Paula Bott comes from Wallington, Surrey. Her musical background includes playing violin and piano, though her vocal training began at the Royal Academy of Music. During that time, she was the recipient of several prizes and scholarships culminating in the Recital Diploma (in her 1980 final year). She started her professional life with the BBC Singers, appearing regularly as featured soloist with them in concerts and Radio 3 broadcasts, whilst developing a solo career in recital, oratorio and opera. A move to join the international vocal quartet The Scholars followed, which led her decide to concentrate on her freelance solo career. With these groups and as a soloist she has enjoyed world-wide travel, performing in East Africa, Europe, Israel, Japan, Scandinavia and the USA. Operatic roles include Pamina (The Magic Flute), Mimi (La Boheme), Ighino (Palestrina), Susanna (The Marriage of Figaro), and Antonia (The Tales of Hoffmann). Other vocal adventures have led to cabaret, variety shows and solo demo tapes for Stewart Copeland and Darryl Way. Paula's concert career has included performances in all of London's major venues, and various broadcasts with local BBC Radio stations. She made her Purcell Room debut in 1983 and her operatic debut in 1984 (Dirce in Cherubini's Medee) with Buxton Festival Opera. In recent years, she has worked with English National Opera, opera East and for Thames Television, the latter being a studio production of Sir Michael Tipett's A Mudsummer Marriage. This is Paula's first West End musical.