After “Much Ado” I finally managed to catch a screening of this last night… 2 years ago, I was fortunate enough to be cast in my first film! Well, its now hit the Big Screen and it was so exciting to see it in its entirety. What a beautiful piece of cinema - well worth a look! Despite being set in the trenches of World War One (was freezing filming down there by the way - I’d be a crap soldier….) the overall effect is quite magical and very beautiful. The colours are rich, and attention to detail really very touching. It’s quite a tapestry.Blink and you’ll miss me but my fellow Chorus mates and I were used quite a lot on those freezing February 6am starts at Shepperton Studios, so we do make a few appearances! The CGI is amazing, and I can’t wait to get the DVD now! Seeing our names scroll up the credits was awesome, feel really lucky to have been involved.
And, it’s a small world, turns out the Assistant Director on the film is my present Opera Director’s son! Mozart brings great people together, that’s for sure.
It’s getting a staggered release by the looks of things with it ‘touring’ in different towns. The cinema I saw it at was practically empty so I guess it won’t be hanging around the multiplex long, which is a shame.
A schedule can be found here so you can check when it’s near you.
Wow! After an incredibly intensive 6-day rehearsal period, myself and my friends at Opera UK gave our first performance of Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte last night at Blackheath Halls, London for a special Remembrance performance.
Am so relieved and now can’t wait for the rest of the tour. So good to be back into the ‘Swing’ of things after leaving Phantom and having the opportunity to sing some Mozart is always such a treat!
Keep an eye out for it at a theatre near you next Spring!
We have a fantastic cast, all of whom I’ve had the previous pleasure of working with, and we are now intending to relax into it and enjoy ourselves.
The tour starts this week in Preston Lancs., dates as follows…
November 15th, 16th and 17th at 7.30pm, also Saturday 17th matinee at 2.30pm
Charter Theatre, Preston.
Box Office 10am - 5.30pm.
Tel 0845 344 2012 or online.
Tickets £16.50 and £18.00 (Thurs and Sat matinee) £17.50 and £19.00 (Fri and Sat evening)
Groups of 10 or more: £2 OFF with 1 free ticket per 10
Signed performance for the deaf Thurs evening.
Picture this - you and your best friend are in love with two sisters who are deeply in love with you. However, another friend says they would be unfaithful given half the chance. “No!” you both cry. A bet is laid, if you go away they’ll cheat on you - cosi fan tutte - “that’s what they all do.” So, off you go to the army, but the plan is that you come back in disguise to seduce each other’s lover. Do they forget you? Do they fall in love all over again with these new strangers? Is that what they all do?
Director Jane McCulloch, sets the opera in the summer of 1914, the last carefree days before the Great War broke out and youthful innocence will be lost forever….
A while ago I recorded some songs for a personal project of Hugh Bailey’s. Hugh whose great-grandfather was Peckham composer Charles Seaton, had recently discovered long lost sheet music hidden in an attic that his great-grandfather had composed. He then set to work arranging these pieces and recording them and asked me to sing on the non instrumental ones.
Hugh was recently interview on The David Bottomley Show on Radio Peckham. Here’s a 4min excerpt containing the song ‘Tis Not The Last Goodbye.
Well here’s a group of people you don’t get photographed with everyday!
Wow! Finally watched a recording of Friday’s Princess Diana Memorial….I am so proud to have been involved in what was a beautiful tribute to a wonderful woman. The Princes excelled under extraordinarily tough circumstances and they were delightful. I actually received a letter of thanks today. I was fortunate enough to meet Harry at Rugby World Cup 2003, in Australia, where he was briliant fun, and I can honestly say he’s ‘beefed up’ somewhat since then! That’s what hanging about in the Army does for you….
I thought the Chapel looked absolutely stunning and the BBC got some wonderful shots to really show it off. As permanent member of the Chapel Choir, I am SO proud to sing there every Sunday and it was such a momentous occasion for us all. I was so, so proud of our Director of Chapel Music, Tim Horton, who excelled, not only in his conducting but also during the arduous months of work in preparation for such a massive event. Well done dude!
P.S. For those of you wondering what The Duke Of Edinburgh said to me at the end, contrary to rumours it was not “Weren’t you one of the “Marias”?!”
He in fact said “I saw you checking out my grandson’s bottom on the way in…..!” Only joking!
He said he loved the piece by Parry. So did we, it was a fine choice.
Just a quick update: As many of you know I’m permanent soprano of the Choir of the Guards Chapel and thus will be performing at the service of thanksgiving for the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, marking the 10th anniversary of her death.
Diana: A Service of Thanksgiving is being broadcast live Friday morning both on BBC1 (11:00-13:15) & ITV1 (11:45-13:30).
It promises to be a beautiful service and the music is divine.
2 years ago, I was fortunate enough to be cast in my first film! Well, its now hit the Big Screen and it was so exciting to see it in its entirety. What a beautiful piece of cinema - well worth a look! Despite being set in the trenches of World War One (was freezing filming down there by the way - I’d be a crap soldier….) the overall effect is quite magical and very beautiful. The colours are rich, and attention to detail really very touching. It’s quite a tapestry.Blink and you’ll miss me but my fellow Chorus mates and I were used quite a lot on those freezing February 6am starts at Shepperton Studios, so we do make a few appearances! 
The CGI is amazing, and I can’t wait to get the DVD now! Seeing our names scroll up the credits was awesome, feel really lucky to have been involved.
