BIOGRAPHY
French conductor Ben-Santamaria is fast becoming one of the UK's most sought after up-and-coming opera conductors.
French conductor Ben-Santamaria has this season joined Opera North as their first female conductor associate. In June this year, she made her UK debut conducting Un ballo in maschera at Opera Holland Park.
Last season Sonia was one of the six women conductors selected worldwide for the 2018 The Dallas Opera Hart Institute and she also was the first female conductor chosen to be Link artist associate of the Royal Opera House Jette Parker Young Artist scheme.
Ben-Santamaria was a trainee repetiteur at the English National Opera 2011/2012 and the National Opera Studio 2010 after graduating from the Royal Academy of Music, London and the Conservatoire National de Toulouse, France.
CURRICULUM VITAE
OPERA NORTH
Assistant Associate Conductor 2019/2020
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA
Opera Holland Park, June 2019
THE DALLAS OPERA
Hart Institute Gala, Dallas Opera Orchestra, Oct-Nov 2018
CARMEN CARMEN CARMEN
An insight into Georges Bizet's Carmen in support of Dress for Success, September 2018
BETWEEN CONSTELLATION by Ruth Chan
Grimborn Festival, August 2018
SWAP'RA GALA
Le Nozze di Figaro & Madama Butterfly (scenes)
Opera Holland Park, July 2018
CHAUSSON'S CONCERTO Op 21
soloists Vasko Vassilev & Serge Rybin
Royal Opera House, March 2018
MONSTROUS CHILD by G.Higgins
Royal Opera House, run through & presentation, Jan-Feb 2018
DON GIOVANNI
HeadFirst Productions, Sept-Oct 2017
TO HIMSELF, ALONE by J.Cabon
Tête à Tête Opera Festival, Aug 2017
DIE FLEDERMAUS
Opera Integra, March 2017
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE
Chelmsford City Opera & Orchestra 2013
TOSCA BACKSTAGE CONDUCTING
English National Opera 2011-2012
SELECTED WORK
FRENCH LANGUAGE COACH
Jette Parker Young Artists, 2018 - ongoing
LA TRAVIATA
Longborough Opera Festival, May-June 2018
(Chorus master & Assistant conductor)
CARMEN
Royal Opera House - Youth Company
(Rehearsal Conductor) Nov-Dec 2017 Jan & May 2018
EUGENE ONEGIN
Opera Up Close, Nov-Dec 2017
(Musical Director)
SUKANYA
Royal Opera House and Curve Leicester, Apr-May 2017
(Chief Repetiteur & Assistant conductor)
NATIONAL OPERA STUDIO
Short courses, 2013 - ongoing
(Vocal Coach & Repetiteur)
THAIS & NABUCCO
Chelsea Opera Group, 2017 & 2018
(Chorus master)
MACBETH & DIE FLEDERMAUS
Opera Integra, 2016 - 2017
(Musical director & Chorus master)
REPETITEUR WORK
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, HAMLET, (opera scenes)Royal Opera House JPYA 2018
LA TRAVIATA, Longborough Opera 2018
LA CLEMENZA DI TITO Opera de Bauge 2017
SUKANIYA Royal Opera House 2017
LA BOHEME, LAKME, MADAMA BUTTERFLY YA Opera Holland Park 2013-2016
FIGARO GETS A DIVORCE - presentation - Welsh National Opera 2015
THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER Welsh National Opera 2014
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR Winslow Hall Opera 2014
SALOME Wexford Festival Opera 2014
LA TRAVIATA, IL TROVATORE, TOSCA Dorset Festival Opera 2011-2013
THE PASSENGER, FIGARO covers cast, TOSCA English National Opera 2011-2012
DON GIOVANNI YA Mid Wales Opera 2012
LA TRAVIATA, L’ELISIR D’AMORE, AIDA Riverside Opera 2009-2011
AWARDS
Leonard Hancock Memorial Trust Prize National Opera Studio 2010
Musicians’ Benevolent Fund Award for Repetiteur 2010
Major Van Someren-Godfrey Memorial Prize for Accompaniment in English Song 2006
Elsie Prater Award and Royal Academy of Music Power Biggs Award 2005