The Academy

Lauren Bagge is a 24-year-old mezzo-soprano from Kent. Her interest in opera began in secondary school where she had the opportunity to sing as part of the ENO chorus in rehearsal for both Marnie and Aida. She studied Music under Miranda Wright at Durham University, graduating with first class honours before moving on to her current work in the education sector alongside a variety of musical opportunities.  

 While at university, Lauren participated as a soloist, chorus member, and director in different operas whilst cultivating a broad recital portfolio, ranging from early music to contemporary classical works. More recently, she has sung in choral projects with both the BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, and as an alto soloist for Cleveland Philharmonic Choir’s performance of St. Matthew Passion. Having an interest in vocal health science, she has earned a certification in Applied Voice and Neuroscience through the Voice Study Centre. 

 Lauren is grateful to have been able to further her vocal training as part of the Samling Academy from 2021 – 24, and the 2025 Glyndebourne Academy where she has benefited from advanced vocal, acting, language, and movement coaching. She currently studies with Yvonne Kenny, and is thrilled to be a part of this year’s National Opera Studio Academy cohort.  

Timi is a Nigerian Bass-baritone currently studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland under the tutelage of Julian Tovey, Timi also studied at the Musical Society of Nigeria School of Music where he graduated as the Overall Best Male Singer under the tutelage of Princess Banke Ademola.  

In addition to his studies, Timi was also awarded first prize in the Hugh S Roberton Prize for Scottish Singing and was highly commended in the Molly Robb prize for young singers.   

Outside the conservatoire, Timi has sung in the chorus with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra for their performances of Berlioz’s Grande Messe des Morts and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, he also performed Bass solo in Mozart’s Requiem in the Chorus’ most recent fundraising concert. Timi has also sung in the chorus with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra’s performances of Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius with Chief Conductor Ryan Wigglesworth, he recently joined the National Youth Choir of Scotland to open the Edinburgh International Festival 2025.Timi has been privileged to receive masterclasses from great singers and coaches of which include; Sir Thomas Allen, Susan Bullock & John Fisher  

Timi was part of the inaugural NOS Academy and will be returning to the National Opera Studio as a 2025/26 Academy singer.  

Gabriela Comeau Gort is a Canadian mezzo-soprano based in Manchester whose performances span North America, England, Spain, Italy, and Chile. Gabriela has recently completed an intensive MMus in Opera and Vocal Performance at the RNCM as a scholar, under the tutelage of Mary Plazas. She holds a BMus in Vocal Performance from the University of Ottawa, studying with John Avey. Gabriela was the 2025 mezzo-soprano Young Artist at Waterperry Opera Festival. Gabriela’s past opera productions / scenes include Hänsel (Hänsel und Gretel, Humperdinck), Nancy (Albert Herring, Britten), Second & Third Lady (Die Zauberflöte, Mozart), Hermia (A MidsummerNight’s Dream, Britten), Autumn (The Fairy Queen, Purcell), and Orfeo (Orfeo ed Euridice, Gluck). Equally comfortable in oratorio repertoire, Gabriela’s upcoming / past concert engagements include the alto soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, and Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Requiem, Shaw’s The Listeners, and Jenkins’ The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. Gabriela has been the recipient of several awards for vocal excellence, notably the NATS-NCR Most Outstanding Performance (Senior Division), and has received generous bursaries from the Art Song Foundation of Canada. Gabriela looks forward to competing in the 2025/2026 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (Idaho/Wyoming District). Gabriela is thankful for the support of her family, teachers / mentors, WOF, and NOS

Lottie Craven is a British soprano and recent graduate of University College London, where she read Classics. She is currently studying for a Master’s in Vocal Performance at the Royal College of Music under Amanda Roocroft. 

Her operatic roles include Abigail Williams The Crucible (University College Opera, UK première), Susannah Susannah (University College Opera), and Pamilie La Naissance d’Osiris (University College Opera, UK première). She has also appeared in scenes as Donna Elvira Don Giovanni, Fiordiligi Così fan tutte, Irma Louise, Madame Herz Der Schauspieldirektor, and Miss Jessel The Turn of the Screw. 

Recent concert engagements include Duruflé Requiem and Fauré Requiem as the soprano soloist with Durham Choral Society at Durham Cathedral. 

She was a member of the Glyndebourne Academy in 2024, the Samling Academy from 2018 to 2020, and joins the National Opera Studio Academy in 2025. 

In 2025 she was selected as a UK recipient of the Richard-Wagner-Stipendienstiftung, supported by the London Wagner Society, and spent part of her summer in Bayreuth participating in the festival’s international scholarship programme. 

English Baritone Henry Godwin is currently preparing to start his Masters Degree at the Royal College of Music, where he completed his Undergraduate Degree, studying with Peter Savidge and in the last year coached by Gary Matthewman. He began singing at age seven and worked professionally in film and theatre. Since arriving at RCM, he has appeared as the Bass Soloist for two Bach concerts, received a special recommendation in the Brooks Van Der Pump English Competition (RCM), Raphael and Adam in Haydn’s ‘Die Schöpfung’, Baritone Soloist in Faure’s Requiem and Stainer’s Crucifixion, and Understudied Kromov and appeared in the Chorus of The Merry Widow (RCMIOS 2024). Over the last year in RCM Opera Scenes, he has performed as Giove in La Calisto (Cavalli), Steward in Flight (Dove), Betto in Gianni Schicchi (Puccini) and Papageno in Die Zauberflöte (Mozart). This Summer, he sang the role of Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus (J Strauss) in France with Westminster Opera Company 

In his spare time, he loves his sport and is a keen Arsenal fan. He enjoys running, strength training and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He also works part-time for the running app Runna.  

India Harding is a versatile high mezzo-soprano celebrated for her expressive tone and dynamic stage presence. Of mixed-race Jamaican heritage, she brings a unique perspective and passion to her artistry. India recently completed her Master’s degree at The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where she excelled in a variety of principal roles. Her standout performances include Florence Pike in Britten’s Albert Herring and the commanding Queen in Ethel Smyth’s Fête Galante, both of which showcased her vocal agility and dramatic flair. 

India is committed to using her platform as a performer to make classical music more inclusive and accessible. She is passionate about inspiring young people especially those from underrepresented and diverse communities to discover the transformative power of opera and classical music. Her goal is to break down barriers to music-making, helping the next generation feel empowered to explore and participate in the arts. 

Whether on stage or in the community, India seeks to share her love of music in ways that educate, inspire, and connect audiences. She looks forward to a career dedicated not only to performance but also to cultivating a deeper appreciation for opera in all its beauty. 

Tom Hawkey-Soar is a Birmingham-based tenor, currently pursuing an MMus in Vocal Performance at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where he studies with Christopher Turner. He graduated from RBC with First Class Honours (BMus Hons) and was awarded the St. Clare Barfield Rosebowl for Operatic Distinction in his final year. Operatic highlights include Albert in Britten’s Albert Herring, a production praised as “triumphant” by Opera Magazine, and The Lover in Smyth’s Fête Galante (RBC). He also contributed chorus and cover work for British Youth Opera’s recent production of Peter Grimes. His operatic scene work features roles such as Tom Rakewell (The Rake’s Progress), Faust (Faust), and Leukippos (Daphne). On the concert platform, Tom has recently appeared as a soloist in Mendelssohn’s Elijah at the Brecon Choral Festival, Handel’s Messiah, and in performances with Kazuki Yamada and the RBC Symphony Orchestra, and with the Malvern Festival Chorus. He sang in the UK premiere of John Luther Adams’ Vespers of the Blessed Earth with the CBSO at Symphony Hall, and in the premiere recording of Thomas de Hartmann’s opera Esther with the BSO under Kirill Karabits. Equally active as a choral singer, Tom is a Tenor Lay Clerk at both Birmingham Cathedral and Rugby School, and holds a scholarship with the acclaimed choir Ex Cathedra, conducted by Jeffrey Skidmore OBE. He is supported in his studies by the generosity of Ms A. Dixon, the Lamport Hall Trust, and the Josephine Baker Trust. Away from music, he can usually be found in the kitchen, on the squash court, or admiring modernist architecture while attempting to look inconspicuous.

Sarah is a 21 year old mezzo-soprano from Ticino, Switzerland currently studying at Royal Northern College of Music with Elizabeth Ritchie as an undergraduate.

Sarah’s repertoire includes roles such as Smeraldine (L’Amour Des Trios Oranges/RNCM), Zwiete Knabe (Die Zauberflöte/Berlin Opera Academy), Koukouli (cover) (L’Etoile/RNCM), Papagena (cover), (Die Zauberflöte/Berlin Opera Academy), as well as scenes as Dorabella (Cosi Fan Tutte/RNCM). Sarah is passionate about contemporary music and has created the role of Beth Slater (Silverwood/RNCM Community Opera). Other contemporary credits include a solo recital of Juliana Hall’s A World Turned Upside Down (Lerici Music Festival) and chorus in the world premiere of Nishat Khan’s Taj Mahal (Grange Park Opera).

Professionally, Sarah performed with Grange Park Opera in the chorus of their 2025 season which included works such as Simon Boccanegra, Mazeppa, and Madama Butterfly.

In concert, Sarah has been a soloist with Hallè Orchestra, Tallis Choral Foundation, Orchestra OperaViva, and at the Lerici Music Festival in collaboration Opera For Peace with repertoire ranging from baroque (Handel) to contemporary (Sondheim).

Sarah is also an avid choral singer and has sung with Tallis Choral Foundation and the RNCM Chamber Choir.

Egyptian mezzo-soprano Fatima Soliman is currently an undergraduate student at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where she studies with Elizabeth McCormack and Jane Irwin. 

Her passion for music was cultivated by her mother, who recognised her potential early on. This led her from a small city in Egypt to Cairo, where she joined the academy of soprano Dr. Neveen Allouba. In 2023, she was awarded the Sawiris Arts and Culture Scholarship, which allowed her to pursue her bachelor’s degree at RCS. 

After enrolling, she performed as a member of the semi-chorus for the BBC SSO’s production of Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius and joined the chorus for Mozart’s Idomeneo with the Alexander Gibson Opera School. Most recently, she participated in a contemporary music performance, directed by Colin Currie, which featured Steve Reich’s Music for Mallet Instruments and John Adams’ Grand Pianola. 

Beyond her studies at RCS, she was a part of the RSNO Chorus’s rendition of Berlioz’s Grande Messe des Morts, conducted by Thomas Søndergård. She was also invited to participate as a chorus member in the research and development of a new opera, Displaced, produced by Co-Align, directed by PJ Harris, and featuring members of the English National Opera orchestra. 

Sarah Thomas is a Mancunian soprano beginning her first postgraduate year at the Royal College of Music, tutored by Amanda Roocroft. She is generously supported by the Help Musician’s Sybil Tutton Opera Award and sponsored by Peter Snook. Sarah recently completed her BMus at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she received 94% in her final recital, earning her a first class degree. At the RNCM, Sarah studied with Mary Plazas and her highlights include performing as soprano soloist in Handel’s Il Delirio Amoroso for the annual baroque concert, gaining the Normer Procter Song Prize at the Junior Kathleen Ferrier Awards, and performing principally as Frosch in the college’s production of Strauss’ Die Fledermaus. Beyond the college environment, Sarah has undertaken a variety of principal and ensemble roles, including Barbarina, Fiordiligi, and Kate Pinkerton, as well as chorus work with Dorset Opera and North Wales Opera. Sarah has also performed in Masterclasses with Janet Haney and Florence Daguerre de Hureaux. Sarah is thrilled to be working with the NOS Academy and greatly anticipates the beginning of her journey at the RCM, where she will work on Schumann’s Liederkreis, Poulenc’s Fiançailles pour rire, and roles such as Ilia, Alcina, and Rodelinda.

Having grown up in South London, soprano Clementine Thompson currently studies with Elizabeth Ritchie at the Royal Northern College of Music. She has just completed a summer as a Young Artist with Waterperry Opera Festival where she was in the chorus for Don Giovanni and performed scenes in the Young Artist Gala as well as joining the Da Ponte Festival as their Vocalzone Scholar. She was the recipient of the Pamela Hart Third Prize at the 2023 Kathleen Ferrier Society bursary completion, as well as the German Lied Prize at the David Clover Festival and numerous awards at the RNCM. 

Clementine’s operatic repertoire includes Bastien (Fenwold Opera), Alison The Wandering Scholar (Fenwold Opera), Philosopher Capsule (RNCM World Premiere), and scenes as Aspasia (RNCM), Susanna, Despina (Da ponte) and Titania (Oxenfoord). 

 She has enjoyed a varied concert programme over the last year, performing Mahler 4 (NEW Sinfonia), the Angel in Handel’s Jephtha (WIMF) and Bach’s Magnificat and Ascension Oratorio (Manchester Bach Choir). She also enjoys singing folk music with Ventis Vocal Ensemble and is a member of the Mancunian Consort. Away from singing she enjoys quizzes and decaf coffee. 

Originally from a small village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, soprano Maria Wotherspoon is currently studying for a Master’s of Music in Vocal Performance  at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. In July 2025, Maria graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with a Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance, under the tutelage of Mandy McCormack. Maria has been making music since she was young, participating in several of the NYCoS National Youth Choirs of Scotland (2018-2021), and the Junior Conservatoire of Scotland (2019-21). Maria was also a member of the Scottish Opera Young Company, performing in Rubble (2022), Maud (2023), and the lead role in RED (2024). During her time at the RCS, Maria competed in numerous competitions, performed with the Alexander Gibson Opera School, and performed in the 10th Birthday Festival of the Cumnock Tryst, patroned by Sir James MacMillan. Maria was a Waterperry Young Artist during the summer of 2025 and performed in the chorus of Don Giovanni on the festival’s main stage, and performed in opera scenes from Die Zauberflöte, Le Nozze di Figaro, Fidelio, Albert Herring, Orphée et Eurydice, and Eugene Onegin as part of the Young Artist Gala performances. Maria is very much looking forward to participating in the NOS Academy 2025/26, and for the exciting opportunities this programme will bring.