Thanks to being recommended by National Theatre, I joined the Royal Opera’s Jette Parker Young Artists Programme for a modular opera director’s training programme over the course of 2020. We had some in-person sessions before lockdown which were fantastic. We had the opportunity to tour the epic building, to learn from Katie Mitchell, pitch directorial concepts for operas, and direct opera singers.
The programme was created 'for up-and-coming theatre directors with an interest in directing opera'. During lockdown we had weekly sessions with Katie Mitchell, a completely invaluable opportunity to learn from Katie's expertise. She was very generous and I've come away feeling that opera, despite being steeped in historic patriarchal paradigms, is an art-form I could develop a career in with some time commitment and dedication.