Madam Butterfly

Born in Tokyo to a Japanese mother and Palestinian father, soprano Mariam Tamari uses her voice to build bridges around the world. She has sung for the Emperor and Empress and three Prime Ministers of Japan, for the King and Queen of Jordan, and as guest of honour at epochal events such as the historical debut of the first Palestine National Orchestra, and at the 25th Anniversary Gala of the Cairo Opera House. Mariam has been the subject of the NHK documentary My Song, My Palestine broadcast in 140 countries by Japanese National TV, as well as the Al-Jazeera documentary Diaspora Symphony. Having made her operatic debut as Adina l'elisir d'amore (Nissay Theatre, Tokyo), she has also performed theatrical roles such as the title role in Jeanne d'Arc au Bûcher (Honneger) and Maria West Side Story, and has sung with orchestras and in recitals throughout Europe, USA, the Middle East and East Asia, as well as in South America and Africa. Selected among the World's Most Influential Arab Women by Arabian Business, Mariam graduated with honours from Bryn Mawr College, USA, where she studied philosophy and music. She is based in Paris.

Born and raised in Cheshire, Jonathan enjoys a varied singing career both in England and abroad. He studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, completing his Masters in 2015. As an undergraduate student, he represented the college in the Junior Kathleen Ferrier competition. He was runner up in the Hugh S Roberton Prize for Scots Song, and winner of the Frank Spedding Lieder Prize. He worked with some of the countries biggest opera companies including Garsington, Scottish Opera, Grange Park Opera, Longborough Festival Opera and West Green House Opera. Jonathan’s operatic roles include diverse characters such as Ruggero La Rondine (RCS), Le Mari Les Mamelles de Tiresias (RCS), Eisenstein die Fledermaus (Fulham Opera, Baseless Fabric), Squeak Billy Budd (St Endellion Summer Music Festival), Spoletta Tosca (The Opera Project, Mid Wales Opera), Monsieur Triquet Eugene Onegin (Mid Wales Opera), and Lensky Eugene Onegin (Opera South East). Outside of opera, and amongst other things, Jonathan is privileged to sing for Songhaven, a dementia-friendly concert series. Recent engagements include a staged Messiah tour with the Merry Opera Company, and the role of Don Jose Carmen (Kentish Opera).

Karlene Moreno-Hayworth was granted a full scholarship at the Philippine High School for the Arts. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of the Philippines and trained at the Royal Northern College of Music, the Associated Studios (London), Accademia Bel Canto (Austria), Rencontres Musicales Internationales Wallonie (Belgium) and Junger Oper Schoss Weikersheim (Germany). Past roles include Cio Cio san Madama Butterfly (Opera de Baugé, Secret Opera), Governess Turn of the Screw (London Horror Festival), Papagena Die Zauberflote, Cupidon Orphee aux Enfers, Clorinda La Cenerentola, Despina Cosi Fan Tutte, Miss Wordsworth Albert Herring (Opera de Baugé), Rosalinde Die Fledermaus (Wilton's Music Hall) Lola Markham Gallantry (Camden Fringe Festival), Marzelline Fidelio (New London Opera Players), Donna/Female Officer/Lisa Morritt The Face (The Honourable Society Grays Inn). She was soprano soloist at the Eurofolk and Puchon International Festivals in Italy and Korea, a recipient of Gil Rodriquez Scholarship & National Commission for the Arts Grant, and a prize winner at the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (Voice Category).

Thomas was brought up in South Wales and studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) in 2011 with a major scholarship. In 2012, he was chosen to represent the Conservatoire in the Junior Ferrier Competition. During his time at RCS, Thomas regularly appeared on stage in both recitals and operas, in addition to undertaking small roles for Dorset Opera, for whom he gave an operatic recital in April 2015 as their Emerging Artist. He has taken part in masterclasses with the renowned British tenor John Treleaven who spoke of him as a ‘major talent with clear international potential’. He also sang Verdi’s Ingemisco Requiem for the International Holocaust Memorial Service (2014), attended by dignitaries from all over the world. Since then, Thomas has started a Masters course during which he has sung the roles Alfredo La Traviata and Nadir Les pêcheurs de perles (Opera Bohemia). In 2016, Thomas reached the semi-finals of the Debut competition in Schloss Weikersheim, where despite being the youngest competitor, Thomas progressed to the Top 16 out of 500 other seasoned professionals. Thomas since has been awarded full scholarship to attend the opera school at RCS where he played both Satyavan Savitri and Satyavan and Sam Kaplan Street Scene in his first year, both extremely well reviewed.

Singapore-born Ee Ping was trained at the Guildhall School of Music and the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London. She made her debut at London’s South Bank singing Mimi La bohème (British Youth Opera) and has since gone on to sing many operatic roles all over Europe and Asia, including Cio Cio san Madama Butterfly. Equally comfortable with recitals and concerts, she has made recent appearances with the Warsaw Philharmonic, Pablo Sarasate Orchestra, Schleswig-Holstein Orchestra, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra. In Europe, she has been a prize-winner in many competitions including the Julian Gayarre International Competition, Royal Overseas League Music Competition and the UK National Mozart Competition. She has been based in London since 1992, but maintains close links with Singapore often returning to perform with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Singapore Lyric Opera. In 2001, she was awarded the prestigious Singapore Young Artist’s Award. Ee Ping is much sought after as an adjudicator and teacher. She dedicates much of her time to passing on her knowledge to other aspiring singers.

Jan trained at the Academy of Music in Kraków before moving to the UK to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and ENO Opera Works. He has performed roles with (among others) English Touring Opera, Scottish Opera, Garsington Opera, Wexford Festival Opera, Mid Wales Opera, and British Youth Opera.

American Mezzo Soprano Jane Monari hails from Philadelphia. Jane previously completed a Bachelor’s of Music in Voice Performance, with Scholastic Distinction, at the Juilliard School. Jane also completed the Master of Arts degree, with Distinction and a DipRAM, at the Royal Academy of Music. She is a graduate of the Alexander Gibson Opera School at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Jane has appeared as a soloist in concert, singing Händel’s Israel in Egypt, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Mozart’s Requiem, and Mendelssohn’s Die Erste Walpurgisnacht (City of Glasgow Chorus and the Orchestra of Scottish Opera). Jane's operatic roles include Carmen Carmen (The King’s Head Theatre), The Page Rigoletto (Scottish Opera), The Prince Cendrillon (Fife Opera), Popova The Bear (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), The Sorceress Dido and Aeneas (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), The Witch Hänsel and Gretel (Opera Holloway), La Ciesca Gianni Schicchi (Juilliard School), Hermia A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Juilliard School), Veronica Sunday Excursion (Juilliard School), Sally A Hand of Bridge (Juilliard School), and The Maid Schwergewicht (Juilliard School).

Winner of multiple international singing competitions, Hong Kong baritone Michael trained at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, Hungary. He received his Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where he was awarded the St Clare Barfield Memorial Bowl for Operatic Distinction and Joseph Weingarten Scholarship. He also received the Opera Hong Kong International Vocal Scholarship, Foundation for the Arts and Music in Asia (FAMA) Vocal Scholarships and Birmingham Conservatoire Scholarship Fund. Prior to that, he gained his Bachelor of Music from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Passionate about opera, Michael has worked with opera companies in Asia and Europe. His operatic roles include: Macbeth Macbeth (Leeds Youth Opera), Tonio Pagliacci (Midland Opera), Renato Un Ballo in Maschera (Winslow Hall Opera), Rigoletto Rigoletto (Bare Boards Opera), Escamillo Carmen (Midland Opera), The Four Villains Les Contes d'Hoffmann (Passaggio Oper), Colline La bohème (Midland Opera), Count Almaviva Le Nozze di Figaro (HKAPA/RBC), Forester The Cunning Little Vixen (HKAPA), Bottom A Midsummer Night's Dream (HKAPA), Don Magnifico La Cenerentola (Red Earth Opera), Dr Blind Die Fledermaus (HKAPA), Death Sāvitri (RBC), Le Fauteuil L'enfant et les sortilèges (RBC), Don Basilio Il barbiere di Siviglia (Opera Novella), Marco Gianni Schicchi (London Gay Symphony Orchestra/William Griffiths), and David The Hand of Bridge (Zeneakadémia).