Enchanted Encounters- Songs of the Supernatural

Episode 7: Speed Dating with the Cast of Enchanted Encounters.

Introducing, James Pinneri!

James Pinneri is a 25 year old Classically trained Baritone from Perth, WA. He has completed his Bachelor of Music in Classical Voice at WAAPA under the tutelage of acclaimed Baritone Michael Lewis. Whilst at WAAPA, he sung the roles of the Sergeant in ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ by Gilbert and Sullivan (2021) and the role of Peter in ‘Hansel and Gretel’ by Engelbert Humperdinck (2022). He won the inaugural ‘Winifred Hurford’ award as part of the Royal Schools Music Club Excellence Awards in 2022. James is an inaugural Margaret Pride Scholar with the Perth Symphonic Chorus, and sung as the Baritone soloist in ‘Fantasia on Christmas Carols’ by Vaughan Williams (2022). James received the Men’s Vocal Championship award aswell as Most Outstanding Senior Vocalist award at the North of Perth Music Festival (2023). He also sang in the chorus for West Australian Opera’s production of La Bohème (2023). Hes really looking forward to be singing with Freeze Frame Opera for the first time this year and West Australian Opera again.

Episode 6: Speed Dating with the Cast of Enchanted Encounters.

Introducing, Izaac Masters!

West Australian pianist and fortepianist Izaac Masters was born in Perth, Western Australia. Izaac showed a passion and interest in classical music from an early age and went on to begin music study at the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts at Edith Cowan University. Izaac graduated with a Bachelor of Music and was awarded first-class Honours in 2020.

In 2021, Izaac accepted an invitation to undertake a masters degree at WAAPA and was awarded the Simon Lee Foundation Scholarship to study fortepiano under Prof. Geoffrey Lancaster. In 2023, Izaac successfully completed his ‘Masters of Performing Arts’ degree specialising in performance and research on the fortepiano. His Masters dissertation included insights into performance and interpretation on music performed on pianos from the nineteenth century.

Within the context of his studies at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Izaac won several prizes and awards, namely: The Chopin Prize in 2018; The Warana Concerto Prize in 2019; The Richard Gill Award for the ‘most outstanding graduating student’; The Royal Overseas League (ROSL) Bach Prize on the fortepiano; and the ROSL Art Song Prize. Izaac has also performed alongside the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, the Perth Symphony Orchestra and the WAAPA Symphony Orchestra.

During the year of 2022, as part of his masters degree, Izaac travelled to Europe for international exposure. He visited some of Europe’s most prominent historical keyboard collections, museums, universities, and eminent piano makers and restorers. In the same year, he attended the 2022 ‘Forte/Piano Summer Academy’ at Cornell University, New York, where he received tuition from leading ‘scholar-musicians’––including, Malcolm Bilson, Mike Lee and Roberto Poli.

In the pursuit of following his passion, Izaac continues to explore the richness of the historical piano world.

Episode 5: Speed Dating with the Cast of Enchanted Encounters.

Introducing, Charis Postmus!

Charis Postmus is a Perth Soprano with a Bachelor’s Degree in Classical Music from 2021, she is currently at WAAPA completing honours research in jazz vocal study. With renowned mezzo-soprano Nicole Youl as her vocal coach (since 2020), Charis has continued to pursue opera and works for Freeze Frame Opera Company in both an administrative and musical position. She also is a frequent performer with Opus WA, FRINGE Festival, and the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra.

Episode 4: Speed Dating with the Cast of Enchanted Encounters.

Introducing, Elliot Dunn!

Elliot Dunn is a Canberra-born, Perth-based dancer. He graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2020 with his Bachelor of Arts Dance and then continued on to complete his Bachelor of Arts Honours in 2021. Since graduating Elliot has had the chance to perform with the West Australian Ballet in their production of Sleeping Beauty in 2021, With WAAPA in their remounting of the Pina Bauch work Tannhauser Bacchanale and various independent productions.

Episode 3: Speed Dating with the Cast of Enchanted Encounters.

Introducing, Brett Peart!

Brett Peart is an emerging Western Australian baritone and is one of Wesfarmers Arts’ Young Artists at West Australian Opera for 2024. Seesaw magazine has described Brett as being “especially successful in getting into his vocal stride”, and having a “stentorian baritone voice”. Valuing versatility, he has trained in contemporary music performance and musical theatre as well as classical voice, holding a Bachelor of Music majoring in classical vocal performance from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Brett regularly performs with West Australian Opera and Freeze Frame Opera. In the last two years, Brett has performed The Mayor (Our Little Inventor), Montano (Otello), Benoit/Parpignol (La Boheme) for WAO and Ashby/Jim Larkens (La Fanciulla del West), The Prince (Adriana Lecouvreur) and The Businessman (The Little Prince). Last August, he made his debut as a soloist at Perth Concert Hall in the UWA Choral Society’s performance of Carmina Burana. Most recently, Brett performed in WAO’s Opera in the Regions tour alongside Paul O’Neill, Rachelle Durkin, Ashlyn Tymms and Tomasso Pollio, as well as FFO’s Christmas at the Quarry. In July, Brett will play the role of The Hunter in West Australian Opera’s Rusalka.

Episode 2: Speed Dating with the Cast of Enchanted Encounters.

Introducing, Wendy Seo!

Wendy Seo is a recent graduate of WAAPA, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Dance. During her time at WAAPA, she had the opportunity to perform various remounts such as Bodyline by Graeme Watson in her second year and excerpts from other classical works by Marius Petipa, Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, Arthur Saint-Léon and more. In her third year, she had the privilege and honour to be part of the remount of Pina Bausch's Tannhauser Bacchanal, the first time the work had been performed outside of Germany.

Episode 1: Speed Dating with the Cast of Enchanted Encounters.

Introducing, Noah Humich!

Noah Humich is a Perth based director and performer and a recent graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, where he studied the Bachelor of Music course, majoring in Classical Voice. Throughout his time at WAAPA, he has been involved in the major productions of ‘Die Fledermaus,’ Offenbach’s ‘Orpheus in the Underworld,’ in which he played the role of Eaque, ‘The Pirates of Penzance,’ playing the role of Samuel, and Engelbert’s ‘Hansel and Gretel,’ in which he played the Witch. In 2022, Noah was a featured tenor soloist in WAAPA’s performance of Mozart’s Coronation Mass in C, and Herbert Howell’s ‘Nunc Dimittus.’

In 2023, Noah made his debut with Freeze Frame Opera, in their season of ‘The Princess and the Showgirl (Adriana Lecouvreur)’ playing the role of Poisson, alongside a cast including Rosario La Spina, Nicole Youl, and Robert Hoffman. Noah has become a frequent soloist with the Perth Symphonic Chorus, performing in their music theatre concert, ‘Do you hear the people sing?’ and as a soloist in Handel’s ‘Messiah.’ Noah also directed and produced his first production, ‘Enchanted Encounters - Songs of the Supernatural’ which will be featured in Perth Fringe Festival 2024, supported by West Australian Opera and partnered with the Technical Alliance.

Composer Spotlight: Robert Schumann (1810-1856).

Schumann was a German composer, pianist and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest composers in the Romantic century. He was originally studying Law but left that to become a virtuoso pianist. His teacher had told him that he could become one of the best pianists in Europe but a hand injury prevented this from happening. He then put all his efforts into composing.

Through his Piano teacher, he was introduced to who we know today as Clara Schumann (his piano teachers daughter). Her father forbid they get together but she fell in love with Robert and they eventually got married. They had eight children together, another famous composer, Johannes Brahms met the couple and became close with them. It is said that Brahms was quite enamoured with Clara.