(Photo: courtesy of Giselle Allen)

Later this month, Irish National Opera will be staging a new production of Wagner’s “Der Fliegende Holländer,” conducted by Fergus Sheil and directed by Rachael Hewer, with baritone Jordan Shanahan as the Dutchman.

OperaWire recently met up with the Northern Irish soprano, Giselle Allen, who is currently preparing for the role of Senta, to talk about the production and its challenges. Such is her enthusiastic and engaging personality, however, that the interview shifted to cover many other aspects of her successful career that has spanned more than 30 years, in which she has performed on stages throughout the UK and Ireland and across the world.

OperaWire: What were the main drivers leading to you becoming an opera singer?

Giselle Allen: I have a musical background. I studied the oboe at the Belfast School of Music when I was a child in Northern Ireland and was also a member of the Belfast Chorale for a few years. So when it came time to go to university, I decided to study music. At this point, I actually wanted to be a nurse. It was my father who convinced me to follow a musical path, as he recognized that I had a gift.

In my first year at Cardiff University, I decided to give singing a go. My first student performance was going to be the Spirit in “Dido & Aeneas,” but the girl playing Belinda fell off the stage during rehearsals, and they asked me to step in. I had one day to learn the part. I managed to do it and loved every minute, and I knew then that I wanted to pursue a career as an opera singer.

The university music department is now faced with closure. It is very sad. It is an incredible department.

I then followed the traditional path, studying a two-year post-graduate course at the Guildhall School of Music and then another two years at the Royal Academy Opera School.

OW: Could you describe your voice and how it has changed since you first started singing?

GA: I suppose these days I would be labelled as a dramatic soprano. It has a big sound with the necessary edge to cut through big orchestras. So I sing roles such as Tosca and Senta.

In my earlier years I would say that my voice wasn’t so big, but by my early 30s I was singing roles such as Tatiana from “Eugene Onegin,” and as I got older I started moving to the heavier lyric roles such as Ellen Orford.

I am 55 in September, so whereas I used to play the heroine, I’m now moving into the mother roles. I’m looking to play the role of Janáček’s Kostelnička in the near future.

OW: You don’t appear to sing many roles from the Italian repertoire. Is this a deliberate choice?

GA: I have sung Italian roles, such as Tosca and Mimì. But I do not consider my voice as having a very Italianate sound, so I would never sing roles such as Lucia, as this requires a specific sound, and I don’t have it. I would have liked to have sung some Italian roles, for example, Violetta, because I like to sing dramatic parts; I prefer roles that need talent in both acting and singing, and this is the area in which I have developed my reputation.

I see myself very much as a singing actress. I don’t see my job as just making beautiful sounds. I’m interested in developing and exploring characters and the motivations that lie behind their behavior. I see it is a journey. This is why I am attracted to works by composers, such as Janáček; his work is so truthful; it is founded on true emotions. I like the Czech language, and I like singing in the language; it’s not something I’m worried about, and I would love to expand my repertoire in this direction.

I know many singers who are far more interested in enjoying the singing side of a role, and that is great; it is something I admire, but it’s not my approach.

OW: You do a lot of work teaching young singers. What made you want to move into this area?

GA: It came about when Oliver Mears took over at Northern Ireland Opera in 2010. He introduced the company’s Young Artist Program and asked me if I would coach the young singers. My initial reaction was that I would have nothing to say to them, but I found it to be quite the opposite; I had a lot to say and a lot of experience to pass on to them. I really enjoyed it. When Oliver left, that post came to an end, but I continue to teach.

Although I do teach younger singers, I prefer teaching repertoire to older singers, sharing my experiences, and providing them with ideas about interpretation. It’s something I really enjoy. In fact, it is something I would like to spend more time doing in the future.

OW: How do you go about preparing for a new role?

GA: Ideally, I spend about six months preparing. I like to build up the character gradually. Normally I learn the text, then the music, and then sing it into the voice and physically into the body. First I have to understand the text and understand the character before I start to memorize it. Obviously, I don’t always get six months, and I have to do things more rapidly. Fortunately, I have had plenty of time to prepare for my role as Senta, which is nice.

OW: Will this performance of Senta in “The Flying Dutchman” for Irish National Opera be your role debut?

GA: Not exactly. I sang it before with Northern Ireland Opera, but that was 12 years ago, and it was performed in English. This time we will be performing in German, and my voice is very different now, so it feels like the first time. I’m having to approach it as if it were a new role; there are many things that I need to rework.

OW: Is it a role that suits your voice?

GA: I think all the roles in “The Flying Dutchman” are difficult and taxing. Senta is no different, which is great, as I love a good challenge. It was one of Wagner’s earlier operas, and I think he had not fully developed his vocal writing. It has a very high tessitura, and the central scene in the middle of the opera for Senta is very demanding; she doesn’t stop singing for about 30 minutes. It takes real stamina, and it is important that you pace yourself; you cannot risk using all your energy immediately; otherwise,  you may struggle.

OW: What can you tell us about the production?

GA: Obviously I can’t give too much away at this stage, but it is definitely interesting. It will be a semi-traditional production. It’s not going to be set on the moon or anything like that. The director, Rachael Hewer, grew up in Grimsby on the East Coast of England and has an understanding of the nature of the sea and its power. To build upon the imagery and atmosphere of the sea, she has the girls working in a fish processing plant rather than sitting sewing in a factory. There’s going to be a lighthouse in the set; everything is going to be connected to the sea. It is not a traditional staging, but it’s not obscure. The idea is to make it as real as possible so the audience can relate to the context of the work.

The role of Senta is not really one that could be described as a modern woman.

OW: Looking back over your career, what would you say were the high points?

GA: Opera North’s production of “Peter Grimes,” directed by Phyllida Lloyd, in which I played Ellen Orford, was an incredible experience. It was a great production with a great cast. It won many awards, including the Sky Arts Award and the Olivier Award.

Then there was another production of “Peter Grimes,” this time at Aldeburgh, where we performed it on the beach. It was amazing! The set was unbelievable; the set was built using fishing boats from the local town. I remember being a bit worried about the weather; during rehearsals it was cold, and on the opening night there was a little bit of rain about. Fortunately, 20 minutes before the start, the rain stopped, and everything went ahead. It was spectacular. A mist rolled in at one point, and I remember people saying that it was a great special effect, but it wasn’t an effect! You could also hear the sound of the sea, with the waves crashing in on the shore. It was a fantastic production. It is worth getting a copy of the performance on DVD if you can find one. The whole experience was amazing; we were performing the opera in the town where Britten lived, in the centenary year of his birth and where he’s now buried. We were in a Britain bubble.

I also did “Tosca” in Sydney in 2023 and had an unforgettable time. I was even given the Joan Sutherland dressing room.