Mary Carewe, Graham Bickley, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Richard Balcombe
Biographie Mary Carewe, Graham Bickley, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Richard Balcombe
Mary Carewe
is one of the most accomplished and versatile concert and recording artists in the UK. She has performed extensively throughout the UK, Europe, the Americas and Australia, with repertoire encompassing stage and screen, 20th century cabaret and contemporary classical music.
A dynamic stage performer, Mary regularly appears with the main UK orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestras, City of Birmingham and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestras, the Hallé, Philharmonia, Northern Sinfonia and Ulster Orchestra. In Europe she has performed with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia Lahti, Odense Symphony Orchestra, NDR Radiophilharmonie, Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra and Stavanger Symphony Orchestra; and further afield, with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, New York Pops (with whom she made her debut at the Carnegie Hall, New York); and also with the Melbourne, Queensland and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, and Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. She has performed under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, Carl Davis, Kurt Masur, John Wilson, and David Charles-Abell.
With Australian pianist and arranger Philip Mayers, Mary presents a number of Serious Cabaret programmes exploring the development of cabaret and jazz throughout the 20th century. Acclaimed by having the ‘capacity to live the song… with the even rarer ability of giving the impression that she is singing directly to you’ (seenandheardinternational.com), Mary has charmed audiences across the globe. In 2012, Mary and Philip released Serious Cabaret for Orchid Classics, which included Berlin cabaret songs, re-inventions of popular songs by George Gershwin, Kurt Weill and Lionel Bart as well as contemporary art songs. As a recitalist she has appeared at the Théâtre du Châtelet, Maison de Radio-France in Paris, Festival de l’Ile de France, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, Opera Butxaca in Barcelona, the Berlin Philharmonie, the Sage Gateshead, the Southbank Centre and King’s Place, London, as well as the Aldeburgh and Cheltenham Music Festivals. The 2015/2016 season includes performances with the City of Birmingham and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestras, and her debut with La Crosse Symphony in the USA.
On stage, Mary has sung the role of Mrs Noye in Britten’s Noye’s Fludde at the Loch Shiel Spring Festival; Anna 1 in Kurt Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins in Bilbao and Cuenca, Spain; and in theatrical revues of Sondheim, Rodgers and Hart, and Cole Porter at London’s Cadogan Hall. At the 2010 Musikfest Stuttgart, Mary presented Das Lied der Nacht, performing Schönberg’s Pierrot Lunaire and songs by Kurt Weill with the Sheridan Ensemble.
Mary has appeared frequently as a soloist for BBC Radio 2. On their flagship live music programme Friday Night is Music Night she has starred in over 75 episodes. On television, her voice is a familiar feature for jingles and TV themes, and her appearance alongside Carl Davis and the Philharmonia in a concert to celebrate 50 years of James Bond was aired on BBC4 in 2012 to wide acclaim.
A prolific recording artist, Mary’s discography reflects the diversity of her work, ranging from quintessential musical theatre composers including Rogers and Hammerstein, and Kander and Ebb; to 70’s pop icons Abba and the hits of the James Bond movies. Further to this, Mary has recorded extensively for Welsh composer Karl Jenkins, featuring on his Christmas CD Stella Natalis, and providing vocals on all bar one of the instantly recognizable Adiemus albums.
Graham Bickley
Trained at The Liverpool Theatre School, Graham has performed in the West End for over twenty five years in productions including They’re Playing Our Song, Pirates of Penzance, and as principal lead in Jukebox, Which Witch, Maddie, The Pajama Game (Dora Award ‘Best Actor’ nomination, Toronto) Les Misérables, Metropolis, Miss Saigon, Sunset Boulevard (playing opposite Petula Clark), and Ragtime, (Two nominations: the Laurence Olivier and The Whatsonstage Award for ‘Best Actor in a Musical’).
In 2005/6 Graham toured the UK with Cole Porter’s High Society playing the role of CK Dexter Haven, culminating in a season at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London.
Regional productions include Sleuth, No Trams to Lime Street, (‘Best Actor’ nomination, Manchester), the UK première of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change and the world première of Black Goes With Everything. West End revues include Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris at The National Theatre and It’s Better With a Band at The Donmar.
For Grange Park Opera, Graham has completed two seasons: Billy Crocker in Cole Porter’s Anything Goes, and Robert Baker in Leonard Bernstein’s Wonderful Town.
Graham’s 2009 theatre credits included Alex in The Irrationality (workshop) National Theatre Studio directed by Blanche McIntyre, Father in Love Story (workshop) directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, Joe in Eric’s at the Liverpool Everyman, directed by Jamie Lloyd, Magwitch in Great Expectations at Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold and Liverpool Playhouse, directed by Tim Baker and the role of Signor Naccarelli in the European premiere of Light in the Piazza at Leicester Curve directed by Paul Kerryson.
For BBC Television, Graham played the role of Joey Boswell in Carla Lane's comedy series, Bread.
On the concert platform, Graham has performed with orchestras throughout the UK, Europe and South America including The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, The London Symphony, The London Concert, The Manchester Concert, The City of London Sinfonia, The National Symphony, The Northern Sinfonia, The Royal Scottish National, The Hallé, The City of Birmingham Symphony, The Royal Philharmonic, The RTE Concert, The Gothenburg Symphony, The Iceland Symphony, The Sao Paulo Symphony and the Bergen Philharmonic.
He has appeared in concert performances of Leonard Bernstein’s Wonderful Town playing the role of The Wreck with The Rotterdam Philharmonic and Guys and Dolls, playing Nathan Detroit with The Vienna Konzerthaus, both conducted by Wayne Marshall. Graham has also appeared in concert arena productions of Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, playing Pilate and Magaldi.
Graham regularly appears with the BBC Concert Orchestra. His concerts with them include Guys and Dolls, playing Nathan Detroit, On The Town, playing Chip, and a new musical version of Peter Pan by Stiles and Drewe, all at The Royal Festival Hall and recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio. Other live concert performances for BBC Radio include Bitter Sweet, Radio Rhapsody, and Big Band Special with the BBC Big Band, and many appearances as guest vocalist on BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night. In 2000, Graham made his début at the BBC Promenade Concerts at The Royal Albert Hall, performing in Kurt Weill’s Street Scenes and a tribute to Stephen Sondheim.
Other concert engagements include; Christmas concerts and Rogers and Hammerstein Galas for Raymond Gubbay, guest artist for a gala concert in Leeds with Lesley Garrett and the Opera North Orchestra, televised by BBC Wales, and with orchestrator Martin Koch, he produced a concert to celebrate the work of Nelson Riddle, with The BBC Concert Orchestra and transmitted live on BBC Radio 2.
His concert engagements in 2007/8 included Good Thing Going, A Swell Party and Sing For Your Supper, all at Cadogan Hall, all celebrations of the music of Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter and Rodgers and Hart respectively with Maria Friedman and Daniel Evans, and The Best of Broadway; two concerts at The Royal Albert Hall, both with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Also several Gala concerts celebrating the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein, and a special guest for Barbara Cook’s 80th Birthday Concert at The London Coliseum; Barbara Cook and Friends.
His recent concert engagements included Shaken Not Stirred, a James Bond Tribute Concert with the Odense Symphony; a gala concert at The Theatre Royal Drury Lane in celebration of orchestrator William Brohn conducted by fellow Tony Award winning orchestrator Martin Koch, and Bernstein on Broadway with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Cadogan Hall and again with the Birmingham Symphony, at Symphony Hall, both conducted by Carl Davis, and a return to the Royal Albert Hall, with the Royal Philharmonic, conducted by David Firman to celebrate the best of musical theatre.
In 2010, Graham completed a UK tour of Steppin’ Out with Anton du Beke and Erin Boag, produced by Raymond Gubbay before returning to the concert platform in celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s 80th birthday, firstly with The Royal Philharmonic, conductor David Firman, with Maria Friedman and Daniel Evans, then with The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic with Mary Carewe, conductor Carl Davis.
Other work included a New York workshop of a new musical, Little Dancer, based on the artist Degas, written by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens and directed by Susan Stroman; a return to the Royal Albert Hall for another Best of Broadway concert with the RPO, and a Big Band Christmas concert at the Barbican for Raymond Gubbay.
In December, Graham starred in a new production of The Secret Garden as Dr Neville Craven, directed by Anna Linstrum at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh, which then transferred to Toronto in February and March 2011.
Recent engagements have included musical theatre concerts with the RPO, and a Big Band concert at Cadogan Hall with Jacqui Dankworth, conducted by Richard Balcombe.
In October 2011, Graham travelled to New York to perform in Noel & Cole In Love, as part of the Broadway Close Up series at Merkin Concert Hall, devised and musically directed by David Loud.
On February 14th, 2012 Graham starred in the premier performance of What The World Needs Now...The Music of Burt Bacharach, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Cadogan Hall, conducted by Richard Balcombe. This concert has been devised by Graham and Richard for GRB Concerts.
In April, Graham appeared at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for a programme of Rodgers and Hammerstein, conducted by David Firman.
In August, Graham played the role of Nathan Detroit in a concert performance of Guy’s & Doll’s at Cadogan Hall with Ruthie Henshall.
Her also joined the RPO in Shanghai at the MISA Festival for a programme of Beatles music, conducted by Martin Yates, and then in Muscat, Oman for a ‘musicals’ concert with conductor David Firman.
In November, Graham repeated his concert production of What the World Needs Now...The Music of Burt Bacharach at Symphony Hall, Birmingham with the City of Birmingham Orchestra, and The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester with the Manchester Hallé Orchestra.
This concert is produced by Graham and Richard Balcombe for GRB Concerts.
In March 2013, Graham played the role of Benjamin Stone in Stephen Sondheim’s Follies at L’Opera de Toulon, France, conducted by David Charles Abell and directed by Olivier Bénézech.
Recent work includes concerts with the RPO, The Bangkok Symphony, a tour of We’ll Meet Again for Raymond Gubbay, and more Burt Bacharach concerts for his company - GRB Concerts.
This year, he continues producing concerts for GRB Concerts, and in May, Graham will star in Maltby & Shire’s Closer Than Ever at the Jermyn Street Theatre directed by Richard Maltby Jnr.
