7 Star Arts presents some of the UK’s finest artists representing a range of genres from classical music and jazz to theatre and the visual arts. Available individually or as part of 7 Star Arts unique productions, our artists are ideal for festivals, arts centres or small scale venues.
Anthony Hewitt
Concert pianist
“A remarkably gifted artist” The Gramophone, 2008
Anthony Hewitt‘s communicative and virtuosic pianism has won him many plaudits worldwide. He is a recitalist, concerto soloist, chamber musician and prize-winner at international piano competitions as well as founder and artistic director of the Ulverston International Music Festival.
Viv McLean
Concert pianist
“…extraordinary originality, superb simplicity, and muscles of steel hidden by fingers of velvet” Le Monde
Viv McLean won First Prize at the 2002 Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Barcelona and has performed in all the major venues in the UK, as well as throughout Europe, Japan, Australia and the USA. He has performed concertos with orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra and the Halle Orchestra. As a keen chamber musician he has collaborated with many groups including the Leopold String Trio and the Sacconi String Quartet as well as artists such as Natalie Clein, Daniel Hope, Guy Johnston and Lawrence Power. Viv has recorded regularly for BBC Radio 3 as well as for radio in Germany, France, Australia, Norway and Poland.
Viv regularly performs in 7 Star Art’s productions of Classic Gershwin, Divine Fire and Sweet Harmony, with actress Susan Porrett.
Susan Porrett
Actress and Writer
Susan Porrett has had a long theatrical career. She played Audrey in As You Like It at Nottingham Playhouse, Ursula in Much Ado About Nothing at the National Theatre and Second Witch in Macbeth and Queen Caroline in The Art of Success (both for the RSC). In 2004 she went to the Hong Kong Festival to play the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet for English Touring Theatre and later appeared in The Good Soul of Szechuan at the Young Vic. Favourite parts include Miss Pross in A Tale of Two Cities, Betsy Trotwood in David Copperfield (both at Greenwich Theatre) and Matron in Forty Years On (at West Yorkshire Playhouse). Most recent stage appearances: The Heresy of Love (Shakespeare’s Globe, 2015), The Autumn Garden by Lillian Hellman (Jermyn Street Theatre, October 2016) and The Slaves of Solitude at Hampstead Theatre (October-November 2017). Films include Alan Bennett’s A Private Function, in which she played butcher’s wife, Mrs. Medcalf. Her many television credits include: Upstairs, Downstairs (as underhousemaid Alice); three series of Grange Hill (as Mrs.Thomas, the biology teacher) and playing Doris in Absolute Hell with Judi Dench. Her most recent tv appearance was as Withers in the BBC series Mapp and Lucia. Radio work in 2017: BBC Radio 4’s Home Front series.
Elena Lorenzi
Vocalist
Singer and composer Elena Lorenzi was born in Brescia, Italy and received a Diploma in Opera Singing from the Luca Marenzio Conservatorio, where she studied with Silvia Dalla Benetta. In 2009 she graduated from Bologna University, and in 2012, Elena won a scholarship to study pop song interpretation at the Centro Europeo di Toscolano (CET), the prestigious school headed by the Italian songwriter Mogol. She founded the project “Down To Myself”, in collaboration with the composer Sebastiano Della Bianchina, and they compose original soundtracks for shortfilms, commercials and web series.
Elena performs regularly in different styles with a special focus on French chansons, German cabaret, musicals and popular music. She is the creator of Classic Cabaret, Paris Mon Amour and Cabaret Beyond Borders for 7 Star Arts, in which she performs with pianist Stefano Marzanni.
Stefano Marzanni
Pianist
Pianist Stefano Marzanni has performed regularly across Europe and is currently studying at the Royal College of Music, London for a Master of Performance with Dina Parakhina. His studies have been generously supported by a Kenneth and Violet Scott Award and Stefano is currently an RCM Award Holder supported by a Pidem Foundation Award.
Stefano performs regularly as a pop and jazz pianist. He began his jazz studies with Roberto Soggetti in 2007; in 2008 he attended the prestigious summer jazz workshops in Siena, Italy, studying with internationally renowned jazz pianists Paolo Birro and Stefano Battaglia. In 2012, Stefano won a scholarship and was invited to study pop song composition at the Centro Europeo di Toscolano (CET), the prestigious school headed by the Italian songwriter Mogol.
Stefano performs with Elena Lorenzi and Emma Arizza in 7 Star Arts’ Classic Cabaret, Cabaret Beyond Borders and Hasta Astor!