Charlotte Corderoy

When were you first enchanted by (musical) theatre in your life? And by what?

It’s something that’s been in my life for as long as I can remember — I can’t quite remember how it all started! I’ve been enchanted by the Golden Age Movie Musicals since I was very little, my Mum used to put them on the TV on Boxing Day and I loved it.

I also have strong memories of seeing Grease! onstage when I was very small, and dancing along (even though I apparently cried most of the car journey there because I didn’t understand what watching from a ‘box’ meant).  

Why do people sing and why don't they speak?

But I think they do speak, even when they sing! After all, it’s all the same instrument, so I’m not sure I really think of ‘speaking’ and ‘singing’ as different things when it comes to Musical Theatre, or Opera.  

The power is really in the words, in my opinion, whether sung or not — I suppose setting them to music just offers up a different world of potential colours and pacing to play with, which can become something very beautiful and universally understood.  

What role can/should musical theatre play in today's society?

I think storytelling, of any nature, is how we express our thoughts on life, and our different points of view. In all my work, I try very hard to keep storytelling at the heart of things, and it’s up to each audience member to choose how they interact with that. 

So in that respect, I suppose I’d say that Musical Theatre’s role in today’s society is really just to continue connecting people in order to keep conversations going, and inspire new ones too. If we can learn from a story (old or new) and at the same time find some escape in it — I think that’s a very special thing.

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Born in

London, Great Britain 

Education

Oxford University, The Royal Academy of Music (London) 

Five to ten important engagements

• since 2023/24: Assistant Conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
• worked with the Royl Philharmonic Orchestra (Three Choirs Festival)
• Co-conductor at The Rake’s Progress with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra
• Glyndebourne Festival Opera (Assistant Conductor, Don Giovanni)
• Opera Holland Park (2022/23: Hänsel und Gretel; 2023/24: Il barbiere di Siviglia)
• Leicester Curve Theatre (conductor Kiss me Kate NYMT) 

Formative collaboration with these artists

Edward Gardner OBE (LPO), Sir Mark Elder (Hallé), John Wilson (John Wilson Orchestra), Daniel Capps (NYC Ballet) 

Debut and important works at Volksoper Wien

Conductor My Fair Lady (season 2024/25) 

Website

https://www.charlottecorderoy.co.uk/about-5

* Use of photography (© Leanne Punshon) only for the purpose of current reporting on the Volksoper Wien