Julie Jordan - Gillene Herbert, soprano
Originally from Wiltshire, Gillene Herbert studied at Trinity College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama before becoming a full-time member of Opera North in 2006, where her roles have included Zorah in Ruddigore (2010/2011) and Masha in The Queen of Spades (2011). Her covers have included Despina in Cosi fan tutte, Frasquita in Carmen, and Valencienne in The Merry Widow. Gillene has also performed with Opera Holland Park, Opera Minima, British Youth Opera, the National Youth Music Theatre and at the Salzburg Festival, Buckingham Palace, the Linbury Studio and the Handel House Musuem. Gillene Herbert will perform the role of Julie Jordan in Leeds and Salford, and alternate the role with Katherine Manley at the Barbican, London.
Billy Bigelow - Eric Greene, baritone
Eric has made numerous important debuts over the past few seasons with companies such as Theatre National de l’Opera Comique, the Granada International Festival in Spain and San Francisco Opera and his roles have included Amonasro in Aida, Germont in La Traviata, Escamillo in Carmen, Sharpless in Madama Butterflyand Crown and Jake in Porgy and Bess. Born inBaltimore, he attended the Juilliard School of Music inNew York. He was the winner of the Leontyne Price Vocal Competition inMaryland and was also awarded the Gluck Foundation scholarship.
Billy Bigelow - Matinee performances - Keith Higham
Keith will perform the role of Billy Bigelow at matinee performances. Keith is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music and was awarded the Ian Fleming Musical Theatre Award in 2006. Previous roles have included Marty in It's A Wonderful Life at the New Woking Theatre, Brujon / Javert in Les Miserables (West End) and Chess in concert at the Royal Albert Hall.
Carrie Pipperidge - Claire Boulter, soprano
British soprano Claire Boulter graduated in 2009 from Trinity College of Music, where her roles included Guinevere in Camelot, Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia and Pamina in The Magic Flute. She has also appeared as Guadalena in La Perichole with Opera South, and toured theUK with the Carl Rosa Opera Company in The Pirates of Penzance (2009). Claire Boulter will perform the role of Carrie Pipperidge in Leeds and Salford, and alternate the role with Sarah Tynan at the Barbican,London.
Nettie Fowler - Elena Ferrari, soprano
Elena Ferrari made her UK debut with Opera North as Musetta in Phyllida Lloyd’s production of La Bohème (1995), and went on to perform Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte, Violetta in La Traviata and Miss Wordsworth in Albert Herring (2002) with the Company. She has performed widely with English National Opera, English Touring Opera, Grange Park Opera and Opera Holland Park. She also performed as Anna Maurrant in the 2008 Evening Standard Award winning Street Scene with the Opera Group and reprised this role at Opéra de Toulon.
Enoch Snow - Joe Shovelton, tenor
Lancashire-born tenor Joe Shovelton has recently been seen in The Opera Group’s award-winning production of Kurt Weill’s Street Scene at the Young Vic, and as Anthonio in The Duenna and Trevelyan in One Day Two Dawns with English Touring Opera. He has also performed principally with the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company as Nanki-Poo in The Mikado, and Ralph in HMS Pinafore, at the Savoy Theatre and on U.K. tour.