Please click the links to your left marked "Giles Howe" and "Katy Lipson" to find out more about the creatives behind Turkish Delight the Opera.
Giles and Katy met during rehearsals for Kander & Ebb's musical 'Cabaret', which was performed at the Bloomsbury theatre in London. At the time they were students, though studying subjects in totally different fields. Despite this, they immediately made a connection through the things they had in common, not least an unnatural obsession with musical theatre. They began to mix in similar circles and develop mutual friendships, and after not so long became two peas in a pod. Committing to a project together was a natural progression of their friendship; whenever they would meet they would sit at the piano and a song would just happen - although Katy and Giles have very different and often conflicting musical interests, they hope to continue working and writing together for a long time to come. Giles and Katy are currently involved with a new musical theatre enterprise called A STAGE KINDLY (find out more at www.astagekindly.com). They are also writing a new show together - a topical and taboo interpretation of Romeo and Juliet. Giles is also writing a musical adaptation of the macabre fairy tale The Juniper Tree, whilst continuing to develop his first musical 'Mind The Gap', and also a biographical show - setting to music the life of Lady Jane Grey, and also has just started writing an epic piece about Soviet Zion.
Katy on Giles
Giles is an extremely gifted writer. Watching him grow over the past few years has been a wonderful and magical experience for me. His musical structures and lyrical melodies not to mention obscure harmonic shifts are most unique to his writing and thus his musical style is becoming more recognisable, which I believe is a good thing as an identifiable style is most important to have in the realms of composition especially for theatre as identity is a key feature of success. He is able to write a uniform yet varied repertoire full of personal and imaginative experiences with obscure but intimate lyrics to match. I think he is certainly capable of creating a new genre of theatrical writing, and I am looking forward to seeing and hearing his future works.
Katy Lipson, 02 September 2007
Giles on Katy
Katy is by far the most talented person I can think of. She is also the most modest! She can pick the catchiest tune out of thin air in absolutely whichever style she pleases, and sight-read even the hardest pieces with only one eye on the score; Katy's in-depth and incomparable musical understanding will never cease to astound me. Aside from music in many ways she is very spirited and gifted, and I am honoured to know someone this special and to also have worked with someone who is sure to go on to do amazing things that will surpass even the highest of expectations. I wish her the absolute best of luck in doing so.
Giles Howe, 30 July 2007