“Sparkling Swedish soprano” Johanna Wallroth was thrust into the limelight in 2019 when she took First Prize in the Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition. She has subsequently joined the Opernstudio of Wiener Staatsoper for two seasons and was the recent recipient of the 2021 Birgit Nilsson Scholarship. Originally trained in ballet, Wallroth shifted her principle focus to voice, going on to graduate from Vienna’s Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst (MDW). She made her operatic debut in 2013, as Barbarina (Le Nozze di Figaro) at Ulriksdal Palace Theatre, Stockholm, and subsequently appeared as Eurydice (Orfeo ed Eurydice) at MDW, Despina (Così fan tutte), Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel) and Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) at Vienna’s Schlosstheater Schönbrunn and Pamina (Die Zauberflöte) at Moscow’s Gnesin Academy. She has ssung Ismene in Telemann’s Orpheus at Vadstena Castle and performed Sandmännchen and Taumännchen (Hänsel und Gretel) at Norrlandsoperan, Umeå.
Malcolm Martineau was born in Edinburgh, read Music at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge and studied at the Royal College of Music. Recognised as one of the leading accompanists of his generation, he has worked with many of the world’s greatest singers including Thomas Allen, Janet Baker, Florian Boesch, Olaf Bär, Barbara Bonney, Ian Bostridge, Susan Graham, Thomas Hampson, Simon Keenlyside, Felicity Lott and Bryn Terfel. He has presented his own series at the Wigmore Hall (a Britten and a Poulenc series and Decade by Decade – 100 years of German Song) and at the Edinburgh Festival (the complete lieder of Hugo Wolf). He has appeared throughout Europe, North America and Australia. He was a given an honorary doctorate at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2004, and appointed International Fellow of Accompaniment in 2009. Malcolm was the Artistic Director of the 2011 Leeds Lieder+ Festival.