Ellen Gould Ventura – Principal Singer/Actor/Artistic Director

Since 1980, Ellen Gould Ventura is a singer in many genres of music – specifically, Sefardi Mizrahi, Klezmer and Jazz. In 1998, Ellen returned to Spain to live and research her Sefardi roots which was the inspiration for the libretto of her third work for stage, Blood Circus, a circus genre opera. The versatile singer also has many years under her belt as a writer, director and actor in the film, theatre, radio and television industry in North America and in Europe.

In the world of Jazz in North America, Ellen co-founded the trio, The Waverlies and also sang with numerous award-winning musicians based in North America, including pianists Memo Acevedo, David Restivo, the Norman Amadio Trio, Phil Dwyer, Bass player Rob Clutton and Taborah Johnson, live and in the media.

After her return to Spain in 1998 , she directed and sang in the Spanish and

Catalan version of her second work for Stage, Self Portrait In Blue /Auto-retrato en

Azul to end the Grec Festival 2001 (Civic Centre Convent de Sant Agosti,

Barcelona) and since has performed in myriads of Mediterranean festivals with

international bands including Klezmer, Middle Eastern Fusion and Flamenco-based

middle Eastern fusions. Since 2004 she co-founded the Sefardi-Mizrahi quintet,

Mashalá with whom she is currently principal singer and director performing in

festivals, documentary films, recordings and television. in Spain, France and the

Balkans. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H-5YOrmC8o – mini-docu, 10mins, Spain Tour – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG6ow5hZeuE, Video Clip, Hija Mia)

To add to her ample list of credits, she does voice-over work on tv commercials, animated features, and documentary film for televisión. Another modus operandi since 1995 has been her voice and singing teaching practise in which she gives back to the community of future artists, teaching masterclasses combining elements of Alexander and Feldenkrais movement, Bel Canto singing added to engaging in the fruits of her life ́s work as a multi-media artist and creative director .

Links:

http://www.mashala.org (Mashalá, Sephardic Mizrahi and World Groove Music) http://www.barcelonavoices.org/egould (Voice Over / Narration work) http://www.vocalbodystudio.com (Singing / creative director)

Contact: mashalabcn@gmail.com
Cell: +34 68 772 9322
Acting Agent: Art T Management, Barcelona, SPAIN

Chrys Hobbs / Natalia Jerez Email: arttmanagement@gmail.com