MARIA KESSELMAN - BIOGRAPHY

Maria trained at the Arts Educational School, The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and The Royal College of Music, studying singing with Marion Studholme, repertoire with Robert Sutherland and piano with Peter Element, gaining her ARCM and dip. RCM diplomas.

Maria has managed to maintain a very varied performing career in opera, musical theatre, dance, recording, concert and cabaret work.

As a dancer, playing the role of ‘The Russian Girl’ in ‘Death in Venice’ at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and The Aldeburgh Festival, and in ‘The Nutcracker’ at The Festival Hall with The English National Ballet.

In theatre, Maria played the lead role of ‘Christine’ opposite Michael Crawford in ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, ‘Jenny Lind’ in ‘Barnum’, the lead role of ‘Maria Vittoria’ in ‘Which Witch’ at The Piccadilly Theatre, ‘Ruthie’ in The Royal National Theatre production of ‘Lady in the Dark’, Yerma at the National Theatre Studio, ‘Deanna Durbin’ in Benny Green’s ‘Two Smart Girls’ at The Queen Elizabeth Hall and ‘Maria’ in ‘The Sound of Music’ at The Everyman. Maria also achieved critical acclaim and a ‘Time Out’ award for her performance as ‘Melinda Coverdale’ in ‘A Judgement in Stone’ with Sheila Hancock at The Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith.

Maria is an established concert performer, having given solo performances at concert venues both nationwide and in Europe, including The Royal Festival Hall, The Queen Elizabeth Hall and The Royal Albert Hall. She has sung with leading orchestras including The Royal Philharmonic, The English National Orchestra, and The BBC Concert Orchestra, and has given recitals for The English National Opera at the London Coliseum. Maria has made numerous television appearances and is a regular star singer on ‘Friday Night is Music Night’ and ‘The Steve Race’ show for BBC Radio 2. She also performs at ‘The Last Night of the Proms’ open air concerts with The Royal Philharmonic at High Clear Castle, Castle Howard, Calke Abbey, Lydiard House and Longleat. She has just completed a concert tour, starring in ‘A Viennese Strauss Gala’ and ‘Beyond Phantom’.

In opera, Maria has played numerous roles including ‘Musetta’ in ‘La Boheme’ and ‘Despina’ in ‘Cosi fan tutti’ for Music Theatre London, in London and Amsterdam, ‘Musetta’in the film version of ‘La Boheme’ for channel 5, and ‘Street Scene’ and ‘Katya Kabanova’ with The English National Opera. Maria also featured in The Royal Opera House documentary ‘Trouble at the House’ for BBC 2.

As a recording artist, Maria has released her own solo album, ‘Flight’, and has recorded many albums for Carlton Records, including, ‘Maria’ in ‘West Side Story’, ‘Leading Ladies’, ‘The Love Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber’, ‘Show Stoppers, Andrew Lloyd Webber’, ‘The Best of Andrew Lloyd Webber’, ‘More Andrew Lloyd Webber Favourites, ‘The Word’, narration of The New Testament, ‘Phantom of the Opera’ original cast recording, and a duet album, ‘Opera Angels’ for New Sound 2000.

As an experienced cabaret artist, Maria has performed her one woman show at many of London’s top hotels and cabaret venues, including The Café Royal, The Savoy, Grosvenor House, The Ritz, The Hilton, The Connaught Rooms, and ‘Pizza on the Park’.

Maria formed her own production company in 2002, and devised ,produced and starred in a new show, ‘In A Sentimental Mood’, the songs of Duke Ellington, George Gershwin and Cole Porter, for The Gordon Craig Theatre.