Bought Me a Cat… or a Trout!

small operas, big drama

L’arietta Productions presents fresh exciting operas with modern and contemporary execution, working with composers at the forefront of classical music, such as Grammy nominated Lori Laitman, and NAC Young Artist Chen Zhangyi. Collaboration is our forte: opera is the intersection of all art forms, and together we dive into stories that matter today.

“…a tour de force” – Straits Times

“...commanding presence with powerful feelings and a voice to match.” – Opera Magazine

Singapore based Japanese American soprano Akiko is as an arts practitioner, and the co-artistic director of L’arietta Productions, a chamber opera company focused on bringing bite-sized contemporary operas in English. She debuted in Singapore in the leading role of Nora in John Sharpley's world premiere of Fences. A champion of contemporary work, her performance in the monodrama Diary of Anne Frank directed by Samantha Scott-Blackhall received Straits Times’ Best Opera of the year in 2015, and again in 2018 for Chen Zhangyi’s A Singapore Trilogy. Her musical versatility combined with comfort in acting continues to bring her an eclectic collection of projects. She is a frequent international clinician, and is passionate about music education from an early age. She is currently an adjunct voice faculty member at School of the Arts (SOTA) and Lasalle College of the Arts and the Artistic Director of The Voice Company. Akiko’s life-long pursuit is exploring how we can become more human through the arts.

Leslie Tay’s unique versatility is seen in his performances in recent years which include, Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte and Rossini’s La Cenerentola at the Esplanade Concourse, Singapore’s first opera film Mozart’s Idomeneo with The Opera People, the world premiere of Michael Ching’s digital opera All Dressed Up with L’arietta during circuit breaker, the role of the Emperor in SRT’s The Nightingale, the world premiere of Lim Boon Keng the Musical, the art installation Sonic Blossom at the National Gallery, as well as collaborations with Indian Classical musicians and T.H.E Dance Company. He has sung with various American opera companies including Dicapo Opera (NYC) and Bronx Opera. He has also sung with the Boston Lyric Opera Chorus and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. He was a young artiste in Lorin Maazel’s 2011 Castleton Festival. Locally, he has sung with Singapore Lyric Opera and New Opera Singapore. Leslie graduated from Manhattan School of Music and Boston Conservatory. He is currently on the faculty of SOTA (School of the Arts).

Pauline Lee graduated with a Master's degree (MMus) and Fellowship of the Royal Schools of Music (FRSM) from Royal Northern College of Music, UK. Winner of Silver Prize in Asia International Piano Academy Festival & Competition in Korea, and Pianist Prize in Chris Petty English Song Competition, Pauline has also performed in concerts, festivals and events in England, Wales, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore. She was selected to participate in the notable Lucerne Festival am Piano masterclass with Andreas Haefliger, which culminated in a performance at the KKL Luzern Hall.

Today, Pauline is an active chamber musician, accompanist and répétiteur in Singapore. She has played for various opera companies, such as Singapore Lyric Opera, New Opera Singapore, The Opera People and L'arietta Productions. In addition to running a private teaching studio, Pauline keeps a happy schedule performing recitals and working as an adjunct accompanist at School of the Arts (SOTA). She is grateful to her inspiring teachers Stephen Savage, Martin Roscoe, Oh Hye-Rin, Gan Choo Kheng, and Lucien Wang for everything they have generously taught her.