Kitty Whately | Operatic Mezzo-Soprano

She deserves to be heard and apparently the critics agree. 🎶 Our Madeleine Dring album “Through the Centuries” with @chandorecords is out now — link in bio to listen.

I ♥️ Stephen Sondheim. I saw the @_bridgetheatre ’s production of ‘Into the Woods’ last week and the wonderful music has been in my head ever since. Sondheim wrote for actors who sing, with such witty and poignant words. He was able to get inside the heads of each character and explore themes and issues that you would not expect to find in the Broadway shows that came before him. His words make this repertoire so endlessly rewarding to perform. Every time you return to it, there’s something new to discover. And even the fun songs always have a moment of heart breaking melodic beauty that show us the human in the character. This is one of my favorites: The Baker’s Wife singing about her moment of temptation from the mundanity of her domestic life. You can see the whole video on my YouTube page Accompanied by Martin Pacey. Recorded by @capinskirecordings

TODAY IS THE DAY! 🎵 ‘Through the Centuries: Songs of Madeleine Dring’ is officially out in the world, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to share this labour of love with you. Madeleine Dring (1923–1977) was a composer of extraordinary wit, sophistication, and emotional range. She moved effortlessly between cabaret-inflected charm and devastating classical art song, often within the same piece. Her harmonic language was bold, her text-setting impeccable, her melodic gift undeniable. She wrote prolifically throughout her career, songs, chamber music, works for theatre, yet by the time of her death in 1977, her music had largely disappeared from concert programmes and recordings. This album changes that. Dring’s songs deserve to be heard, programmed, and celebrated as standard repertoire as essential contributions to the twentieth-century vocal canon. It’s been an absolute privilege to work alongside the superb @juliusdrakepiano , to whom I’m so grateful for inviting me to join him on this project and to record with @chandosrecords , who have championed this music with such care and commitment. These songs are sublime, brilliant, and utterly extraordinary. I hope this album brings Dring’s genius to a whole new generation of listeners, and that her work finally takes its rightful place in the repertoire. Out now on @chandosrecords . Link in bio to listen. 💿✨

One of the very rare bits of my operatic diary that survived the covid lockdown in 2020. After months of doing nothing, it was such a treat to be able to get back to performing for this movie version of 'Owen Wingrave' which we made with Grange Park Opera in some stunning locations with an all-star British cast. Kate is a role I’ve done several times and is so fun to play. A she’s complex and flawed, and has some great dramatic scenes. This is my favourite moment in the piece, where Owen (a pacifist and conscientious objector) and Kate reminisce about their youth, which descends into a painful confrontation in which she berates him for what she sees as his cowardice @Grangeparkopera , 2020. Owen Wingrave by Benjamin Britten Cast: Owen Wingrave: @RossRamgobin Miss Wingrave (Aunt): Susan Bullock Kate Julian: Kitty Whately Sir Philip Wingrave: Richard Berkeley-Steele Mr. Coyle: William Dazeley Mrs. Coyle: Janis Kelly Lechmere: James Way Mrs. Julian: Madeleine Pierard Boy Bugler: Chloe Morgan Production Team: Director: Stephen Medcalf Conductor: James Henshaw Video Production: Fintan O'Connor

Sorry if this is over-share. It’s just that I’ve noticed that it is Mental Health Awareness Week and I know that so many people are struggling at the moment. I’ve had a couple of major break-throughs recently thanks to my brilliant therapist, and they have really profoundly changed my life. I wanted to share them with anyone who might benefit from thinking about these two things and speaking to professionals who might be able to help you the way I have been helped this year. Changing my lifestyle to adapt to these realisations is an ongoing challenge, and not something that I’m completely on top of yet, but awareness has been a major change for me, and as my therapist always says “Knowledge is power!” I really recommend the podcast by Dr Louise Newson, and the book/audiobook The Dose Effect by TJ Power. Best of luck to everyone. Xxx

Song of the Week: Holding the Night from her Four Night Songs. Madeleine Dring at her most sublime. 🎶 Featuring myself and @juliusdrakepiano in our most recent album together with @chandosrecords "Through the Centuries". You can explore the entire album on Spotify in my link in bio.

Coaching → rehearsal → stage. Putting together Berg's Wozzeck for our performance with the @londonphilharmonicorchestra a few weeks ago. The spoken dialogue bits of my role 'Margret' were far trickier than the sung bits. Trying to fit it all in quickly but clearly is harder than it sounds. Thank goodness for my brilliant coaches @gallgerhard and Martin Pacey! ( yes, the coaching footage is blurry — that's not a filter, that's just my disgustingly grubby phone. 😂)

Come melt down with me at a Berg’s Wozzeck coaching ahead of last week’s performance with the LPO 🫠 (I did get there eventually, I promise). The singing bits of ‘Margret’ were a walk in the park compared to the spoken bits which were, you might say, ‘somewhat challenging’ for me but great fun. The challenge was getting it all in quickly but clearly- this bit particularly has to fit into just a few bars without sounding too gabbled to understand 🤯 Thank goodness for my brilliant coaches @gallgerhard and Martin Pacey!

Ok I’m now a total Berg convert! This music is mind blowing! Can’t wait for tonight @royalfestivalhall

Benjamin Britten’s devastating Lucretia aria from his 1946 opera The R*pe of Lucretia. Accompanied by the brilliant Martin Pacey Recorded by @CapinskiRecordings #sexualassaultawarenessmonth @nomoreorg @thesurvivorstrustuk

This evening, @willvann and I are presenting a recital of English song with the @glossop_music_festival , sharing the works of Vaughan Williams, Rebecca Clarke, Herbert Howells and Madeleine Dring 🎶 It’s the perfect music for a spring evening in Derbyshire and we cannot wait for tonight! 📻 @bbcradio3 Lunchtime Concert 📍 @lsostlukes 🎹 @willvann ✨ P.S. Will and I recorded this BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime concert at LSO St. Lukes and if you can’t come hear us this evening, you still have a few days left to listen to it online (link in bio!)

This Friday evening, we present an intimate recital of English song in the beautiful setting of Glossop Parish Church, performed by @kittywhately and @willvann , two outstanding interpreters of this repertoire. 🎶 Vaughan Williams 🎶 Rebecca Clarke 🎶 Herbert Howells 🎶 Madeleine Dring Tickets are free for under 18s, and other tickets start at just £10. 📅 Friday 17 April, 7pm 🎟️ .uk/event-details/spring-concert-kitty-whately-and-william-vann @glossopcreates #Glossop #GlossopMusic #GlossopMusicFestival #Derbyshire #HighPeak #Hayfield #GlossopEvents #GlossopConcerts