Press Release: IN CONVERSATION: Soprano Renée Fleming and English National Ballet Artistic Director Tamara Rojo on the Art of Empathy

[Jan McNulty]

 

 

IN CONVERSATION:  Soprano Renée Fleming and English National Ballet Artistic Director Tamara Rojo on the Art of Empathy

 

On Friday 15 May at 5pm BST (12pm EST), Renée Fleming (internationally renowned soprano, arts & health advocate, Artistic Advisor at Large to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts) and Tamara Rojo, CBE (Artistic Director and Lead Principal Dancer, English National Ballet) will meet for a virtual conversation discussing how the arts can contribute to holistic routes to wellbeing.

 

 

The Art of Empathy: Renée Fleming and Tamara Rojo on Creativity and Wellbeing will be led by Susan Boster (Founder and CEO, Boster Group). The conversation brings together these respected artists and arts leaders to discuss the cutting-edge work being done at the intersection of arts and science. They will also explore the inventive ways in which the arts aid physical recovery and measurably reduce depression and anxiety.

 

The Art of Empathy virtual session is part of The Female Quotient’s Virtual Equality Lounge Series. Founded in 2012, The Female Quotient is advancing equality in the workplace through the power of collaboration. It has created a global community dedicated to bringing visibility to women, activating solutions for change, and creating metrics for accountability. The Female Quotient’s pop-up experiences, Equality Lounge®, and now virtual conversations unite leaders across industries with one common mission: advancing equality. 

 

The webinar is free to join and advance registration is required: https://www.thefemalequotient.com/events/the-art-of-empathy/

-ENDS- 

English National Ballet is a National Portfolio Organisation supported by Arts Council England. Whilst English National Ballet’s building is closed and some future performances and events have been cancelled, ENB at HOME sees the Company continue to give free access to great ballet content as well as providing ways to keep people fit and moving during these uncertain times. This includes online ballet classes tailored to suit a range of abilities, virtual performances from ENB Philharmonic, blogs, playlists, and Wednesday Watch Parties (online premieres of full length recorded Company performances). More information on ENB at HOME can be found on our website: ballet.org.uk/enb-at-home
 

 

Notes to Editors

About Renée Fleming

Renée Fleming is one of the most highly acclaimed singers of our time, performing on the stages of the world’s greatest opera houses, concert halls, and theaters. Winner of four Grammy® awards and the US National Medal of Arts, Renée has sung for momentous occasions from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony to the Diamond Jubilee Concert for HM Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. In 2014, Renée became the first classical artist ever to sing the US National Anthem at the Super Bowl. 

 

As Artistic Advisor to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Renée launched a collaboration with the U.S. National Institutes of Health, with participation by the NEA, focused on the science connecting music, health, and the brain. She has given presentations with scientists and practitioners on this subject around the world, earning Research!America’s Rosenfeld Award for Impact on Public Opinion. Other awards include the Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal, Germany’s Cross of the Order of Merit, and France’s Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur. Renée’s memoir The Inner Voice, published in the US and UK in 2004, has since been translated and published in France, Germany, Japan, Poland, Russia, and China. www.reneefleming.com

 

About Tamara Rojo CBE

Tamara Rojo was appointed Artistic Director of English National Ballet in 2012. She combines this role with her dancing career, performing as Lead Principal with the Company.

 

Tamara has been repeatedly recognised for her artistic excellence. Her awards include: the 2010 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production; Spain’s three highest Honours, The Prince of Asturias Award, the Gold Medal of Fine Arts and Encomienda de Número de Isabel la Católica; the Benois de la Danse Award; Critics’ Circle National Dance Award; Barclay’s Outstanding Achievement in Dance Award; Positano Dance Award; Leonide Massine Premio al Valore; the Italian Critic’s Award; and from the City of Madrid, both the International Medal of the Arts and the Interpretation Award.

 

She is a member of the Board of Creative England and Creative Industries Federation, the Anglo-Spanish Society, a Patron of the Ipswich-based DanceEast Academy, Patron of the Flamingo Chicks and Adviser to Spain’s Superior Council of Artistic Studies.

 

In January 2016 Tamara Rojo became D.A. Magna Cum Laude, presenting her thesis ‘Psychological Profile of the Elite Dancer – Vocational Characteristics of the Professional Dancer’ at Rey Juan Carlos University, and was awarded a CBE for her services to ballet in the Queen’s 2016 New Year’s Honours.

 

About Susan Boster

Susan Boster is the Founder and CEO of Boster Group Ltd., an independent consultancy specialising in the development of innovative partnerships between global corporations, arts institutions and social impact foundations. Previously, as Marketing Director at Barnes & Noble and later CMO at News International, Susan oversaw transitions of both companies to e-commerce and digital platforms, including the launch of barnesandnoble.com. Susan currently sits on the boards of English National Ballet, Donmar Warehouse, The Representation Project, and serves on the Enterprise Committee at The Design Museum. She is regularly featured as a host and keynote speaker at conferences such as CognitionX and the Equality Lounge at the World Economic Forum in Davos and is a guest lecturer at Sotheby’s Institute of Art.

 

About English National Ballet 

English National Ballet has a long and distinguished history. Founded in 1950 as London Festival Ballet by the great English Dancers Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, it has been at the forefront of ballet's growth and evolution ever since. 

 

English National Ballet brings world class ballet to the widest possible audience through performances across the UK and on eminent international stages including The Bolshoi Theatre and Palais Garnier; its distinguished orchestra, English National Ballet Philharmonic; and being a UK leader in creative learning and engagement practice, building innovative partnerships to deliver flagship programmes such as English National Ballet's Dance for Parkinson's.

 

Under the artistic directorship of Tamara Rojo CBE, English National Ballet has introduced ground-breaking new works to the Company's repertoire whilst continuing to honour the tradition of great classical ballet, gaining acclaim for artistic excellence and creativity. 2019 saw English National Ballet enter a new chapter in its history with a move into a purpose-built state-of-the-art home in East London which brings a renewed commitment to, and freedom for, creativity, ambition, and connection to more people, near and far, than ever before.
www.ballet.org.uk

 

About Boster Group

Boster Group is one of the world’s leading independent consultancies specialising in the development of innovative partnerships between global corporations, arts institutions and social impact foundations. It has overseen the transfer of more than $75 million to cultural and social impact partners, and delivered measurable results to its clients around the world. For over 20 years, Boster Group has been a trusted advisor to a number of Fortune 500 companies, leveraging its knowledge, expertise and global network to deliver against clients' business and social impact goals. Boster Group shapes partnerships on the basis of shared values, untapped assets and complementary capabilities. Distinctly, Boster Group measures return on investment for its clients and is focused on the impact of the creative campaigns it develops. Clients include J.P. Morgan, Moët Hennessy, EY, AMEX, BNP Paribas, Diageo, Gap Inc., Insight Investment, HSBC, Bacardi, Montblanc, State Street and Disney. For more information, go to bostergroup.com or follow @BosterGroup on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.