Photo: Merass Sadek
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Independent movement director
and choreographer working in
opera, dance, theatre and photography.
Maria embraces a
variety of approaches
including Laban
and somatic practice
to create physical language and expression with
'mesmerising power'.
Photo: Kathryn Chapman
Photo Kathryn Chapman
The Girl with Glitter in her Eye
'cast members really shine in their physicality (bravo, movement director Maria Koripas)'
— JN Benjamin
The Stage
Photo Victoria Double
Performance
MARIA KORIPAS
CV
1992 - 2021
Abbey Opera
Birkbeck Opera
1993 - 2021
Shameless
Dido and Aeneas
Marriage of Figaro
Don Giovanni
Ballo in Maschera
Tales of Hoffman
Silk Moth
Fafa Saves the Forest
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
Picasso
Gestures to Lost Spaces
Woman at Point Zero
Parachute
Moving London
A History of Water
in the Middle East
The Girl with Glitter in her Eye
This Queer House
Ordinary Miracle
Breathe
1984 - 2015
Movement Director & Choreographer
Termly and annual fully-staged performances in collaboration with directors:
Mike Ashman, Stuart Barker, Nina Brazier, Caroline Gawn, Richard Gregson, Seb Harcombe, Mark Hathaway, Tom Hawkes, Tim Hopkins, Michael Hunt, Shirley Keane, Michael Moxham, John Ramster, Steven Stead and Andrew Wickes
Hinde Street Church, The Drill Hall, Cochrane Theatre and John Mc Intosh Arts Centre
Movement Director/Choreographer/Director Independent Productions/Projects
Opera Circus, (early development) Director David Glass, Union Chapel
Palace Opera, Director Anya Kubrick, Holland Park Theatre
European Chamber Opera, Director Rosie Johnston, Holland Park Theatre
English Touring Opera, Director Rosie Johnston, Holland Park Theatre
Floral Opera, Director Richard Gregson, Richmond Theatre
Floral Opera, Director Richard Gregson, Richmond Theatre
Co-Director/Choreographer for Chamber Opera, Composer Bushra El-Turk, Librettist Eleanor Knight, Director Michael Moxham
Associate Director and Choreographer for Al Jazeera Network Musical and Film, Director Michael Hunt, Composer Hani Siblini, Set Design Mona Mohassab, Costume Designer Patrick Connellan, Doha, Qatar
Choreographer for TUZ Production, Director Michael Hunt, Designer Patrick Connellan, Perm, Russia
Movement Director for Playground Theatre Production by Terry d’Alfonso, Director Michael Hunt, Designer Klara Zeiglerova, Producer Jessica Andrews, Playground Theatre
Choreographer and performer in collaboration with creative photographer Kathryn Chapman. Site responsive project, abandoned brewery and adjoining industrial buildings, Esher, Surrey
Director/Choreographer, devised in collaboration with Composer Bushra El-Turk, Librettist Sabrina Mahfouz, Singer Merit Stephanos and Ensemble Zar, LSO St Luke's, Royal Opera House, Shubbak Festival
Movement Coach for Creative Photographer Kathryn Chapman self portrait shoot on location in Northamptonshire
Epic scenes of moving London with solo figure, co-created with Photographer Kathryn Chapman, Kings Cross and Coal Drops Yard
Production by Sabrina Mahfouz, Director Stef O'Drisco, Royal Court
Cross-Arts Production, Writer/Director Masha Kevinovna & OPIA Collective, The Bunker Theatre
Cross-Arts Production, Writer/Director Masha Kevinovna & OPIA Collective, The Vault Festival, Network Theatre
Writer/director Masha Kevinovna. Poetic and musical multi-disciplinary production, devised with the National Youth Rep Company, National Youth Theatre
Writer SKShlomo/performer, Director Masha Kevinovna, Design Cara Evans, Royal Albert Hall
Dancer
Flower Maiden, Parsifal, Royal Opera, Covent Garden
Stella, Tales of Hoffman, Royal Opera, Covent Garden
Performed in over 20 operas including new productions, revivals, royal galas and televised performances with English National Opera, London Coliseum
Opera Film: Wozzeck, Director Sir David Pountney, English National Opera, BBC
La Boheme, Director Michael Hunt, Ramond Gubbay Productions, Royal Albert Hall
Princess, The Soldier's Tale, Director/Choreographer Caroline Pope, Narrator Sam West, Soldier James Darrell, Devil Bob Smith, Musical Director Charles Hazelwood, EOS Orchestra
Member of the original Pineapple Dance Company, Artistic Director/Choreographer Charles Augins - appeared in various music videos and staged performances throughout London
Opera Singer
1989 - 2009
Pamina/Dido
Pamina
Lauretta
Fiorilla
Zerlina
Rosina
Papagena
Tigre
Spirit
Hutu
Alcina
Momento Mori, Momento Amore, Arias from Magic Flute, Dido and Aeneas, also electronic score by Wajid Yaseem, Director/Choreographer Athina Vahla guided by curators from the National Gallery and the Courtauld Institute, Cando Co Dance Company, The Borough Hall, Greenwich
In Praise of Folly, recorded voice, Director/Choreographer Athina Vahla, CandoCo Dance Company, Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, National and International Tour
Gianni Schicchi aria and score for improvised voice by Nick Parkin,
Spaces Between, Candoco Dance Company, Director Athina Vahla, Royal Festival Hall
Turco in Italia, Director Anne Clements, Musical Director/Conductor Alexander Bryett, Chilham Castle and Chavenage House, Stately Homes Music Festival
Don Giovanni, Musical Director/Conductor Alexander Bryett,
Royal Overseas League, London
Barber of Seville, Musical Director/Conductor Alexander Bryett,
Royal Overseas League, London
Magic Flute, Opera For All, Director Jeanne Henney OBE, Conductor
Wasfi Kani, Questor’s Theatre, London
El Tigre, Composer Ben Barlett, Text/Libretto Pablo Neruda, Conductor Charles Hazelwood, EOS Chamber Orchestra, Director Caroline Pope,
Donmar Warehouse, Covent Garden Opera Festival
Pillow Song, Composer/Musical Director Paul Barker, Modern Music Theatre Troupe, Director Caroline Pope, regional tour and Purcell Room, South Bank Centre
Conference of the Birds, Theatre: X, Composer Dirk Campbell, Conductor Charles Hazelwood, EOS Chamber Orchestra, Librettist and Director/Choreographer Darlene Stevens, Robin Howard Theatre, The Place.
Handel aria and new score for dance by composer Barrington Pheloung, Moana Nepia Dance Company, Choreographer Moana Nepia, pianist Ross Lavin, Harlow Playhouse and Thames Theatre, Grays, Waltham Abbey
Recitals/Concerts
Co-directed and sang in extensive series of recitals with mezzo-Soprano Tina Ellen Lee, Leighton House Museum, Burgh House, The New October Gallery,
Conway Hall and Baylis Theatre, Sadler’s Wells with pianist Julius Drake
Recitals also with Wendy Pollock, Fiona Kimm, Arwel Huw Morgan, Christopher Robson and Stephen Richardson at Leighton House Museum, pianist Alan Bence
Singing Competitions
Semi-Finalist
Finalist
Maria Callas Opera and Lied Grand Prix, Athens
Robert Stolz International Singing Competition, Hamburg
Opera & Dance Training
Voice training principally with Jenny Hill then Noelle Barker OBE
Attended:
Else Mayer-Lismann Opera Centre
Italian Opera Academy with Federico Davia
Abbey Opera Programme with Mary Hill and Anthony Shelley
Voice coaches: Robert Keyes, Elaine Korman, Valda Plucknett, Philip Thomas,
Paul Hamburger and Julius Drake
Glyndebourne Master Classes, led by Jonathon Hinden
3 year Dance Theatre and Movement Training at Laban (Trinity Laban)
American Jazz with Charles Augins
Ballet training with Anna Duboisson
Contemporary classes and Improvisation at The Place and Independent Dance