DÁIRINE NÍ MHEADHRA | Artistic Director
 A native Gaelic speaker, Dáirine Ní Mheadhra began her professional career at the age of seventeen as a cellist with the Irish National Symphony Orchestra. In the
same year, she was offered a full scholarship to London’s Royal College of Music,
but she remained with the orchestra. In subsequent years Dáirine developed an
interest in both conducting and contemporary music. In 1990 she founded the new music
ensemble Nua Nós. This ensemble comprised the principal chairs of the Irish National
Symphony Orchestra and rapidly established itself as the leading exponent of contemporary
music in Ireland. Nua Nós was awarded an AIB Better Ireland Arts Award and their CD of
chamber works by Irish composer Gerald Barry was nominated as best CD worldwide of
music by a living composer for 1995. In the same year Dáirine immigrated to Canada to join
her new Canadian husband John Hess. They founded Queen of Puddings Music Theatre
and under her inspired direction as resident Artistic Director, Queen of Puddings has
emerged as a bold and provocative leader of contemporary opera in Canada.
NATHALIE BONJOUR | Artistic Producer
 Originally from France, Nathalie moved to Montreal in 1986 and relocated to Toronto in 2000. She holds a Masters degree from UQAM (Université du Québec
à Montréal); her thesis examined theatre as a tool for intercultural communication.
From 1991 to 1998 she was the Artistic Director of the Saidye Bronfman Centre
Theatre where she developed a season of English Theatre and programmed the performing
arts festivals. In 1998 she freelanced as Associate Producer for the Just for Laughs Festival
and Centaur Theatre’s Wild Side Festival and was also Artistic Associate at the NAC
English Theatre (National Arts Centre). From 1998 to 2000 Nathalie was the Executive and
Artistic Director of MAI (Montreal, arts interculturels), a multi-disciplinary venue with a
contemporary intercultural mandate. From 2001 to 2005 she was Artistic Producer at
Nightwood Theatre where she produced several new Canadian plays including The
Adventures of A Black Girl in Search of God (Djanet Sears, in co-production with Obsidian), a
tour of Sonja Mills’ The Danish Play to Denmark, Edmonton’s Magnetic North Festival and
the NAC, as well as special events such as FemCab, notably the 25th anniversary FemCab in
2005 featuring special guest Gloria Steinem. Nathalie joined Queen of Puddings as Artistic
Producer in December 2005.
JOHN HESS | Artistic Director
 John Hess is the recognized authority on contemporary opera and song in Canada.
He has been involved with the creation of many new productions for the
Canadian Opera Company and has collaborated with virtually every contemporary
opera company in Canada. At the Banff Centre for the Arts, he served as
Associate Artistic Director of the 20th Century Opera and Song program. John is equally in
demand as a vocal coach and pianist. He works regularly with Ben Heppner in Canada and
other recent performances of note include recitals with Measha Brüeggergosman, Jane
Archibald, Wendy Nielsen and Benjamin Butterfield. John is heard regularly on CBC Radio
and has recorded numerous CDs, including the complete vocal works of Canadian composer
Harry Somers with singers Valdine Anderson, Jean Stilwell and Ben Heppner. As a member
of the music faculty at the University of Western Ontario, John directs the first Masters
program in Collaborative Piano in Canada. He holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts from the
University of Michigan where he was a fellowship student with pianist Martin Katz. |
