WENDY GROSE - BIOGRAPHY

Wendy Grose (soprano) is an actor and musician. Wendy’s numerous credits in theatre and opera include performances with The Royal Opera, Covent Garden, Welsh National Opera, Opera de Lyon, London Modern Music Theatre Troupe, Chamber Made Opera, Back to Back Theatre, Voiceworks Theatre, The Production Company, Mainstreet Theatre Company and the Queensland Theatre Company. Operatic roles performed range from Ellen Orford in Peter Grimes to Mimi in La Boheme.
Wendy regularly performs recitals of diverse repertoire with her accompanist, Len Vorster and has appeared as a featured recitalist in Britain, Italy, France and Australia and in broadcasts for the BBC and ABC. As soprano soloist, she has appeared with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestres de Bayonne et Bordeaux, Surrey Sinfonietta, London Civil Services Orchestra, the Australian Boys Choir and the Australian Pops Orchestra performing works ranging from Ravel’s Sheherezade and Strauss’ Four Last Songs to popular and comedy songs.
Wendy’s television credits include Whatever happened to that guy, Forget the rules, Kath and Kim, Sea Change, Neighbours, Blue Heelers, Marshall Law and presenting for “This Week in Geelong”.
Recent engagements include extensive touring (Australia wide and in USA) of her show, “A Different Hat”, based on the life of opera singer, Marjorie Lawrence. Following the great success of “A Different Hat” (Wendy was featured in The Weekly Times’ Hall of Fame 2002 for her portrayal of Marjorie), Wendy and Len created “Perfect Timing” (A tribute to concert comedienne extraordinaire Anna Russell). Anna Russell declares that if anyone is going to be her, it’d have to be Wendy!
As well as creating a new cabaret show“When love comes to call”, exploring love’s highs and lows through the beautiful melodies of Gershwin, Cole Porter, Weill, Kern and Blitzstein, Wendy and Len recently premiered their new comedy show, “Mind your manners!” – a comic exploration of 21st century etiquette. They have also released a new CD with label “Cracked Records” called “Look in my Eyes”.
Wendy was soprano soloist for the Royal Opera’s education department, is presently a teaching artist for the Victorian Arts Centre and is on the vocal staff at the Universities of Melbourne and Monash. She regularly conducts workshops in voice production, music and drama for people of all ages and abilities.
Future plans include a return to Europe to perform with acclaimed innovative UK companies, Amici Dance Theatre and Improbable Theatre in their 30th anniversary production at the Lyric Theatre London and two runs of one woman show, “Florence – Young as ever!” celebrating one of J. C. Williamson’s early 20th century stars, Florrie Young.
REVIEWS

“Indeed, it would be worth attending just to hear Wendy Grose’s rich timbre and refinement. Let’s hope that this Australian-born singer plans on staying awhile.” Chris Boyd, FINANCIAL REVIEW

“Wendy Grose ....... with a rich, sensual sound, notably during the solo Caritas Abundat. Grose sang with a kind of earthy luxuriousness.” Clive O’Connell, THE AGE

.”....... all revolved around Wendy Grose’s vibrant and gutsy soprano ..........Grose would carry the composition’s weight, both dramatic and melodic content entrusted to her pretty much exclusively.” Clive O’Connell, THE AGE

“.... the first of four recitals by the outstanding soprano Wendy Grose. Grose was a brilliant choice for she has, apart from a fine and captivating voice, a natural and ingenuous manner that communicates with the audience with remarkable ease. The audience responded to her generosity with full houses. She was equally at home with comedy songs, operatic arias and most especially in French chanson where her impeccable diction added a moving depth to songs by Hahn and Poulenc.” Michael J. Easton, THE AGE

“.... she was firm in pitch and Grose’s range was surprising. Grose used vivid tones to personify Chastity debating the devil.....great richness and dynamic theatre.” Keith Field, HERALD SUN


Wendy Grose - CV
TRAINING
· Devising workshops - Music Theatre - Royal Opera, London
· Screen Actors Studio – Geelong (Acting, presenting, writing, editing, comedy for television)
· Drama Studies - Morley College, London.
· Bachelor of Music Degree (Opera) – Elizabeth Todd - NSW Conservatorium
· Britten Pears School of Advanced Music Studies (Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, Hans Hotter) - UK
· L’Academie de Musique M. Ravel (Gerard Souzay, Manuel Rosenthal, Gabriel Bacquier) – France
· Studies with Wolfgang Stange, Amici Dance Theatre, London

TELEVISION
TITLE CHARACTER DIRECTOR PRODUCTION CO.
· Whatever happened to that guy Wendy Ted Emery Foxtel
· Kath and Kim Series III Fountain Lakes player Ted Emery ABC
· Marshall Law Judge Pat Hunt 7 Network
· Sea Change Councillor ABC TV
· This week in Geelong Presenter & host John McGlynn Channel 31
· Forget the rules WWW interactive
· Presenter/interviewer/reader Radio RPH 99.5 FM

THEATRE
TITLE CHARACTER DIRECTOR PRODUCTION CO
· Florence-Young as ever Florence Young Stephanie Daniel Beleura Mansion
· Mind your manners! Miss Conduct Voiceworks Theatre
· Stars are out tonight Black Angel Wolfgang Stange Amici Dance Theatre/Improbable Theatre, London
· Perfect Timing Anna Russell P S Jones
· Music Man Ethel Toffelmeier The Production Company
· A Different Hat Marjorie Lawrence P S Jones Voiceworks Theatre
· Sweeney Todd Ensemble Queensland Theatre Company
· Lucky Stiff, King Island Christmas Port Fairy Spring Festival
· Lacuna Bishop Chardin Chamber Made Opera
· Voices of Desire Various Back to Back Theatre
· Woolaway Cressy Mary McMenamin Mainstreet Theatre Co
· Ariadne auf Naxos Ariadne South London Theatre Co.
· Pillow Song, La Malinche – various roles London Modern Music Theatre Troupe

OPERA
TITLE CHARACTER PRODUCTION CO.
· La Boheme Mimi South London Opera
· Samson Virgin Royal Opera, Covent Garden
· Lohengrin Page Royal Opera, Covent Garden
· Der Rosenkavalier Orphan Royal Opera, Covent Garden
· Peter Grimes Ellen Orford Kentish Opera, UK
· Der Freischutz Agathe (cover) Welsh National Opera
· Lohengrin Elsa(cover) Victoria State Opera
· Don Carlos Elisabetta (cover) Victoria State Opera
· The Medium Mrs Nolan Port Fairy Spring Festival
· Amahl and the Night Visitors Mother Australian Boys Choir, Melbourne

CONCERT
· Soloist in concert with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Whitehall Orchestra, Fine Arts Sinfonia, Surrey Sinfonietta, Orchestres de Bayonne et Bordeaux, Australian Pops Orchestra performing works ranging from Ravel’s Sheherezade and Strauss’ Four Last Songs to popular and comedy songs.
· Recitals of classical and contemporary repertoire in France, Italy, Australia and Britain.


Skills
· Piano * Dance * Photography * Accents * Fluent French * Basic German, Italian, Auslan * Sewing * Cooking * Percussion * Swimming * Manual driver’s licence *

Wendy Grose CMC B.Mus

Wendy Grose CMC B.Mus

Perceptive Intuitive Individual Warm Relaxed Professional

I listen!

Celebrating life!

As an authorised civil celebrant (with a background in opera and theatre!), Wendy Grose CMC guarantees to provide a professional, responsive, creative and respectful service to her clients at a milestone in their lives.

Whether it is the celebration and public declaration of a lifelong commitment by a couple in love, the warm welcoming of a new baby into the community or a respectful acknowledgement of a life lived, she will facilitate a ceremony that is an important way of celebrating life. All these ceremonies deserve and require thoughtful consideration and planning to ensure the result is as unique and special as the people involved.

Ceremonies are an important part of everyone’s life. They want them to be ‘right’, to reflect their values, beliefs and creativity. Often, people do not know how to approach this and that is where I can step in to facilitate, guide and suggest possibilities that may not have occurred to them.

Whatever the ceremony, it deserves and requires thoughtful consideration and planning to ensure the result is as unique and special as the people involved.

Getting married?
It is a joy to assist you to create a ceremony reflecting your hopes, desires and aspirations - whether formal or casual, or deeply traditional to the unique.

It is your day and your ceremony.

It should be what YOU want. You need to be listened to and most importantly, heard.

I am a vibrant woman with a passion for the celebrations of life.
As well as being a celebrant, I have been an opera singer, actor, writer and theatre director for the past 25 years. Through my training and experience as a performer I know how to make you feel at ease and enjoy being the very reason for this celebratory day's existence!

I pay great attention to detail and to making your ‘audience’ feel an integral part of the whole. The result is a wedding ceremony richly layered, with a heightened sense of the sacred and a heartfelt sense of sharing life through love, laughter and wisdom.

My performance skills certainly ensure that I have no trouble projecting (!) and I will be heard clearly in all environments. I am enthusiastic about my work, drawing on all my experience – life and work - to create meaningful, personal and original ceremonies.

My services include the initial interview, telephone and e-mail communication, the creation of your special ceremony, great attention to detail, rehearsals as needed and preparation and lodgment of all legal documents.

Please feel free to contact me by telephone or e-mail to make enquiries or to arrange a meeting to discuss your needs.

Marriage is a celebration of your love for each other - let’s make it an unforgettable day!

Location

Having your marriage ceremony in Geelong, Great Ocean Road or neighbouring peninsulas? Gorgeous beaches and rivers, parks and golf courses, forest or formal wedding venues abound! I am happy to travel further afield.

Funeral
My presence, voice, sense of humor and experience at orchestrating ritual bring rich and sensitive skills to my Celebrant work.

I am qualified to design and conduct funerals, weddings, name givings, commitment ceremonies and other rites of passage. I am a member of ACMCV (Association of Civil Marriage Celebrants Victoria) and am authorized by the Attorney General’s Office to conduct ceremonies.

Type of Celebrant
Marriage Celebrant
Funeral Celebrant

Type of Ceremony
Wedding Ceremony
Naming Ceremony
Funeral Ceremony
Renewal of Vows Ceremony
Commitment Ceremony
Ashes Scattering Ceremony


Style of Ceremony
Formal
Informal
Semi Formal
Traditional
Alternative
Intimate

Location
VIC Geelong and district
VIC Surfcoast
VIC Great Ocean Road
VIC Bellarine Peninsula
VIC Ballarat
I can travel outside these areas for an additional fee

As a professional celebrant, I guarantee to provide a professional, responsive, creative and respectful service to my clients at a milestone in their lives.

I will facilitate this collaborative process, providing resources to ensure that the ceremony is crafted to their unique and individual requirements.

I will provide this service anywhere within the Greater City of Geelong, Surfcoast Shire, Colac/Otway Shires. At extra cost, I am also happy to discuss the possibility of conducting ceremonies further afield.