights. He was Co-founder and Director of the Baylis Programme at English National Opera, visiting Director of Janáček in Hukvakdy, Director of Policy and Programmes at Youth Music and Executive Director of Help Musicians UK. As well as working at the National Opera Studio he is currently finishing work on a play about Leoš Janáček. He is chairman of the Sing Up Foundation. David was awarded the OBE in HM The Queen's New Year's Honours in 2014 for his work in the arts, education and charity. David spends time motorcycling, making jam and chutney and training his cat, Finsbury Circus, to do tricks.
Andrew Griffiths Head Coach and Music Consultant Expand Andrew Griffiths studied conducting under Martyn Brabbins in Glasgow, and trained as a répétiteur at the National Opera Studio and at Scottish Opera, before joining the Jette Parker Young Artist programme at The Royal Opera. He has conducted productions for The Royal Opera, Royal Ballet, WNO, Opera North, Opera Theatre Company, Mid Wales Opera, Bampton Classical Opera and Iford Arts, led concerts with the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Orchestra of the Swan and Southbank Sinfonia, and joined the music staff at Glyndebourne, ENO, Chicago Opera Theatre, BBC SO and BBC SSO. He is often engaged for projects outside the standard canon, and is particularly experienced in Baroque repertoire and the music of the last fifty years. In addition to his work in opera, Andrew is in constant demand as a choral director; he regularly broadcasts with the BBC Singers, and is Musical Director of Kingston Choral Society and chamber choir Londinium.
Dearbhla Collins Head of Artistic Administration Expand Dearbhla Collins is one of Ireland’s finest pianists. She is most well known as a song pianist and performs recitals with singers such as Benjamin Appl, Patricia Bardon and Tara Erraught. She also regularly works with Dame Ann Murray and Brigitte Fassbaender. As well as being the Assistant Head of Music at the National Opera Studio, she is the senior vocal coach at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin. She has also coached in the Universität für Musik, Vienna, in Zurich and the Beijing Central Conservatory. She is the founder and Artistic Director of Dublin Song Series which puts on song recitals in Dublin at the National Concert Hall and the Hugh lane Municipal Art Gallery. Dearbhla is the Artistic Administrator of the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition, previous winners of which include Nadine Sierra, Fatma Said and William Thomas. In October 2017 she was awarded an honorary doctorate for her services to music in Ireland from the National University of Ireland.
Patricia St Hilaire Diverse Voices Programme Manager Expand Patricia has had an extensive career in the arts, social change and in retail business. In these areas she has drawn on her experience of studying drama at the Rose Bruford College in the 1980s. She now works as a life-coach and has moved back into the arts as project manager and consultant. Patricia was one of the co-founders of the radical Theatre of Black Women with writer, Bernardine Evaristo and director, Paulette Randell. Theatre of Black Women undertook writing, commissioning, performing, and touring in the UK and Europe. Patricia’s play, Just Another Day, was produced at the Royal Court Theatre as part of the Talking Black season. She worked with the ENO Baylis writing libretti for and directing two children’s opera in London schools. Following this, Patricia qualified as an arts administrator at City University when there were few black qualified arts managers. She went on to be a tutor on the Women into Arts Management programme at Birkbeck College, University of London. Later she went on to work in local government as trainer and partnership working in the field of children and families and provided leadership courses for London Boroughs of Croydon, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Haringey and Islington. Patricia was asked to be Human Resources and Operations Director for Youth at Risk where she was responsible for the procurement of funds and the development of partnerships between the multi agencies. Then Patricia moved into the retail sector as an HR manager where she has developed her skills at both a local and regional level. She has worked as a senior HR partner to senior managers, implementing organisational restructuring and dealing with disciplinary issues, grievances, and performance management issues.
Rosina Acosta Artistic Planning Manager Expand Rosina joined the National Opera Studio in September 2019. Rosina graduated from the Royal College of Music as a violinist in the midst of the summer of COVID and since then worked in a school as an administrator. Throughout her studies, she worked as part of the Front of House team at English National Opera.
Peter Di Toro Digital and Communications Manager Expand Peter is responsible for the National Opera Studio’s communications, branding, website and marketing. He works closely with the Head of Philanthropy and the Chief Executive to ensure all communications reflect and augment the organisation’s vision and values. Peter brings a wealth of arts marketing experience to the Studio, having worked with orchestras, venues, record labels, festivals and artists. He joins the Studio from the Guildhall School where he led a nationwide branding project as part of the School’s new strategic plan to refocus its wide-reaching Guildhall Young Artists programme. Prior to this, Peter was Head of Marketing and Communications at the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, Marketing Executive for Classical Music at Barbican Centre and held marketing positions for numerous major and independent record labels, including Warner Classics, EMI Classics, Decca, Signum and Naïve. Peter’s love (more of an addiction!) of singing — and opera in particular — began at the age of 11 when he was selected by the Royal Opera House to be part of the children’s chorus in John Copley’s iconic production of La Bohème, featuring a fresh-faced, up-and-coming star by the name of Roberto Alagna. The production was subsequently filmed by the BBC and recorded on EMI Classics. Alongside his role at the Studio, Peter is an Arts Marketing Consultant and sings professionally for a number of choirs around the UK and abroad, including Collegium Vocale Gent, Gli Angeli Genève, Dunedin Consort, Polyphony and the Choir of the English Concert. Peter loves running, travelling, good coffee and terrible jokes.
Nicholas Simpson Head of Finance and Operations Expand Nicholas joined the National Opera Studio in May 2019, having previously been Company Manager at The Grange Festival. Prior to that, Nicholas was the General Manager of Opera Lyrica. Nicholas is also a trustee of Opera Prelude. Nicholas is currently finishing his MBA at Saïd Business School (University of Oxford), sponsored by the Linbury Trust. As an undergraduate, he studied Music at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, and was a choral scholar. Outside of work, he sings bass with Vivamus choir and enjoys sailing.
Robert Moffat Head of Philanthropy Expand Robert has over twenty years experience in arts fundraising, mainly in opera where he has been involved with English Touring Opera, The Garden Venture, The BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, The Sixteen and Opera Rara. In addition he worked for several years for the innovative sustainable energy charity Ashden. He is committed to widening the diversity of funding wherever he works and to seeking innovative solutions to make projects happen. A keen amateur singer he is Chairman of the renowned English Chamber Choir.
Remon Gabrael Caretaker Expand Remon has worked at the National Opera Studio since 2007. Born in Baghdad, Iraq, Remon moved to the United Kingdom in 1993, where he gained his SIA licence and began running security for several organisations around South London. As well as being responsible for performing maintenance on The Clore Building, Remon acts as Duty Manager for all external hires and performances. Remon is a qualified fire marshal and first-aider, and is trained in extended evacuation techniques. Remon holds a degree in Engineering from Baghdad University, and as well as his love of opera, enjoys football (Manchester United) and spending time with his family.