About

Jam Factory Opera was founded in 2025 after a one-off performance of Mr Jericho at 2024's International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival under the name The Lyra Players; our mission is to introduce hidden gems of comic opera to a wider audience. All of us met performing the works of Gilbert & Sullivan and we have a great fondness for that particularly English style of light opera.

Victoria read Music at King’s College London before gaining her Masters degree in Vocal Performance from Trinity Laban, where she was awarded the Paul Simm Opera Prize, the Linda Hirst Contemporary Vocal Prize, and the English Song Duo Prize (with pianist Francesca Lauri). She currently enjoys a busy career as a freelance soprano, singing teacher and choir leader. Victoria was a finalist in the inaugural New Voices Competition at the Northern Aldborough Festival in 2023 and a Serena Fenwick Artist for British Youth Opera in 2024, and has sung roles with companies including the National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, Barefoot Opera and Opera Loki, as well as appearing regularly as a professional soloist with ensembles across London. Victoria is also one of the two founders and directors of The Lyra Singers, a chamber choir based in Knightsbridge.

A music graduate of King’s College London and Goldsmiths, University of London, Alex is a freelance tenor, musical director, accompanist, and composer. Stage roles include Alfredo (Die Fledermaus), Nanki-Poo (The Mikado), Marco (The Gondoliers), Ralph (HMS Pinafore), and Alexis (The Sorcerer; Best Male Voice, International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival 2023). Concert soloist roles include Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, CPE Bach’s St John Passion, Handel’s Messiah, and Haydn’s Nelson Mass. Alex is Musical Director and co-founder of chamber choir The Lyra Singers, and Company Musical Director of the New London Opera Group.

Having spent most of his life as a software engineer pursuing music in the evenings, in 2024 Mark made the leap to become a freelance composer/arranger, musical director and performer. He’s an experienced accompanist and musical director in classical operetta, as well as modern musical theatre styles and has been MD for shows such as The Mikado, Ruddigore, She Loves Me, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, and assistant musical director for Sleeping Beauty (Upstage Productions / The Radlett Centre). Later this year he will be musical director for the September company of the long running satirical comedy show News Revue at the Canal Cafe Theatre.