Like most performers I have been lying low and have had performances at the Royal Albert Hall, the Buxton Festival and the Iford Festival cancelled in the last year.
However, it looks as though things are beginning to start up again, and I hope to bring news of future performances soon. Best wishes to all.
At the end of February, EPOC returned to Bosnia & Herzegovina to do workshops based on “Carmen” in schools in Mostar and Stolac.
Paul performed with soprano Danae Eleni and Director/Pianist Mark Tinkler with the wonderful Amer Jusic providing narration and organisation.
The trip was a great success and we look forward to returning later in the year to create a large, semi-staged SingFest concert performance with school choirs from the East and West.
English Pocket Opera Company were back in 28 Barnet schools in January & February 2020 with their new interactive workshop. This was in preparation for their upcoming concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 30 April with Barnet schools choirs and orchestras. Along with Paul were EPOC director Mark Tinkler and sopranos Pamela Hay and Danae Eleni.
Paul is playing Menelaus in the New Sussex Opera & Opera della luna co-production of Offenbach’s “La Belle Hélène“. Directed by Jeff Clarke and conducted by Toby Purser, the fabulous cast comprises Hannah Pedley (Helene), Anthony Flaum (Paris), Charles Johnston (Agamemnon), Rob Gildon (Calchas), Catherine Backhouse (Orestes) & Jennifer Clark (Bacchis) with the New Sussex Opera Chorus.
Performances are at the following venues:
Nov 13 Lewes Town Hall 7pm
Nov 17 Eastbourne Congress Theatre 4pm
Nov 28 East Grinstead Chequer Mead 7pm
Dec 1 Hove Old Market 4pm
Dec 5 London Bloomsbury Theatre 7pm
Jan 26 Stowe School Roxburgh Theatre 3pm
Paul will be singing Don José in an arena sized performance of “Carmen” with English Pocket Opera Company in association with United Learning Schools and the Royal Opera House at the Olympic Games’ Copperbox Arena in Stratford, London on Wed 26 June.
This is the latest of EPOC’s Singfest performances with choirs from United Learning schools from all over England, and an orchestra made up of players from London’s top orchestras.
The production will be an hour long performance of extracts from Bizet’s opera, conducted by Kelvin Lim and directed by Mark Tinkler with Hannah Pedley as Carmen, Pamela Hay as Micaela and Pauls Putnins as Escamillo.
I will be reprising the roles of Mercury & John Styx in “Orpheus In The Underworld” for Opera della luna at the following venues:
Tue 4 June: Salisbury Playhouse 7.30pm
Mon 8 July: Buxton Opera House 7.15pm
Thu 11 July: Buxton Opera House 2.00pm
Wed 17 July: Buxton Opera House 7.15pm
Mon 22 July: Bloomsbury Theatre, London 7.30pm
Tue 23 July: Bloomsbury Theatre, London 7.30pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVmf1J6geuo
Paul is spending November with English Pocket Opera Company, taking their “History of Western Classical Music (Part 1)” around Barnet schools with Pamela Hay and Mark Tinkler.
Paul will be the tenor soloist in a performance of Mozart’s Coronation Mass (KV 317) in Gauting near Munich on Sunday 22 October 2018.
Paul will be singing in Project:Opera’s Verdi gala concert on Thursday 19 July in the Anthony Minghella Theatre, Quay Arts Centre, Newport, Isle of Wight.
The concert starts at 7pm. Paul will be joined by Annalisa Vaughan (soprano), Clarice Williams (mezzo), Ian Wilson-Pope (bass-baritone), Robert-John Edwards (bass-baritone) & Angela Pascale (piano).
http://www.quayarts.org/event/viva-verdi-project-opera/2018-07-19/
Another successful EPOC singfest project in Cambridgeshire culminated with semi-staged concerts at:
West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge on 21 & 22 June,
Hinchingbrooke Performing Arts Centre in Huntingdon on 25 June,
The Priory Centre, St.Neots on 29 June.
Thanks to all the schools, teachers and choirs who took part. You were all fantastic!
EPOC performers were Paul Featherstone (Orpheus), Pamela Hay (Eurydice), Mark Tinkler (Narrator/Director), Mike Cole (piano).