Page 130 - Guildhall Coverage Book 2020-21

Bullock in 2016 on stage in New York

HIROYUKI ITO/GETTY IMAGES

She slowly worked through the crisis, and her career took off. While she was at college the

maverick director Peter Sellars handpicked her for his production of Purcell’s The Indian

Queen (it came to English National Opera in 2015) and John Adams chose her to sing in three of

his works, including creating a role in the 2017 opera Girls of the Golden West.

It was Sellars who worked with Bullock to develop the Josephine Baker show. “It’s not a biopic

of her life, it’s embodying roles that she played throughout her life,” Bullock says. “I’m still

asking many of the same questions in 2020 that she was.”

So how will she inspire the Guildhall students at a time when young artists face bigger obstacles

than ever? She’s wary of trite moralising about her personal battles, but they do illustrate one

lesson. “Whatever it is you are processing as a person, that will find its way into how you make
music.” The end goal can only be to work with what you have. “Find your genuine voice and

what you want to say with it.” Pick up the key to the savage parade.

Julia Bullock performs with the Philharmonia at the Royal Festival Hall, London SE1, on

October 29 (philharmonia.co.uk) and at Snape Maltings, Suffolk, on October 30 (3pm and
7pm, snapemaltings.co.uk)