Bristol Opera is a Registered Charity No 258553. The trustees are the current officers and committee members below.
President:
Sir Thomas Allen, C.B.E.
Vice President:
Professor Bill Howarth
Patrons: Andrew Shore, Lesley Garrett, John Hudson
Officers:
Chairman: David Selwyn
Vice-Chairman: Susan Weaver
Secretary: Robin Davey
Treasurer: Nigel Tasker
Committee Members:
Robert Aarons
Teresa Davey
Chris Greef
Steve Harris
Iris Shopland
Kathryn Willey
Musical Director: Arne Kovac
Director: Charlotte Monk
A little history:
The Company was founded in 1923 by the professional operatic tenor Robert Percival, as the Bristol Opera School. The company's original aim was to train opera students to perform operas not normally included in the British professional repertoire.
The School was later renamed Bristol Opera Company, and is now generally known as Bristol Opera. We provide an opening for anyone in the community wishing to take part in opera, and we always welcome enthusiastic new members.
Both amateur and professional musicians and singers take part, as well as those with an interest in the back-stage and non-singing elements of staging operatic productions. We aim to present as wide a range of opera as possible. By doing so, we hope to increase public appreciation of the art of opera.
Latest News (October 2010): Bristol Opera in Bizet's The Pearl Fishers win the Evening Post Rose Bowl for Best Opera or Operetta for second year in succession.
The Judges' Citation:
"It was a brave and inspired decision for the production team of this company to take on such a challenging work as Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin. Not only are the demands on those playing the principal roles exceptionally strong, both physically and musically, but also the challenges for the whole company in performing this impassioned Romantic Opera were difficult to meet. That it did so was indeed a remarkable, and memorable achievement!"
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in Eugene Onegin Bristol Opera were accorded the Rose Bowl Award for Best Opera/Operetta, for the same production.
The Judges' Citation:
"A rarely performed opera. A tale of love, revenge, mystery and barbarity that was exotically mounted and lyrically communicated by a spirited cast and orchestra."
Photo by Nigel Taskerr