“Suzanne has a rich lower register that expresses a unique and beautiful yearning.
An accomplished choral singer with a good sense of blend, she is also a distinctive and memorable soloist.
Suzanne's acting is charismatic yet sensitive, bringing characters to life with humor and poise in opera and masked drama. She shares her talent and dedicated work ethic generously in productions,
bringing terrific energy and professionalism to the stage.”
Suzanne's acting is charismatic yet sensitive, bringing characters to life with humor and poise in opera and masked drama. She shares her talent and dedicated work ethic generously in productions,
bringing terrific energy and professionalism to the stage.”
Mary E. Larew,
Viriditas Opera
Viriditas Opera
News
March 2010
I have just joined York Cantores, a chamber choir based in the city, as a Tenor. I'll have to miss the upcoming performance of the Bach motets as it conflicts with Barocca, but will be in full force for the 'Bushes and Briars' concert on 26 June.
February 2010
"Unter dem Zug zu singen." At the Hall of Harmonies concert on 27 February at The National Railway Museum, I will sing the Tenor solo "Nigra sum" from Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610, with a Javanese gamelan accompaniment, from underneath an old train! The text, taken from The Songs of Songs, is clearly in a female's voice, but Monteverdi chose to set it for a Tenor. We are seeing what happens when a female Tenor sings the beautiful aria. See the Calendar for more information.
February 2010
I have just started a voice studio, giving lessons and tuition to female Tenors and Basses exclusively. Stay tuned to hear more about this... and last night, I got to come on stage on sing with my idol and most favorite singer/songwriter Neil Finn in London!
January 2010
I am happy to say that I have been elected the new Student Representative on the Council of the Royal Musical Association. Two students hold this position in the entire UK, and in my first year of the appointment, I will sit on the Publications Committee, and contribute to the RMA Journal. This came on the heels of the very successful Students' Research Conference of the RMA hosted by University of York PostGrads in early 2010. Learn more about the RMA here.
December 2009
I've just been asked to join a research network for scholars interested in Late Renaissance / Early Baroque music by colleagues at Oxford. We're planning a study day and conference in Oxford sometime in 2010...
5 December 2009
I had a really amazing day yesterday, ending with some incredible news! First, I helped conduct a workshop for NorthEastern Early Music Forum on Venetian Christmas music, and although I have little directing experience, it went well and I got very good feedback. I conducted two works by Andrea Gabrieli, and met lots of great people. Then I came home to find that I have been accepted to a fantastic event: I have been invited to sing, as a Tenor, in the Monteverdi Vespers in Venice next September! 2010 is the 400-year anniversary of Monteverdi's masterwork (Vesperae Beatae Mariae Virginis 1610), and we will perform it, with period instruments, directed by the amazing Philip Thorby, in Venice at the Frari Church - where the master himself is buried! Only 10 singers were selected for this momentous occasion, and I will be singing some of the tenor solos. To perform one of my favorite pieces of all time, in the anniversary year, on the correct feast day, in Venice, in the main church - I mean, could this be any more incredible?!? 8 September 2010, 9.30 pm... And in other good upcoming news - I've been booked to perform Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire in Rome in the 2010-11 season! And look for a possible revival of the amazing opera Antigone in the next year...
December 2009
All the publicity for Sensorium is out, and everything looks terrific. Sensorium presents a diverse evening of interactive visual, aural and haptic installation work and performances designed to stimulate the senses. Experience a series of immersive, cross-media artworks presented within winding paths and pockets of light in the Guildhall, York. I will give the world-premiere of noitcelfeRReflection by Emily Kalies, and my husband will contribute the graphic and digital art to another installation by Ms. Kalies. For more information, find us on Facebook, and explore our website and a preview in The Press.
October 2009
My world-premiere performance of Ultime mie speranze by FL Dunkin Wedd, at the inangural concert of the Festival Medieterranea in Gozo, Malta got a fantastic response from the audience, and a great mention in the press; "Another singer who likewise enthralled the audience with the intriguing capacities of the female voice was Suzanne Fatta, whom Richard introduced as a 'female baritone'". Right now, you can find a recording and video of the song, with Richard Vendome on organ; soon, we'll post both on this website.
October 2009
I just found out that I will give the world-premiere of the song Ultime mie speranze at the Festival Mediterranea in Gozo, Malta on 23 October. The song is a collaboration between the composer, FL Dunkin Wedd, and me, and the premiere will be accompanied by Richard Vendome on the organ. Please see the Calendar for more details.
September 2009
Juniper is now on MySpace! We have posted some tracks from a recent recording, and you can listen to them here.
September 2009
On Sunday 20 September at 7pm, Sky Arts TV airs the third of four episodes of the series Peter Ackroyd's Venice entitled "The City As Music" -- SPAV has provided the music, visuals and subject matter for this episode. Learn more about Vivaldi's Venice as demonstrated by SPAV. Our first DVD, made with footage from the documentary, will be available for purchase before Christmas 2009; this new performance of Vivaldi's Gloria will be broadcast by Sky Arts on Wednesday 23 September at 5.30.
August 2009
Please watch this video to learn more about Schola Pietatis Antonio Vivaldi, our research methods and performance style. Based on the award-winning BBC broadcast Vivaldi's Women, this is a promotional video for our upcoming US Tour. If you're interested in bringing Vivaldi's Women to your city, then be sure to watch! You can also learn more about us in our own YouTube channel here.
July 2009
SPAV's performance at the famous Chichester Festivities gained an excellent review in the Chichester press, as the most outstanding concert of the festival! "...Their period costumes make them look very authentic. The women cover the full traditional vocal range, soprano, alto, tenor and bass producing a beautiful combination of sounds. Their musicianship has great clarity and balance. They sang the famous Gloria with emphatic joy from the very first chords." Read more here. And we also got a great review from the Newbury press for the Hungerford concert, which was described as "a privilege and a delight... singular and beautiful... faultless... marvellous." The review is called Baroque's Glorious Girlpower and says, "Then came the highlight of the evening, the popular 'Gloria' performed as never before, energetic and with dynamic contrast in every line..." with special praise for the power of the Tenors and Basses.
July 2009
Sue is participating in a new opera workshop on July 19, with composer Edward Caine and librettist Nikolaus Morris, to workshop a world-premiere opera. Through theatre, musical and improvisation workshops, the performers will work directly with the writers in the creative process. Read more about Edd here.
June 2009
In solo songs news... the Kent-based composer FL Dunkin Wedd and Suzanne are working together. Laurie is composing a song for Sue, based on a text written by her great-grandfather, Paolo Oglioloro, in Italian; it will evoke the Sicilian emigrant experience. Please click here for more information about Laurie.
Spring 2009
Sue has recently been appointed to a number of positions: the US Representative on the Board of SPAV; the Publicity and Marketing Director of Viriditas Opera; and one of the Programme Co-ordinators for the Student RMA Conference in January 2010, which will be hosted by the Post Graduate students at the University of York.
June 2009
Sue will be featured in BAROCCA, which will premiere in the UK in the 2010 season. After fantastic reviews with a previous cast in Italy, we plan on performing this exciting and beautiful production in York, Oxford, France and Norway. BAROCCA, a multimedia Baroque dramatic extravaganza, is conceived of and directed by Gianmaria Romagnoli. Sue will sing the Alto solos in Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, and the role of Testo in Monteverdi's Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda (Ottavo libro, Madrigali dei guerrieri ed amorosi). This all-female production will also include a Vivaldi cantata, complete with stunning visuals and gorgeous costumes.
Research update
Sailing through The Cambridge Companion to Monteverdi by John Whenham and Richard Wistreich (2008, page 11), I read a paragraph which jumped off the page at me and made me whoop with job. It directly pertains to and necessitates the topic of my dissertation, and I think this is the most beautiful set of sentences I've read in a long time: "Again, Monteverdi is one of the earliest composers for whom we are tempted to associate the steps in his musical development with three rather neat geographical locations -- Cremona (1567 - 90), Mantua (1590 - 1612), and Venice (1613 - 43) -- and link them to his early, middle and late styles on the nineteenth-century 'progressive trajectory' model established for Bach (Weimar, Cothen, Leipzig), Mozart (Salzburg, Italy, Vienna) and other composers. Those who do not quite fit the style-place development model seem to have a harder time fixing themselves in our historical consciousness, no matter how talented. Among Monteverdi's contemporaries, Luca Marenzio and Sigismondo d'India may particularly have fallen into this historiographical trap, as is evidended by their rather poor showing in the present performing and recording arenas."
Spring 2009
Schola Pietatis Antonio Vivaldi ("Vivaldi's Women") announces their Summer Baroque Vocal Course 2009: Discover Your Voice, Monday 24 to Wednesday 26 August, at The Friends Meeting House in Oxford. Are you an undiscovered female tenor or bass? Or a soprano or contralto who would like to develop your technique? Would you like to sing baroque music with more style and flare? This three day course is open to amateur female singers of all ages and will culminate in a performance of Vivaldi’s spectacular Dixit Dominus, Gloria, and other works. The course will offer participants the opportunity to: learn more about the history of Vivaldi’s all-female choir (which included female tenors and basses) and orchestra at Venice’s Ospedale della Pietà; explore the vocal techniques and training methods which give Vivaldi’s Women their distinctive sound; explore your voice and vocal range, particularly the lower range; enjoy one-to-one tuition on Baroque vocal technique and style; and sing alongside mentors from the Vivaldi’s Women. Men are welcome to attend as observers at the concessionary rate. To find out more about the course, and to Register, please go to the SPAV website.
May 2009
Sue will play the lead role of the Emperor, which is a Tenor part, in Hilary Nicholls' new satirical children's opera The Emperor's New Clothes. This Viriditas Opera production is part of the York Spring Festival of New Music, and is the first installment of The York Playbook, an ongoing collection of new music-dramas by York composers. The piece is based on the Hans Christian Andersen story, in which two fraudsters, posing as tailors, promise to make the King a suit of beautiful clothes that fools cannot see. Please consult the Calendar for more information.
March 2009
Sue has formed a new female trio, Juniper, with sopranos Laura Kishimoto and Isabella von Holstein. We are working on repertiore as diverse as Viadana, Monteverdi, d'India, Luzzaschi, Poulenc, Bryars, and Roger Marsh. We will make our debut during the Harrogate International Festival, July 21 - 23. Please access the Calendar for more information about exact times and locations. See our beautiful website here.