British Vogue Featured Gin sponsor Le Foyer des Artistes as Next Generation of Star Singers get set to Perform in Derry

The award-winning Killarney-based Muckross Gin featured in the January 2022 edition of British Vogue as one of their ‘New Picks’ for 2022 and scooped up a silver medal in the design category at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

As Le Foyer des Artistes gets set for the Young Singers Concert Finale Gala, The Muckross Wild Irish Spirits Company Founders Andrea Kisssane and Martin Wray commented:

“Le Foyer des Artistes has ignited a cultural fire at the beautifully restored St Columb’s Hall in Derry and it so symbolic for Muckross Gin – which is a blend inspired by some of the most ancient flowers and flora of Ireland – to play a part in this incredible series of concerts in celebration of the legacy of our ancient cultural ancestors.

The Centre-piece of the Le Foyer des Artistes series is the Young Singers Collective. Six young singers have been selected from Japan, Italy, Ireland, UK and Mexico to perform at the Concert Finale on 28 March 2024 accompanied this year by Italian pianist, Giulio Zappa.

Sponsored by Muckross Wild Irish Gin, Alchemy Technology Services, Arts&Business NI, and with headline funding from Derry City and Strabane District Council, don’t miss this opportunity to hear tomorrow’s stars at Saint Columb’s Hall.

The singers will work with an internationally-acclaimed artistic team including special guests pianists Giulio Zappa and Anthony Legge, and Stage-Director, John Ramster.

Giulio Zappa was born in Milan and has been invited both as an opera vocal coach and as a recital accompanist at theatres and festivals throughout Europe and Asia including Opéra National Bordeaux, Opéra de Lorraine, Seoul Art Center, Teatro Real Madrid, Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville, Festival Mozart La Coruna, Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Glyndebourne Festival, Wexford Festival, Welsh National Opera, Tenerife Opera Festival, Festival de la Opera de Las Palmas, Wigmore Hall, John Smith’s Square, Rudolfinum in Prague, Verdi Conservatory Hall and Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Wiener Staatsoper, Bayerisches Staatsoper, Biwako Hall, Bolshoi Theatre, Mikhailovsky Theatre, and the Saint Petersburg Philharmonie. Mainly specialized in Bel Canto repertoire, he has been main coach and pianist at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro since 2003.

Anthony Legge was Head of Music at English National Opera for 14 years. He was a judge on the Channel 4 Operatunity series. Following eight years as Associate Music Director of Opera Australia in Sydney, where he conducted much of the operatic repertoire and coached many international singers, Anthony is now working with Bayreuth, Covent Garden and the London orchestras, to name a few.

John Ramster is the Associate Head of Vocal Studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. An award-winning stage Director, John has directed across Europe and taught with the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at Covent Garden, the National Opera Studio, the Birmingham Conservatoire, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the Royal Northern College of Music, the Casa da Música in Porto and the Esbjerg Academy of Music in Denmark. An Honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, he was lecturer in drama and Resident Producer at the Academy for fifteen years John’s writing includes the novel Ladies’ Man (published in seven foreign editions), screenwriting work on television serial dramas as well as a jukebox opera for Merry Opera, Kiss me, Figaro! He is currently writing a book on acting for opera singers.

The Young Singers Collective 2024:

Yuka Wada, Soprano Japan
Emily Hogarty, Mezzo-Soprano Ireland
Rose Ferreiro, Mezzo-Soprano Mexico
Matthew Cooke Tenor, United Kingdom
Ryan Garnham, Baritone Northern Ireland
Massimo Modoni, Bass Italy

Founder and Artistic Director Darren Hargan commented: “The Young Singers Collective is an exciting and unique opportunity to hear some of the world’s new generation of young star singers as they begin their international careers and I’m delighted to collaborate with Muckross Wild Irish Spirits which is an award-winning gin which has quickly made its mark on the international stage”

The culmination of the Young Singers Collective is the Concert Finale in Derry on 28 March 2024 accompanied by Giulio Zappa. The programme includes famous arias by Donizetti, Puccini and Verdi. Doors open at 6.45pm and the concert begins at 7.30 pm.

Tickets available here

Le Foyer des Artistes Sponsors

Alchemy Technology Services, ChallengeCurve, Arts&Business NI, Continuo Foundation, NuPrint, Fleming Steel, Muckross Wild Irish Gin, WhiteHorse Hotel, LearningPool with Headline Funding from the Derry City and Strabane District Council