I will be singing the tenor soloist in Nielsen’s “Springtime On Funen” and in the Spring & Summer sections of Haydn’s “The Seasons”.
Dumfries Choral Society. St.John’s Church, Dumfries.
Saturday 28 March 2015 at 7.30pm
DIDO & AENEAS
I will be singing Aeneas in a concert of Purcell’s “Dido & Aeneas” as well as the tenor soloist in Handel’s “Ode for St Cecilia’s Day” with the Anstruther Philharmonic Society at Anstruther Parish Church.
Saturday 14 March 2015 at 7.30pm.
Opera Blocks in Barnet
Currently touring “Opera Blocks” in Barnet schools with English Pocket Opera Company (2-13 Feb). The middle section of the show now tells the story of “Romeo & Juliet”. This is all preparation for the Barnet schools choirs concert at the Royal Albert Hall on April 23.
VERDI’S MACBETH
The latest offspring from English Pocket Opera Company’s annual collaboration with the student designers from Central St Martins is Verdi’s “Macbeth”. I will be directing and singing in the production which will have fantastic and unusual designs from the students on the design in performance course.
Public performances on:
Wed 28 January at 7.30
Fri 30 January at 7.30
Sat 31 January at 3.00
There will also be two school matinee performances.
To book tickets: bit.ly/1rXgXMv
Performances are at the Platform Theatre within the University of the Arts building, 5 minutes walk north of Kings Cross station. The theatre entrance is on Handyside St, London N1C 4AA.
The Cast:
Macbeth : Keel Watson
Lady Macbeth : Anna Gregory
Banquo: Simon Wilding
Macduff : Paul Featherstone
Malcolm : Alexander Wall
Witches : Grace Nyandoro, Rosalind O’Dowd, Grainne Gillis
Lady in waiting : Mai Kikkawa
Musical Director / Pianist : Philip Voldman
Lighting Designer : Alex Hopkins
Designers : Emily Bestow, Rosemary Elliott-Dancs, Katrina Felice, Harriet Fowler, Rosemary Gibbens, Alice Guile, Rosemary Millbank, Roisin Straver.
Director : Paul Featherstone
Opera Blocks in Cambridge
Currently performing 3 weeks of “Opera Blocks” workshops with English Pocket Opera Company in South Cambridge schools until December 5. More performances in December in Ealing & Haringey schools and in all Barnet primary schools in February 2015. Plans afoot to take it to schools in many more boroughs and counties next year as well as music festivals. It is a brilliant introduction to opera for children (and adults too!)
Feedback from last year’s tour of 55 Camden schools:
“Just want to record somewhere how utterly fantastic they were and how much the children enjoyed the experience. Even our Year 6 who announced before hand that “we hate opera” were converted! This was an exceptional visit. One member of staff commented that it was the best external visit she had ever seen.”
Rev. Simon Atkinson ǀ Headteacher ǀ Hampstead Parochial Primary, NW3
“A whistle-stop tour of what opera is, how it is put together and how to enjoy it. And we did enjoy it – enormously! Children and staff were united in having a huge amount of fun. We all enjoyed learning about Orpheus and Eurydice and were completely hooked when it came to improvising our own off-the-cuff opera: a really enjoyable session. Please come again.”
Nick Turpin ǀ Asst Headteacher ǀ St Patricks Catholic Primary, NW5 3AH
Nick Turpin ǀ Asst Headteacher ǀ St Patricks Catholic Primary, NW5 3AH
MACBETH
I will be directing a production of Verdi’s “Macbeth” at the Platform Theatre with 8 student designers from Central St Martins Art College. This is the latest in English Pocket Opera Company’s annual collaborations with CSM. I have been involved in a few and they are always exciting and innovative affairs – unlike any opera productions elsewhere.
The performances will be on Wed 28, Fri 30 & Sat 31 January 2015 at 7.30 with schools matinee performances on Tue 27 & Thu 29.
Ticket and cast information to follow.
TOSCA in Devon
I will be singing Spoletta in a production of “TOSCA” for the Shute Theatre and Arts Guild in Kilmington Church on Friday 17 October 2014. Anna Gregory will direct and sing the title role.
English Pocket Opera Company
Currently planning projects for 2014/15 with the artistic director, Mark Tinkler. Lots of schools workshops, not only in London but also expanding further afield. Will announce the next project for the designers at Central St Martins Art College soon. Looking forward to a busy and exciting year.
Horizontal Collaboration
I will be performing at the Edinburgh Fringe in a unique production at the Traverse Theatre. “Horizontal Collaboration” has an entirely different cast for each performance and I will be taking part on Wednesday 13th August at 6.30pm.
The production is by David Leddy’s company Fire Exit. For more details: http://www.davidleddy.com/shows/horizontal-collaboration
ORPHEUS & EURYDICE
2014 so far has been all about Gluck’s “Orpheus & Eurydice” with English Pocket Opera Company. After doing workshops on the opera in 50 Camden schools, Paul played Orpheus in a promenade production of the opera at Central St Martins Art College with designs by 9 student designers in January.
Paul, Pamela Hay (Eurydice), Joanna Foote (Amor), pianist Philip Voldman and director Mark Tinkler also performed on BBC Radio 3’s “In Tune” programme.
In March, Paul, Pamela & Mark performed excerpts from the opera at the Royal Albert Hall with Camden schools choirs and orchestra.