Independent Opera at Sadler’s Wells (IO) was a charitable incorporated organisation, co-founded by Bill and Judy Bollinger and Alessandro Talevi. IO was recognised as a serious contributor in the development of exceptional opera artists, supporting them at significant moments in their careers by offering financial support, mentoring and performance experiences.
Our Vision
To empower artists to create transformational experiences of opera and classical music for all.
Our Mission
To contribute to a bold and thriving opera industry by locating, nurturing, developing and showcasing the next generation of outstanding opera artists; and commissioning and producing new work and rare operas.
Mark Le Brocq (Biedermann), Leigh Melrose (Schmitz), Alinka Kozari (Babette), Vosecek’s Biedermann and the Arsonists © 2015 Robbie Jack
Our History
Independent Opera at Sadler's Wells was founded in 2005 to support outstanding young artists in every discipline of opera production. The roots of Independent Opera can be found in a meeting between Bill Bollinger and emerging opera director Alessandro Talevi. Together, Bill, his wife Judy and Alessandro endeavoured to create a model to provide young artists with a platform in London to present their talents. Alessandro was established as the founding Artistic Director and within the year, IO presented its first production of Rossini’s La Scala di Seta at the London Oratory School’s Arts Theatre.
Central to our vision was a comprehensive programme of artist support, conceived to give artists financial and professional mentoring support, access to practical advice from a network of professionals and stage experience. Designed to develop individual talent, our programme of scholarships, fellowships and patronage awarded over 130 grants to artists in the fields of singing, directing, design, choreography and production.
IO established a relationship with Sadler’s Wells in 2006 and presented five productions at the Lilian Baylis Studio. Our choice of repertoire for each of these productions focussed on chamber works, as these were perfect in scale for this venue, vocally suitable for the wide range of young singers we were engaging and were uncommonly interesting in form and drama.
To celebrate our ten-year anniversary in 2015, Director Fellowships were awarded to Max Hoehn and Polly Graham who directed the UK premieres of Šimon Voseček’s Biedermann and the Arsonists (2015) and Karl Amadeus Hartmann’s Simplicius Simplicissimus (2016) respectively. Our productions provided unparalleled levels of support to young directors, designers, singers, musicians and those behind the scenes, creating unique opportunities and invaluable experiences.
You can read more about our productions here
To further our support of young singers, we launched an annual Scholars’ Recital at the Wigmore Hall in 2017. The recitals showcased the talents of selected singers graduating from each of our partner music conservatoires. They performed a broad repertoire of song and opera, including works we commissioned from contemporary composers including Ēriks Ešenvalds (2018), Elena Langer (2019) and Ben Foskett (2020). Each of these works are available to view here or on our YouTube channel.
In 2019 we partnered with Wigmore Hall to sponsor the biennial Wigmore Hall International Song Competition, which extends awareness and appreciation of the richness of song repertoire whilst showcasing rising talent on the concert stage.
Our first major commission, a cantata by composer Joby Talbot, premièred in 2019. A Sheen of Dew on Flowers takes its inspiration from Queen Victoria’s sapphire and diamond coronet, designed for her by Prince Albert, now on permanent public display in the William & Judith Bollinger Gallery at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The cantata was presented in collaboration with Britten Sinfonia at Barbican Hall and broadcast on Classic FM.
After 15 fruitful years, Independent Opera’s board of Trustees took the decision to close the charity at the end of 2020. A community of Independent Opera artists remains, spread all over the world, who continue to inspire us with their talent and tenacity.
Independent Opera has been generously supported by Bill and Judy Bollinger, co-founders and visionaries. Without their financial support, our work would not have been possible.