Directory
Mezzo Soprano
Paul Griffiths in The New York Times
Buddug was born in Pembrokeshire, South Wales.Before pursuing her studies she worked in one of her father's butcher shops in Cardigan and won an award for her artistry in the Royal Welsh Show. She received a scholarship from the Welsh Arts Council to study with Maestro d'Angelo in Rome and at the Guildhall in London where she performed Nancy in Flotow's Martha, Fyodor in Boris Godunov and Hermia in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream. She subsequently sang Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus at Adelina Patti's Opera House, Giacinta in Mozart's La Finta Semplice, directed by Robert Carsen at the Camden Festival, and Meg Page in Falstaff at the Brighton Festival with Giuseppe Taddei. In 1986 she sang at the Glyndebourne Festival and studied at the National Opera Studio where she sang Monteverdi's Poppea conducted by David Parry.
She has sung in the British premieres of Smetana's Devil's Wall, Wolfgang Rihm's Jakob Lenz directed by Pierre Audi and the role of Vitige in Handel's Flavio. Mad Margaret in Gilbert and Sullivan's Ruddigore at the Guernsey Festival; for Opera 80 Mercedes in Carmen and the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas; for Opera North Fyodor in Boris Godunov; Opera Northern Ireland Hansel in Hansel and Gretel and Orlofsky; Mid Wales Opera Rosina in The Barber of Seville and Orlofsky; Dublin Opera Theatre Company Hansel and Dardano in Handel's Amadigi (in Ireland, Covent Garden and Buxton Festivals, Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York, Portugal and the Opera Comique in Paris with Paul Goodwin and the Academy of Ancient Music, ); Travelling Opera Rosina; Opera Players Rosina; Music Theatre Wales Proserpina in Stephen Oliver's arrangement of Peri's Euridice and Sloper and Hope in the World Premiere of John Woolrich's In The House of Crossed Desires; Dulwich Festival Angelina in Rossini's Cenerentola and Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro.Opera Atelier the title role in Gluck's Orfeo (her tenth trouser role) accompanied by Tafelmusik, conducted by Stephen Barlow. She created the role of Faranesi in Gerald Barry's Intelligence Park for Opera Factory at the Almeida - recorded for BBC. She made her European debut as Hermia for the Netherlands Opera, directed by Brigitte Fassbaender. She has recorded the roles of Rosina, Maddalena, Mercedes and Second Lady for Operavox Cartoons conducted by Wyn Davies. She has performed in the Middle East, Lithuania, Portugal, Finland, Ireland and the UK for Opera Circus' Commedia Show Kill me I love you, working with David Glass, Marcello Magni, Kathryn Hunter and Monica Pagneaux.
In 98/99 she has performed Gluck's Orfeo for Cleveland Opera conducted by David Fallis, Cherubino in Tokyo and Toronto conducted by Andrew Parrott, Rosina for Travelling Opera, Linda in the World Premiere of Deirdre Gribbin and Sharman Macdonald's Hey Persephone at the Aldeburgh Festival with Almeida Opera and at the Almeida Theatre, Orlofsky for Holland Park Opera, The Four Note Opera in Ireland, a recital of Spanish Songs in Madrid and Anna in the World Premiere of Jonathan Dove's Tobias and the Angel for Almeida Opera.
In August of 2001 Buddug and her sister Eirian were awarded the highest accolade of the White Robe at the Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales at Denbigh.
Concert repertoire includes:
Mozart's Ch'io mi scordi di te with the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra with Jane Glover, the title role in Juditha Triumphans at the Vivaldi Festival, London; Matthaus Passion with Paul Steinitz, Johannes Passion with Thomas Dausgaard, Theodora for Paul McCreesh, Bach Cantatas with John Georgiadis and the London Virtuosi, Beethoven's Mass in C with the Bournemouth Sinfonietta, Elijah at the Royal National Eisteddfod with Owain Arwel Hughes, Messiah with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Purcell's Dido with Raymond Calcraft at Exeter Cathedral and Dvorak Mass at the Auditorio Nacional, Madrid and the Cathedral in Salamanca.She has premiered works by Jonathan Dove, Pwyll ap Sion, Elfyn M Jones, James MacMillan and recently premiered with the Siobhan Davies Dance Company in Trespass and Affection (a collection of Handel arias arranged by Gerald Barry).
Recent releases - a CD of Thomas Chilcot Songs with Charles Daniels, James Ottaway, Andrew Wilson-Dickson and the Welsh Baroque Orchestra on the Meridian Label (CDE84428), and Arias by Handel and Gluck as featured in Castradiva on the Fflach Label (CD2371).Recent broadcasts - The Score - BBC2, Operavox and Heno - S4C, and Y Sioe Fawr - Radio Wales. Prizes - Welsh Triennial Competition, London- Welsh Singer of the Year, Pantyfedwen Eisteddfodau and The Royal National Eisteddfod.She has undertaken various acting roles for BBC, HTV, Opus and Penadur.
In 2000 Buddug has premiered Castradiva (as featured in Classical Music) -her one-woman show based on the fictional life of a castrato featuring arias by Handel and Gluck at Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan and consequently toured Ireland and Wales and performed at numerous music festivals including Buxton. She has performed Gerald Barry's Water Parted at the Aldeburgh Festival and the Barry Festival in Dublin, El Amor Brujo at the Presteigne Festival 2000, Dejanira in Handel's Hercules at Haddo House, Aberdeen, OTC's Four Note Opera in Dusseldorf, and a James Family Millenium Concert to celebrate Freedom.Filmed a lead role in a new Welsh Sitcom for Opus/S4C and was guest artist wih Beti George and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Future engagements include:
2001/2 Castradiva in Harlech, Newtown, Aberystwyth, Brecon, Purcell Room, Tudeley Festival, Beaumaris Festival, Lampeter, Gower Festival, Cholmondley Castle and the Edinburgh Festival (in association with Guy Masterson Productions). A concert with her sisters Eirian and Elin and brother Dilwyn at the Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, Mozart Mass in C Minor for the Dundee Choral Union, The Celtic Divas at the Odyssey in Belfast, Petite Messes Sollenelle in Tonbridge, an Opera Gala with Opera Cocktail in Trinidad, directing at the Welsh College of Music and Drama, filming a sitcom for S4C, The James Sisters at the Millenium Stadium at the Wales/Ireland Match, and following the success of Castradiva - another World Premiere by Mark Ryan at Theatr Mwldan - The Family with her family and baritone Joe Corbett, accompanied by Andrew Wilson-Dickson.
Further details and contact information
For further information see Buddug's home pageRepresentation:
For Opera, Oratorio, Opera Cocktail & The James Sisters
FoxRoe Artists Management
Ash Tree Barn,
Village Street,
Owthorpe,
Notts
NG12 3GA
United Kingdom
Telephone: 01949 81342
Fax: 01949 81014
Email: info@foxroe.com
www.foxroe.com
www.foxroe.com
For Castradiva
Artist Management
Buddug Verona James,
Godre'r Grogwy
Rhoshill
Cardigan
Pembrokeshire
SA43 2TX
Wales
United Kingdom
Telephone: 01239 841461
Fax: 01239 621851
E-mail Buddug
For TV and Theatre
David Chance
Cinel Gabran Management
1 Velindre Rd,
Whitchurch,
Cardiff,
CF14 2TE
Telephone/Fax:02920 620433
Email: DAC@cinelgabran.co.uk
www.cinelgabran.co.uk
E-mail Buddug