Maria JaguszMaria Jagusz trained as a dancer before taking up a place at the Royal Northern College of Music where she was awarded the Ricordi Prize for Opera. Further scholarships enabled her to continue her studies at the National Opera Studio. As a singer, Maria has worked as soloist for most of the leading opera companies in the UK and Europe. Her roles include Carmen, Cherubino, Orlofsky, Hansel, Dorabella and Rosina. She has performed with many of the world’s leading singers including Domingo, Carreras, Freni and Dame Felicity Lott. She is a keen recitalist and a regular soloist for choral societies in the UK. As a teacher, Maria has specialised in training students who are hoping to have professional careers in the world of opera and musical theatre. In order to give them the experience they need to succeed in this cutthroat industry she formed MJ-UK Music and Arts, which has been running for the past eleven years and she has directed many operas and musicals. She has also directed for Longborough Opera Young Artists programme. For Longborough Festival Opera’s Young Artist Programme she has directed Little Sweep, Dido and Aneas, La Boheme, Sweeney Todd and Les Miserables. She is looking forward to directing Orpheo and Eurydice for their young artists programme in 2017. She travels all over the country leading workshops and master classes for singers and is an adjudicator member of the British and International federation of Festivals. She has been awarded honorary chairman of the Silurian Consort for her contribution to music in the Cotswolds.