Alex and Helen have quickly jumped on the podcast to respond to the recent announcement that the BBC will be disbanding the BBC Singers, and the BBC Concert Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra will face 20% role reductions.

S3 Episode 10: Three things we're fighting for

Jan 26th, 2023 30m 24s

Just like that, we’ve come to the end of Season 3 of the podcast! From the live episode, to the Voice of Black Opera Mini Series, to episodes on boundaries, nepotism and perfectionism, it’s been a total blast. To see you out, this week Alex and

S3 Episode 9: Perfectionism

Jan 19th, 2023 32m 19s

This week Alex and Helen discuss the pros and cons of perfectionism.For many artists the desire to create perfection can be overwhelming. Perfectionism can have many benefits including producing work of a high standard, committing to a project

S3 Episode 8: Fear culture

Jan 12th, 2023 31m 50s

This week we discuss the fear culture which pervades the opera industry and how we can take care of ourselves in these situations.Performance AnxietyWe are singers and performers because we love sharing the joy of making good music; however, in

S3 Epiosde 7: Nepotism

Dec 15th, 2022 33m 34s

We all want to try and pretend nepotism doesn’t happen in the opera industry but, let’s face it, it does. So, how can you use nepotism to your own advantage?Make your own connectionsIf you’re in a room with someone you want to work with, what’s

S3 Episode 6: Can we separate work from politics?

Dec 8th, 2022 31m 53s

This week Alex and Helen debate a big question which often plagues the arts: can we separate our work from politics?In this episode they discuss the three following questions:Can we put our opinions aside to perform music by people whose views

VOBO Mini-series Day 3: Chantelle Grant

Dec 2nd, 2022 17m 57s

Finalist in the Voice of Black Opera Competition 2022, Chantelle Grant sits down with Helen and Alex to talk about the experience of performing in such a prestigious competition, how she feels performing Wagner and Strauss and what it’s like to

VOBO Mini-series Day 2: Thando Mjandana

Dec 1st, 2022 19m 56s

Finalist in the Voice of Black Opera 2022 Competition, Thando Mjandana, joins Helen and Alex to talk about how he handles nerves, looking forward to the competition final, future roles he’s excited by and how he got into singing in the first pl

VOBO Mini-series Day 1: Vincent Osborne

Nov 30th, 2022 23m 35s

To kick-start our mini series on the Voice of Black Opera (VOBO) 2022 Competition we were delighted to be joined by the competition’s founder, Vincent Osborne. In this episode we discuss what Vincent is looking forward to in the competition, wh

S3 Episode 5: Singers and instrumentalists with special guest Keval Shah

Nov 24th, 2022 51m 41s

Alex and Helen were delighted to welcome esteemed colleague and old friend Keval Shah onto the podcast to discuss the similarities and differences between singers and instrumentalists. Keval is an internationally recognised pianist who has work

S3 Episode 4: Being a singer is harder than it looks

Nov 17th, 2022 36m 8s

This week Alex and Helen discuss five main points surrounding an age-old controversy: how being a singer is much harder than it looks.Encouraged to make it look effortlessSingers are constantly encouraged to make their performances look as eleg

S3 Episode 3: Standing up for yourself

Nov 10th, 2022 42m 21s

This week Alex and Helen each share two personal stories where they made a decision to stand up for themselves in the industry. These stories discuss issues of pay, issues of respect/disrespect and issues of sexism. Alex and Helen hope that in

S3 Episode 2: Breakdowns

Nov 3rd, 2022 29m 37s

With a brand new season comes a lot of new changes:We are really specialising now, talking to that core audience (of approximately 2 people?!) about the world of OPERA and what things are like backstage. Episodes will be coming out EVERY WEEK!W

LIVE EPISODE: Mental Health in the Opera Industry

Oct 27th, 2022 39m 43s

Where’s My Freaking Dressing Room?! hosted their first ever live episode recording as part of Opera Prelude’s OperaWorks conference day. This episode focusses on mental health in the opera industry, however, before getting into the heart of tha

BONUS EPISODE: Interview with Larkhall

Jul 14th, 2022 34m 38s

Alex and Helen were delighted to sit down with new media artist, composer and pianist Larkhall to talk about his latest album: Say You’re With Me.Written during the arrival of his second son when Larkhall realised he was suffering from depressi

Mental Health Week Day 5: Distorted Self-Image

May 12th, 2022 23m 44s

In the final episode of our Mental Health Week Mini Series Alex and Helen talk about Distorted Self-Image and how they find ways to deal with this in their day to day lives.Being over-criticalAlex and Helen recognise Distorted Self-Image as not

Mental Health Week Day 4: Living in London with Helen Lacey

May 11th, 2022 29m

In Day 4 of our Mental Health Week Mini Series we’re joined by soprano Helen Lacey who tells us about her experience of moving to London after finishing her undergraduate degree at the Royal Northern College of Music.We discuss leaving conserva

Mental Health Week Day 3: Depression

May 10th, 2022 24m 22s

On Day 3 of this Mental Health Week Mini Series Alex and Helen discuss depression and three ways they find depression exhibits itself in their lives.Lack of MotivationAlex and Helen recognise that as two people that are often quite goal-focusse

Mental Health Week Day 2: Inner Calm with Quintin Beer

May 9th, 2022 26m 10s

Today Helen and Alex are joined by Quintin Beer to discuss Inner Calm, in particular through the methods of Meditation, Nature and Therapy.Quintin talks openly about not necessarily searching for calm, but instead attempting to achieve a state

Mental Health Week Day 1: Anxiety

May 8th, 2022 22m 25s

For Day 1 of their Mental Health Week Mini Series Alex and Helen tackle the topic of Anxiety. As two anxious people, they discuss how anxiety exhibits itself most commonly in their lives and how they try to handle it.Over-practicingFor both of

S2 Episode 17: Building your patchwork quilt career

Mar 16th, 2022 50m 1s

For the final episode in Series 2 (can you believe it?!) Alex and Helen are honoured to be joined by good friend and esteemed colleague, Richard Robbins. Richard is an in-demand tenor who has soloed with ensembles such as The Southbank Sinfonia

S2 Episode 16: Working abroad

Mar 2nd, 2022 43m 54s

This week Alex and Helen have a laugh discussing what it's like to study and work abroad. Alex has extensive experience performing across Italy and in September 2021 Helen moved to Switzerland to join the Swiss Opera Studio programme. The pair

S2 Episode 15: Image and the industry

Feb 16th, 2022 48m 57s

Opera as an art form requires our imagination. Whether we be entering into the world of Die Walküre, The Cunning Little Vixen or Tosca, each opera asks us to leave behind the every day and suspend our belief.Why is it, then, that singers often

S2 Episode 14: Singing and Your Diet

Feb 2nd, 2022 32m 54s

This week Alex and Helen mythbust some of the common misconceptions surrounding diet and singing.CaffeineA huge topic in the vocal world, there are many conversations about caffeine being a vocal irritant, drying out the cords and preventing he

S2 Episode 13: Money. There. We said it.

Jan 19th, 2022 44m 16s

Nobody likes talking about it, Alex and Helen certainly don't like talking about it, but in this episode they get into the uncomfortable topic of money.Money is hard to come by in the arts. From the start of education to attempting to make a st