Background

MARTIN YATES

“... one of the most exciting and versatile British conductors of his generation .” The Times

Although he is the founder and chief executive of West End International, Martin is probably better known as a conductor, but prior to this he spent many years working at the forefront of music theatre in Britain. In London’s West End he was musically responsible to both Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sir Cameron Mackintosh for some of the most important musicals in recent years including THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, SUNSET BOULEVARD, SWEENEY TODD, CAROUSEL, SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM and MISS SAIGON, as well CAROUSEL and MISS SAIGION in Tokyo. As Music Director at The Theatre Royal York, he was responsible for SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, PRIVATES ON PARADE, OLIVER!, THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG, HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN and YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN, prior to which he was Director of Musicals at the Grand Theatre Swansea, creating productions of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, PRIVATES ON PARADE, SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM, THE BOYFRIEND and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. He was in charge of several major tours including GREASE, ON THE TOWN, SWEENEY TODD, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW and THE GIRLFRIEND. Martin has conducted numerous musical recordings including THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, CAROUSEL, MISS SAIGON, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, SWEET CHARITY, ANNIE, BRIGADOON, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, CABARET, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, A CHORUS LINE and WEST SIDE STORY.

As a leading conductor Martin’s opera performances include CARMEN, LA TRAVIATA, LA BOHEME, TOSCA and MADAMA BUTTERFLY (Israel National Opera) and in 1993 he was assistant to Sir Georg Solti at The Salzburg Festival on FALSTAFF. His ballets include SLEEPING BEAUTY, SWAN LAKE, THE NUTCRACKER, ONEGIN, COPPELIA, GISELLE as well as the Stravinsky ballets LES NOCES, THE FIREBIRD, PETRUSHKA and THE RITE OF SPRING in Amsterdam, Vienna and Helsinki. He made his debut with the Royal Swedish Opera Ballet in 2003 with SLEEPING BEAUTY and has since returned to conduct SWAN LAKE, EUGENE ONEGIN and TRISTAN. Martin’s debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden was conducting AGON and he has recently returned there to conduct MANON, ROMEO & JULIET and THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS.

He has conducted most of Britain’s leading orchestras including the London Symphony, The Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, The Halle, The Orchestra of Scottish Opera, BBC Concert, Royal Scottish National Orchestra and internationally the Rome Opera, Tonhalle Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Royal Flanders Philharmonic, Jerusalem Symphony, Odense Symphony, Danish Radio, Norrköping Symphony, Malmo Symphony, Stockholm Sinfonietta, Iceland Symphony, NRK Orchestra, Brabants Orchestra, Gothenberg Symphony, Sao Paulo Symphony, the Orchestra of Gran Canaria and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra amongst others. He has conducted several concerts with some of the world’s leading opera singers, including Barbara Hendricks, Bryn Terfel, Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu.

ALISON PRICE

An honours graduate from the University of Birmingham, Alison joined West End International in 1999. Prior to this she was Projects Manager (Overseas) for IMG Arts & Entertainment, implementing first class international tours for artists such as Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Yehudi Menhuin, Kiri Te Kanawa, Bryn Terfel, Elaine Paige, Tommy Körberg, Maurice Andre, Julian Lloyd Webber, the Johan Strauss Chamber Orchestra of Vienna and Sinfonia Varsovia, having joined IMG Arts & Entertainment directly from the Royal Opera House where she was the Press Secretary (Opera).