SIMONE IBBETT-BROWN MUSIC THEATRE MAKER & PERFORMER

I am a hard-working, creative individual with a profound belief in the power of music and theatre to enrich people’s lives. I pride myself on my commitment to precision, passion for story-telling, and can-do attitude; and love building ensembles that are deeply engaged with their material, craft and social context; warm, generous and collegiate; and full of humanity, life and play. My work aims to bring joy, and to respect, reflect and affect the world we live in.

Selected credits: creative The Bridge Between Breaths Co-director formidAbility / UK tour 2022 Pay the Piper Assistant director Festival Opera 2022 woman.life.song Director Edinburgh International Festival / Chineke! 2021 Hansel and Gretel Director , adaptor Thorington Theatre in the Woods 2021 Shuck ‘n’ Jive (film) Co-writer Soho Theatre on Demand 2021 Around the World in 80 Days Co-writer West Green House Opera 2021 Gracie Co-writer, director Immersive|LDN / OperaVision 2021* Munkination Librettist, director (v/o) Royal Opera House / AR experience 2020 What Do You Hope For? Curator, director English National Opera / short film 2020 The Bridge Between Breaths Dramaturg, co-director formidAbility / R&D 2020 L’Orfeo Associate director Opera North / R&D 2020 Hansel and Gretel Director Cramphorn Theatre 2020* La bohème Director Devon Opera / UK tour 2020* Luisa Miller Staff director (covers) English National Opera 2020 Il barbiere di Siviglia Director Devon Opera / UK tour 2019 Shuck ‘n’ Jive (stage) Co-writer, music direct. Soho Theatre / publisher: Oberon Books 2019 Opera Squad Associate director English National Opera / UK schools tour 2019 Il barbiere di Siviglia Staff director (covers) Glyndebourne Festival Opera 2019 I Capuleti e i Montecchi Director Goodenough College 2019 The Next Jessye Norman Co-writer, director Tristan Bates Theatre / R&D support: RSC 2018 Raising Abel Co-director Sands Film Studios 2018 Burying the Dead Staff director (covers) Ceruleo / UK tour 2018 Opera Unwrapped Acting coach London Incidental Orchestra 2018 Dido and Aeneas Director Leicester MusicFest 2018 Scenes at Six Assistant director Guildhall School of Music and Drama 2017 The Wandering Tour Movement captain Benjamin Clementine / European tour 2017 Albert Herring Director Harrow Opera 2016 Die Zauberflöte Trainee director Hampstead Garden Opera 2016 On the Night: A New Musical Co-writer, co-director Bridewell Theatre 2015 Assistant director Harrow Opera 2015 Don Giovanni Co-director York Grand Opera House 2014 Evolve: A New Musical Writer, co-director The Drama Barn 2014 Little Women: The Musical Co-director The Drama Barn 2013 Le nozze di Figaro Assistant director York Concerts 2013 John Cage’s Song Books Assistant director York Concerts 2012 *cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19

Quotations “Very moving, eloquent, and human… beautiful” Stephen Langridge, Glyndebourne on What Do You Hope For? “Wild, witty, messy and painfully perceptive” The Stage; “fierce, fearless and cerebral” The Guardian; “vivacious, energetic… full to the brim with humanity” Broadway World on Shuck ’n’ Jive “Simone is both radical and classical… a new voice, representative of a new generation” Annabel Arden Selected credits: performer Crème Brûlée on a Tree /Guru Soloist Royal Opera House / Pegasus Opera 2021 Around the World in 80 Days Passepartout West Green House Opera 2021 Wellgunde GAFA Arts Collective 2021 Bloom Britannia Bel, Jackie Barefoot Opera 2021 Porgy and Bess Annie (cover), chorus Theater an der Wien 2020 Opera Mums Grace BBC Four 2020 Phaedra Phaedra Lauderdale House / Aukoko / online 2020 The Agency Leslie Jordan Olyver New Music Collective / online 2020 Bubbles the Zebrafish Bubbles Aukoko / online 2020 Carmen: Reduced Carmen St George’s Bristol / BBCF 2020* Rusalka Chorus English National Opera 2020* I Capuleti e i Montecchi Romeo Second Salon Arts / R&D 2019 Opera Squad Carmen (cover), chorus English National Opera / schools tour 2019 Alison Balsom’s Gabriel Chorus The English Concert / Barbican Centre 2019 R’Otello Carmen GAFA Arts Collective / Bridewell Theatre 2019 Dead Equal Jo Summerhall / Lustrum Award-winner 2019 If That Makes Me a Bitch, OK Asha Dirty Protest / Summerhall / R&D 2019 You Did Not Act in Time Narrator Earth Ensemble / Summerhall 2019 Truth Will Set You Free God AI Second Salon Arts / R&D 2019 Porgy and Bess A Woman, Chorus English National Opera / Dutch National Opera 2018-19 War Requiem Chorus English National Opera 2018 Young Blood! Various roles Loud Crowd / Bold Tendencies / R&D 2018 Die Entführung aus dem Serail Chorus The Grange Festival 2018 Candide Chorus The Grange Festival 2018 West Side Story Anita Guildhall School Musical Theatre Orchestra 2018 Mamzer Bastard Esther / Guildhall School / R&D 2017 Diary of One Who Disappeared Semi-chorus Shadwell Opera 2017

Roles in scenes Il barbiere di Siviglia Berta British Youth Opera workshop 2020 Jeanne d’Arc Jeanne d’Arc British Youth Opera workshop 2020 The Turn of the Screw Mrs Grose Guildhall School of Music and Drama 2020 Faust Marthe Guildhall School of Music and Drama 2020 The Merry Wives of Windsor Meg Page Guildhall School of Music and Drama 2019 La clemenza di Tito Sesto Guildhall School of Music and Drama 2019 The Bartered Bride Ludmila Guildhall School of Music and Drama 2019 Le nozze di Figaro Contessa Almaviva Cambridge International Opera / Asian tour 2017 Rigoletto Maddalena Cambridge International Opera / Asian tour 2017 Don Giovanni Zerlina Cambridge International Opera / Asian tour 2017

Other performing experience I am a member of ENO’s Extra Chorus. As a recitalist, I love celebrating repertoire by composers of colour and women composers; upcoming engagements include premiering a cycle written by trailblazer Odaline de la Martinez for me, at London Festival of American Music. Masterclasses include: Jordan de Souza, Edith Wiens, Sir Willard White. Previously, I sang backing vocals for artists including Benjamin Clementine, Sam Lee, Jamie Cullum.

Quotation “Simone is exceptionally talented… she is a passionate, dedicated artist and a wonderful collaborator.” Michelle Williams, English National Opera “Kasahara, Ibbett-Brown and Palmer each excel themselves in flooding the theatre space with their incredible vocal talents” British Theatre Guide on Dead Equal Education Guildhall Artist Junior Fellowship Guildhall School of Music and Drama 2020-21 Curated and ran series on artist-activism.

Guildhall Artist Masters (part-time) Guildhall School of Music and Drama 2017-21 Vocal studies, studying with Marcus van den Akker.

BA (Hons) in Music, 1st class University of York 2011-14 Dissertation on creating music theatre. Awards include for best event (SU) and contribution to music (faculty).

Related experience D&I practitioner Freelance; Arts Council 2019+ Working with arts organisations on their diversity and inclusion practice, and as a Relationship Manager for Arts Council England.

Dramaturg Freelance 2019+ Specialty in music theatre and opera, including running a pro bono group for emerging music theatre makers.

Joint artistic director Hera 2018+ Hera celebrates and shares music and stories by women and gender minoritised artists across the UK. Recent highlights include We Ask These Questions of Everybody starring Victoria Oruwari (***** “Astonishing” The i); The Trojan Women starring Maria Friedman; Generation starring Linda Hirst; and education work.

Administrator Paines Plough 2015-17 Including contributing to dramaturgy and development of new plays; and leading on accessible performance programming. I now enjoy applying these skills practically both in preparation and the rehearsal room, on existing as well as new works.

PA to the Artistic Directors Cheek by Jowl 2014-15 Including rehearsal support and observation.

Selected awards and honours BBC Radio 3 Next Generation Voice, as a broadcaster Black British Classical Foundation Associate artist, as a director Guildhall School Trust Scholarship, as a performer Help Musicians Scholarship, as a performer Opera Awards Foundation Bursary, as a performer Pegasus Opera Mentee, as a performer Women of the Future Award, for services to arts and culture

Contact details [email protected] / +44 7398 248 618 / simoneibbettbrown.com

References Available on request.