BRITTEN Les Illuminations

Carleen Ebbs soprano, Jessica Oddie violin & Gabriela Glapska piano perform works by Britten, Purcell, Handel, Faure, Debussy & more...

To mark the 50th anniversary of Britten's death this year, Carleen, Jess and Gabriela will perform his energetic, surreal and atmospheric song cycle Les Illuminations as a trio complemented with works by Purcell, Handel, Hahn, Faure, Debussy and more.

BIOGRAPHIES:

Carleen trained at the NZSM, Guildhall School of Music & Drama London graduating with Distinction, and at the Cardiff International Academy of Voice. Based in London for 15 years, Carleen worked with opera companies in France and Italy, and extensively in the UK with English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, The Royal Opera and The National Theatre among others. She was a London Handel Singing Competition Finalist, Britten Pears Young Artist and her trainined was supported by both the Deane Endowment Trust and Dame Malvina Major Foundation. Future performances include Les Illuminations with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, a St John Passion in Napier and Messiah with the Christchurch City Choir.

Jessica is a prolific musical collaborator and has recorded two chamber music albums for the Naxos and Tactus recording labels, and performed solo and chamber music recitals at Teatro La Fenice (Venice), Le Poisson Rouge (New York), Lincoln Center (New York), Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, the Sydney Opera House, and the Melbourne Recital Centre.

Following studies at the Juilliard School, Yale University, and the Yale School of Music, Jessica moved to Germany, where her quartet worked intensively with Gerhard Schulz of the Alban Berg Quartet.

In Australia, Jessica has performed frequently as concertmaster for Victorian Opera (Melbourne) and in principal roles at the Canberra International Music Festival, the Peninsula Summer Music Festival and the Warren Chamber Music Festival. She regularly works with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, and the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra. Jessica is the NZSO's Assistant Principal Second Violin.

Gabriela is a Polish-born, Wellington-based pianist celebrated for her expressive artistry, versatility, and collaborative spirit. An accomplished soloist, chamber musician, and sought-after accompanist, Gabriela holds a Master’s degree with Distinction from the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, where she studied under renowned pianist Ewa Pobłocka, and a PhD in Music Performance from Victoria University of Wellington.

She is the co‑founder and pianist of Ghost Trio, who perform nationwide for Chamber Music New Zealand and collaborate with New Zealand composers, singers and other groups including the NZSQ, Wellington Opera, NZ Opera and the RNZB. Gabriela regularly appears with Stroma, and her work in this space reflects a deep engagement with bold and experimental repertoire.

​In addition to her performance work, Gabriela is committed to music outreach and education and has also served as an adjudicator for Chamber Music New Zealand Contest, supporting young chamber musicians across the country.