ANDREA Baker, MONISHA

Hailed as a "stupendous and heartrending" talent (Bild Zeitung), American-Scottish mezzo soprano Andrea Baker is internationally renowned for her "enchantingly powerful" performances (Das Orchester). An operatic trailblazer, she was the first African American to take the role of Carmen in Australia, at Sydney Opera House, and the first to perform the roles of Fricka, Erda, and Waltraute in Wagner's Ring in China. In addition to her celebrated work on the opera stage, she has taken on an extraordinary breadth of voices across various media. Her one-woman show Sing Sistah Sing! is a joyous, soulful celebration of the African American female voice, encompassing jazz, gospel, blues, lieder, and storytelling. Self-written and self-produced, this groundbreaking show has toured to sold out audiences around the world, most recently at the 2020 Edinburgh International Festival. As a radio presenter and documentary maker she can be heard across the BBC, including on Radio Scotland, Radio 4, and Radio 3's Sounds Connected, and has produced her own series of podcasts. Andrea is "honoured and excited" to take on the role of ambassador for 'Scotland’s Street Orchestra,' The Nevis Ensemble.