MELANIE SANDERS
Mezzo-Soprano
Raised and based in London, Melanie read Philosophy and English at Sussex University before studying voice at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance with Sophie Grimmer, Ameral Gunson and Robert Aldwinckle. She subsequently studied with Ann de Renais, and now learns with Neil Baker.
In 2019 Melanie became a member of the Monteverdi Choir with whom she appeared in Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini at the BBC Proms, Versailles and Berlin, and in 2020 toured to New York and Chicago for Symphony No. 9 as part of Beethoven 250.
An alumni of ENO Opera Works, Melanie sang in workshops for Two Boys, an ENO/Metropolitan Opera joint production, and the ENO/Chandos recording of Verdi's Macbeth conducted by Edward Gardner. She is a member of the ENO Extra Chorus.
Her roles include Hermia, Mercédès, Emilia, Dorabella, Annio, Ino, Megabise Artaserse, Hasse; Mrs Nolan The Medium, Dido and Sorceress; Second Lady and Second Spirit; Mother Goose, Mère Marie, Drummer Girl The Emperor of Atlantis; Nirenus Giulio Cesare; Mrs Ham Noye's Fludde; Second Wild Goose Paul Bunyan; and Older Sister Pig.
Melanie received great acclaim for her portrayal of Lucy in the 2014 world premier of new opera The Blank Canvas by Spyros Syrmos and Fay Wrixon at The King's Head with OperaUpClose, which won Best Opera Production in the 2015 Offies, The OffWestEnd.com Theatre Awards. Other competition success includes Finalist - Emmy Destinn Award 2011; Finalist - John Warner Memorial Award 2010; Winner - Elisabeth Schumann Lieder Prize 2008; 2nd Prize Winner - Thelma King Award 2008; Paul Simm Opera Prize 2007 - 'Mère Marie' Dialogues des Carmélites; and Finalist - John Kerr Award for English Song 2006.
Melanie has worked with Scottish Opera under the direction of Sir Thomas Allen (The Magic Flute) and with Graham Vick and Birmingham Opera Company for the world premiere of Stockhausen’s Mittwoch aus Licht - Michaelion (Alto 4 & 9 and chorus) for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad (Winner of the 2013 Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Opera and Musical Theatre).
As a member of London Voices, directed by Terry Edwards and Ben Parry, Melanie has appeared in Peter Grimes in London, Shanghai and Beijing, the UK premier of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels at the RFH, Mark Simpson's The Immortal at the BBC Proms, Steve Reich's Tehillim in Strasbourg with Les Siecles under Francois Xavier-Roth, and Beethoven's Fidelio and Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress with the LPO under Vladimir Jurowski.
With London Voices she has sung on many film, video game and TV soundtracks including the Ad Astra, Abominable, The Aeronauts, Aladdin, Maleficent I & II, Nutcracker And The Four Realms, Wonder Woman, Captain Underpants, King Kong Skull Island, Beauty And The Beast, Blizzard - World Of Warcraft, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, Dr Strange, Sherlock, Taboo, Hacksaw Ridge, Captain America, Interstellar, The Hobbit I, II & III, Exodus: Gods And Kings, Unbroken and Jupiter Ascending.
Melanie is a regular member of Philharmonia Voices, conducted by Aidan Oliver, and the Hanover Band. In addition, Melanie is Personal Assistant to Esa-Pekka Salonen, Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Philharmonia Orchestra.