BIOGRAPHY
“...the part of Barbara was memorably taken by Miranda Ostler who not only sang it beautifully but also gave the character a joie de vivre and a profound humanity that put flesh on a fascinating but dreamlike figure.”
Miranda Ostler is currently studying for her Masters in Vocal Performance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance under Sophie Grimmer and Robert Bottriell, where she holds the Kathleen Roberts Vocal Scholarship. She also won the 2022 Paul Simm Opera Prize for the most promising student in opera. For Trinity Laban Opera, she has played Female Chorus in scenes from Britten The Rape of Lucretia (April 2023); the lead role (Barbara herself!) in Strozzi!, Jennifer Hamilton’s jukebox opera of works by Barbara Strozzi at Blackheath Halls (July 2022); created the role of Kael in Edward Jessen’s new operatic sonic theatre work, Syllable (January 2022); and played Selysette in scenes from Paul Dukas Ariane et Barbe-Bleue (April 2022). Other recent operatic appearances include a role in the premiere production of Luciana Perc’s Film Performance at the Tête-à-Tête Opera Festival (September 2022); Third Shepherd in Blow Venus & Adonis with Blackheath Halls Opera, Chérubin in scenes from Massenet Chérubin and Comtesse in Milhaud La mère coupable (Trinity Laban Opera Scenes 2021), and Cherubino in Puzzle Piece Opera’s online production of Mozart The Marriage of Figaro.
“... Miranda Ostler was the tireless and characterful Barbara, with great support all round.”
Miranda greatly relishes working with composers: Miranda was the vocal soloist on Julian Marshall’s multi-laurelled dance-film Yearning, and provides backing vocals as part of The Rupa Ensemble on his The Angel in the Forest disc with James Gilchrist and cellists from the Philharmonia Orchestra. She sing and speaks in multiple languages on Rebecca Galian Castello’s album The Undernetting, and has enjoyed varied session work (including with the Eric Whitacre Singers and the London Contemporary Orchestra) at Abbey Road, Air and Strongroom Studios, London. Miranda has recorded several recent discs with the London Choral Sinfonia and Michael Waldron, and sings with the BBC Singers on an ad-hoc basis. She is a member of Rubythroat, Trinity Laban’s contemporary vocal ensemble directed by Linda Hirst, and The Ruffians, a new music collective and upper voice vocal trio, specialising in improvisation and unaccompanied music by composers of marginalised identities. The Ruffians were recently highly commended at the 2023 Gladys Puttick Memorial Improvisation Competition.
Her recent concert soloist work has had a very baroque flavour: the annual sell-out Handel Messiah at St John’s Smith Square with Platinum Consort, The Hanover Band and Scott Inglis-Kidger; Bach Weihnachts-Oratorium for the German Choir of London and Barbara Höfling; and Bach St John Passion and numerous cantatas for the Oxford Bach Soloists and Tom Hammond-Davies. She also formed one of the six voices of Platinum Consort for a concert of Victoria’s Requiem 1605 at St James’s Piccadilly (March 2023). Miranda has performed Mozart Vesperae solennes de confessore for Eynsham Choral Society and Stuart Dunlop; Handel Dixit Dominus with The Iona Consort and Benedict Lewis-Smith; multiple performances of a one-voice-per-part Bach St Matthew Passion and Monteverdi Vespers for The Bishop’s Consort and David Stancliffe; McDowall The Lord is Good with the English Chamber Singers and Martin Neary; and Filia in Carissimi Jepthe for Musica Antica Rotherhithe and Oliver Doyle. Miranda also deputises at churches around London, including Royal Hospital Chelsea, St Stephen’s Gloucester Road, and St Magnus the Martyr London Bridge. Miranda holds an undergraduate honours degree in Music from University College, Durham in 2015, where she was a choral scholar.
Miranda is also Assistant Director of Platinum Consort, and works as a freelance graphic designer.
© Briony Campbell, 2022
MEDIA
The Empty Song - Libby Larsen (From Love after 1950)
Recorded in May 2023 at St Barnabas Church, Ealing.
Pianist: Paul Ayres
titania’s song - alison bauld
Recorded in concert in January 2023 at St Alfege’s Church, Greenwich.
Pianist: Paul Chilvers
che si può fare - Barbara strozzi
Performed as part of Strozzi! A jukebox opera of Barbara Strozzi's music conceived, compiled and directed by Jennifer Hamilton.
Musical Director: Harry Sever
Barbara Strozzi: Miranda Ostler | Isabella Garzoni: Lizzie Nicholson | Giulio Strozzi: Luke Stanley
Recorded July 2022 at Blackheath Halls, London.
Yearning - julian marshall
Direction: Daisy Brodskis | Starring: Hannah Rudd
Choreography: Daisy Brodskis & Hannah Rudd
Cinematography: Miguel Altunaga
Score: Julian Marshall | Libretto: Emily Bland
Singer: Miranda Ostler
Audio recorded in April 2021. Head to 12:30 to hear Miranda sing (but ideally watch the whole video!)
Get in touch with Miranda here if you’d like to hear more recordings.
To browse Miranda’s composition portfolio, click here.
© John Hunter, 2022
GALLERY
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Please email Miranda with any questions or commissions by clicking here. Examples of programme design work can be provided on request.
“I have always been impressed with Miranda’s work and her professional attitude towards producing excellent posters and programmes. Her precision and attention to detail should be particularly highlighted as she works to ensure she provides the very best final product. Having used Miranda for many concerts and events over the past year we are extremely happy with the strong brand she has helped us create through continuity of design and will continue to make use of her services. Highly recommended.”
“Miranda is a consummate professional when it comes to graphic design. Her swift responses and ability to work within tight deadlines complete a package that most creative types just don’t have. She is able to marry exceptional quality design work within brief to timely deliverables making her my go-to choice for design work. In particular her recent work on my latest project Durham Opera Ensemble’s production of Carmen (Bizet) was simply outstanding: her ideas and work aligned a unified brand to our production as well as giving us stunning posters and what can only be described as the programmes of the year within Durham’s theatre scene.”
Contact MIRANDA
© Briony Campbell, 2022