1st December – Sunday Lunchtime Concert
I am delighted to be able to tell you that for the last Highgate Society Lunchtime Concert on 2024 on December 1st, my good friends Joana Ly and Martin André, founders of the very successful Islington Festival, are going to be joining us to play some charming salon pieces from late 19th and early 20th century composers.
£15 to include a glass of Buck Fizz – book here
The HGO
The Hampstead Garden Opera, now known as the HGO, is a truly splendid organisation. It was founded in 1990 by the conductor Roy Budden, an opera enthusiast who had already conducted Brent Opera company, the St Marylebone Operatic Society, The British Empire Relief Association and a Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Its original objectives were ‘to advance public education in the art and science of music with emphasis on operatic music’ but it now focuses entirely on opera. Resident for many years at Upstairs at the Gatehouse in Highgate, in 2016 it moved to Jackson’s Lane theatre where it now stages two operas a year.
The aim of the HGO, now a charity, is to encourage young singers and to give them an opportunity to sing leading roles in major repertoire operas, with a full, if pared down, orchestra. In the normal course of events they might have to wait years to do this, if indeed they ever achieved it. Musical and production standards are of the highest. They stage two operas a year (full details on their site) and singers can audition around 6 months ahead of production – again see the HGO site. And in line with their aim of maximising opportunities for young singers, each opera has two casts who alternate over the week of the performances.
Remarkably, all of this is co-ordinated by volunteers – the HGO have no paid staff, no premises and no overheads. However, they have a board of music professional trustees and an army of donors, friends and generally enthusiastic supporters. To learn more or to join their ranks see this page on their site.
Eugene Onegin
Their most recent production was a very full blooded and moving rendering of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. A tear jerker at any time, the young cast gave it their all. Tatiana was touchingly dignified; Onegin was arrogantly pompous moody and self willed and amply deserved his rejection. Both singing and playing throughout was excellent and there were really no weak links. However, the stand out voice on the night that we were there was that of Korean bass Wonsick Oh who brought the house down with his stunning rendering of Prince Gremlin’s ode to his young wife.
Not everyone liked the modern dress performance and it did make the duel scene a bit weird and clunky. However it also give great verve and life to the party scenes, especially Katey Rylands delightfully bouncy portrayal of the flighty Olga and Martins Smaukstelis‘ over jealous and very Russian looking Lensky.
A wonderful evening – and another triumph for the HGO project.
5th December Lunchtime harp recital
We are delighted to be welcoming back Aisha Palmer, one of our Philharmonia MMSF fellows, for a programme of harp pieces by Scarlatti, Hindemith, Debussy, Chertok and Fauré. £15 to include a glass of mulled wine. Book here.
For other future happenings in at Hampstead Lane and elsewhere – see our Upcoming Events page.
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