Dido and Aeneas

Sofia Winiarski is a conductor based in Stockholm, Sweden and a graduate of the Royal College of Music. In 2022, Opus, Sweden’s leading magazine for classical music, listed Sofia as one of Sweden’s most interesting music profiles — and a rising star to watch. Sofia has worked as assistant conductor at Den Jyske opera in Denmark as well as at Malmö Opera, and in the fall of 2022, she conducted Bellini’s Norma at Folkoperan in Stockholm. Her debuts during the season 2023/2024 include The Gothenburg Opera, The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and The Nordic Chamber Orchestra. In 2025, Sofia will make her debut at the Royal Swedish Opera, Stockholm.

Kristina Winiarski made her professional solo debut at the age of 16 with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center of Performing Arts in Washington DC, USA. Since then, she has performed on stages alongside internationally acclaimed ensembles, including recent debuts with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. She has recorded for the BIS label, and her performances have been broadcast on medici.tv, Radio France, and the Swedish Radio P2.

Maria Winiarski was born in Sweden, and grew up in Stockholm and Moscow. She studied violin and viola at the Royal College of Music, Stockholm, the Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo, and the Hochschule für Musik und Theater “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” Leipzig, as well as the chamber music institute Edsbergs Castle in Sweden. Maria is based in Berlin and performs extensively in leading chamber music ensembles and orchestras throughout Europe. She has played in orchestras such as the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the Norwegian Opera Orchestra, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gävle Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Swedish Orchestra, Camerata Nordica and the Norrlandsoperan Symphony Orchestra.

Maria Forsström is an alumna of the Royal College of Music, Stockholm, Sweden. She is much appreciated for her soulful Mahler interpretations and her extremely intelligent musicianship, being equally at ease in a Lieder recital as on the opera stage. Her coloratura, deep knowledge about style, and source reading make her both the ideal Baroque singer, as well as an interpreter of the Romantic and modern composers. She is as comfortable on the stage as she is as a conductor or vocal coach for several of Europe’s most renowned choirs. Maria is a well-known artist for the Bangalore audience, and we are happy to welcome her back!

Rahul Bharadwaj is an Indian baritone based in Bangalore. Originally trained in Hindustani Classical vocal traditions, Rahul went on to attain a degree in Vocal Performance in 2011 in Michigan and performs concert music, with a focus on art song and oratorio repertoire. Apart from a number of voice and piano recitals with pianist Nadine Crasto, over the years, recent performances include the Brahms Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and Con brio Music Festival.

The Bangalore Men – India’s premier all-male voices ensemble, was launched in January of 2016, and consists of 24 singers, all with many years of previous experience singing in choirs. The group focuses on Western classical music, from eras ranging from medieval music to contemporary. the choir has done more than 90 concerts all over the country in churches and cathedrals, at NCPA Mumbai and with the Symphony Orchestra of India.

Cappella Bangalore, founded in 2019 is an all-female voices choir, with 25 members, all with previous experience of singing in choir, and with high ambitions. the choir has performed extensively together with The Bangalore Men as well as own concerts – Jenkins Requiem, Faure Requiem, Mozart Requiem, Broadway music – and most recently Vivaldi’s gloria in an arrangement for female voices as well as the india-premiere of contemporary composer Fredrik Sixten’s Alleluia.

Established in 2006, The Lewis Foundation of Classical Ballet brings the artistry and nuances of classical ballet to India. As an affiliate of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD), London, the foundation places Ballet, Jazz, Modern, and other allied dance disciplines at the forefront of its teaching curriculum. Emphasizing the veracity of the art form, the foundation is committed to passionately nurturing its growth.

Classical ballets such as Cinderella, Belle and the Beast, and Sleeping Beauty, as well as modern ballets like Oz and Alice, form the heart of the foundation’s repertoire. The realm of performing arts is explored with a focus on technique, artistry, and skills. The foundation consistently strives to keep the glory of classical ballet alive, fostering a deep appreciation for the art form in India.

Iryna Hryshukova is a Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, and Modern dance teacher and choreographer. She is from Ukraine, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Teaching from Southern Ukrainian National Pedagogical University, and is trained in the Vaganova style of Ballet. Her time spent on and around the stage as a child led her to the path of performance, choreography, and dance teaching professionally in 2011. She has taught
at dance schools in Ukraine, South Korea, Turkey, China, Sweden, and Hong Kong. Driven by her belief in spreading and exploring the energy of dance, she continuously strives to expand her horizons. She has been a part of numerous productions, taught students of diverse skill levels and ages, and is always seeking out new styles and techniques.