Co-Opera Co – Singers Helping Singers

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This summer, Co-Opera Co. will present two much-loved operas, Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, at the John McIntosh Theatre of the London Oratory School.  On tour later in the year, the company will also revive its successful production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. All three operas will be sung in English.

Founded by soprano Kate Flowers and lighting designer Paul Need, Co-Opera Co is an innovative opera company, striving to help singers earn while they learn, and promote the welfare of professional opera singers.  I asked Kate to tell me how the company started and how it has progressed since its small beginnings.

“After our first discussions about the lack of an apprenticeship stage in a singers’ training – over far too many glasses of red wine one night in Dublin!  – Paul and I decided that we should do something about it.  I suggested one to one sessions – he suggested starting our own training opera company!  So it is Paul we have to thank for being the driving force behind Co-Opera Co, from its inception.  I set about calling all my friends and colleagues in the business – over 50 of today’s eminent artists who became our members – and Co-Opera Co was formed on June 13th 2008.”

We first opened our doors in January 2009 with a series of weekend workshops run by our members, one of whom was the legendary Philip Langridge, sadly no longer with us. In August that year we ran our first summer season, with two performances each of Albert Herring and La Boheme – produced in just three weeks (we must have been mad!), with the wonderful Chroma Ensemble as our orchestra.”

To give the singers the chance to see what it would be like to perform in a different space, the company also took both shows for one performance each to The New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth.

2010 was the year the Co-Opera Co Orchestra was formed, and the company toured 7 performances of La Boheme and the Marriage of Figaro to 7 UK venues in four weeks.  2011 saw the tour grow to 25 performances in 12 weeks, with two new productions, The Magic Flute and Carmen.

Leading up to their summer season and UK tour in the autumn the company runs a comprehensive training programme, Connections, where participants work on every aspect of opera.  I asked Kate Flowers to give me a flavour of how it works.

“Connections has grown out of those weekend workshops back in 2009 and has again developed in a very organic way, taking into consideration what singers have told us that they want – this year we held a series of one day workshops in the spring.  Each workshop was run by one of our members working with up to 12 singers. Each workshop had a theme suggested by the member running the workshop – Sir Thomas Allen for instance wanted to work with the singers on Listening and Reacting;  Janis Kelly on Body, Soul and Voice; and David Parry wanted to work on singing True Bel Canto.  With everything that we have learned about what singers need, Janis Kelly is developing a fully integrated 3 month course – Professional Connections – which will cover every aspect of being an opera singer, and we are also working on a new course – Opera Matters – for opera enthusiasts and those singers who perhaps do not wish to follow a professional career but who nevertheless would like to explore the genre and work on their personal progress.”

“Because we work with so many levels of ability – and we have no age limit – in the various training programmes we run – to be honest, we will accept applications from anyone who has a real desire (and ability) to be involved in opera.  Obviously for the touring operas we need to be able to present a truly professional standard of performance (and therefore performers) to the audiences – and to the theatres.”

We have had singers as young as 15 – our Harry in Albert Herring for instance – Marina Lawrence-Marrha – and this year we have a singer aged over 60 in The Midsummer Night’s Dream – neither of them have any qualifications – other than a true ability and a longing to sing/perform.  (Marina by the way is just about to start a foundation year at the Urdang Studios and we like to think that her experience of performing with Co-Opera Co. went a long way to developing her aptitude and enthusiasm for performing – she is simply wonderful.)”

This year the company is rehearsing four operas over four weeks – Hansel and Gretel, Don Giovanni and a revival of The Magic Flute for a tour to 12 venues – at the moment (still more in the pipeline), preceded by a new venture: the Summer Opera, which is a four week course in which 30 singers work on their own opera ( A Midsummer Night’s Dream) with the Director Peter Watson, Conductor David Gostick and Choreographer Jenny Weston, performed at the John McIntosh Theatre on 17th and 18th August.

James Bonas, Director of Hansel and Gretel, believes the work of Co-opera is very important, because “There is a real shortage of programmes and performance possibilities for younger singers to gain experience once they’ve left formal training. The opportunity for near enough a hundred people to spend a summer together doing coaching, master classes, and rehearsals in one place is remarkable. It’s the chance for everyone to make contacts, get experience and take hold of some big roles that they wouldn’t yet get their hands on in the larger companies.”

James also told me about the people involved and the rehearsals for Hansel and Gretel.  “The cast is small actually – just five singers.  Then we’ll have the Co-Opera orchestra and backstage there are the stage manager, deputy stage manager and assistant stage manager.  Rehearsals have been swift. We’ve had a couple of weeks working in a rehearsal room and now we’ll have a couple of weeks onstage doing technical work, lighting and then bringing in the orchestra. With those time frames there’s no mucking about – we started with a day of music and then were up on our feet staging the scenes the next morning.”  

They did spend one Saturday morning playing games and dancing with the singers playing Hansel and Gretel.  “It’s always so important as an adult acting a child that you remember that the child is not childish – they don’t walk strangely, they don’t pull faces constantly and they don’t whine. I think we have a tendency to do an impression of a kid rather than simply being very direct and straightforward in the world – which is what young children actually are.”

Talking about opening night (Thursday 23 August) James says, “I think it’s a bit like having a baby – a mixture of excitement and terror. You’re kind of looking forward to it but you know it’s going to take a heck of a push to get there.”

David-Milner Pearce, who is playing the title role in Don Giovanni, told me that this production is anything but traditional.  “It is set in a Contemporary Art Gallery and the Don himself is based around a Damien Hirst.  To keep thing current we have made slight tweaks to the libretto, but the translation by David Parry works very well.”

Kate and Paul’s vision for the future of the company is to eventually create a Centre of Excellence: “a theatre of our own with rehearsals studios, technical workshops, etc – based around a main touring company and with a training arm for professionals and non-professionals of all ages. A lottery win would certainly help with that!!  But in the absence of that, we are aiming to  build a commercial side of the business to provide year long employment to our associates – and our beloved Co-Opera Co. Orchestra –  by moving our rehearsals for the touring productions to Easter next year, in order to prolong the touring season to include the festival market, and developing the Summer Opera Course so that August becomes the focus of the training element – and of course Janis Kelly’s Connections Programme- and Opera Matters –  which we hope to launch next spring.

Lastly, I asked Kate Flowers what Co-Opera Co means to her.

“Everything – well after my three sons and my mum that is.”

“Since Paul Need and I first started talking about the possibility of helping singers as they enter the profession, I have found that my time – and Paul’s – has become almost entirely devoted to running the company, coaching and training the singers and generally making sure that Co-Opera Co. achieves what we set out to achieve four years ago.  I would like to emphasize that everything we are doing here at Co-Opera Co. is done with no outside funding whatsoever – we rely on box office sales – especially in our London shows during August which have the potential to raise enough money to significantly reduce the unfortunately inevitable deficit we will face at the end of the season, and that whilst we pay all our members for the work they do with our singers, musicians and technicians, and we pay our associates for their performances and pay for and organise travel and accommodation on tour, neither Paul nor I have paid ourselves a penny during the past four years – and we will not even consider doing so until we have reached the point where no-one has to be asked for a contribution.  I say this because there might be a perception that there is something other than altruistic about the way we run Co-Opera Co.  To be honest, I would never have imagined that I could ever be so enthused about something that had no personal financial gain – and I think I can speak for Paul too here – but we really are doing this, we believe, for the greater good.”

Don Giovanni is on 22 and 24 August 2012, Hansel and Gretel on 23 and 25 2012, all shows at 7.30pm at John McIntosh Theatre, Seagrove Road, London SW6 1RX.  Tickets are priced between £10-25 and can be purchased online at http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=xxx&query=schedule&promoter=co-opera.  The theatre is wheelchair accessible, and free parking is available next to the John McIntosh Arts Centre.

 

The tour covers Croydon, Yeovil, Wolverhampton, Darlington, Epsom, Manchester, Bury St Edmunds, Wellingborough, Buxton, Camberley, Blackpool, Hertford, and Southport, with further dates to be announced.  For more information please visit www.co-opera-co.org.

Londoner’s Life Overheard 36 by Phil Ryan

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It’s funny how you slip into a new routine. Since my light bulb moment in Covent Garden when I created this new column I am now so much more attuned when I’m out on my travels. My ears are set to scan especially in cafes. You learn to filter in a way. And then if you’re lucky a phrase or a voice reaction somewhere behind you or off to the side catches you. I have a Samsung S2 phone which means I can quickly tap away on my qwerty keypad during and once the conversation is over. So just a quick snatch from one such encounter. Hampstead. A cinema foyer. Outside a girl is on the phone.
Girl: No you’re not listening. I only slept with him because he asked (she listens for quite a long while) Yeah but he did ask nicely…

But to this week’s offering. A tea room in Cambridge.

Middle aged man in very sensible clothing. “Well I still don’t see what’s wrong with Turkey again. Your brother loved it last year” Sullen girl ”Dad it’s full of weird hairy guys staring at me on the beach you ask mum” Middle aged man “You’re imagining it. Anyway perhaps they don’t see blonde haired people much you know they’ve all got dark hair haven’t they?” Sullen girl “It’s not about my hair dad. I’m fourteen now” she pauses “And I’m (whispers very loudly) “Getting much bigger you know up there” Middle aged man “What do you mean?” Sullen girl in exasperation “Breasts Dad big ones” Middle aged man sounds shocked “Really does your mother know” Sullen girl “Yes of course she knows she keeps buying me loose tee shirts but I’m not swimming in tee shirts. Can’t we go to an apartment in Portugal like Auntie Gwynn and her lot. It had its own pool and everything and she said it cost as much as the hotel we stay in less even” Middle aged dad “Really it costs the same for an apartment. I’ll talk to your mother. I’m sorry about your chest issues” Sullen girl suddenly brightening “Don’t sweat it Dad I’m not. They look great.”

At this point a lady I presumed was the mother appeared.

Middle aged man “Hello love. Jasmine and I have had a brainwave. D’you fancy Portugal for a holiday this year just for a change?” Lady “Isn’t it a bit fish orientated dear?”

They then agreed on going back to Turkey and talked about nothing but the sales in Marks and Spencer. The daughter went back to texting.

It’s tricky as some of these London Overheard’s of mine sometimes don’t always work out. So I’m keeping my ears open on your behalf. Keep listening!

Ian Brady ‘letter to Winnie Johnson’ revealed in Channel 4 documentary

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In a recent interview given to a Channel 4 Cutting Edge documentary about Ian Brady, his Mental Health Advocate has disclosed the existence of a sealed envelope – the contents of which, it is alleged, could reveal the location of the body of Winnie Johnson’s son Keith Bennett. Keith is the last remaining missing victim of the ‘Moors Murderers’ Ian Brady and Myra Hindley – he was abducted by them in 1964.

Neither the producers nor Channel 4 have had sight or possession of the envelope. Documentaries Commissioning Editor and Editor for Cutting Edge, Emma Cooper says: “No-one can verify the contents of the envelope and therefore what information it does or does not contain but given the enormity of the implications as suggested by Brady’s letter, we felt we had a responsibility to inform the family via their family liaison officer. Winnie’s poor health was foremost in our decision-making and this is why we have decided to bring forward the broadcast of the film and make the existence of the envelope public.”

Ms Powell has been Brady’s Mental Health Advocate for the last 15 years, she is one of the executors to his will and has recently applied for power of attorney for his health and welfare. In one of several interviews she has given to the producers of Ian Brady: Endgames of a Psychopath she says she received a letter of instruction and a sealed envelope from Brady via his solicitors. She explains that the letter of instruction states the additional envelope contains three letters – one apparently addressed to Winnie Johnson.

Powell says the letter suggests that the contents of the unopened envelope might enable Keith’s mother to finally find peace. Johnson, now nearing 80 and battling cancer has campaigned for nearly half a century to locate her son’s body.

Jackie Powell explains the contents of the letter as follows:

Jackie: “I received a letter and a sealed envelope which said on the front of it, to be opened in the event of my death. He says that he doesn’t wish to take secrets to his grave and that within the sealed envelope is a letter to Winnie Johnson and that within that is the means to her possibly being able to rest. And that’s paraphrase that’s not verbatim.”

Interviewer (director Paddy Wivell): “What does he mean by that?”

Jackie: “Well clearly there’s something within the letter that may be able to find her son I would suggest.”

Jackie Powell, who has professional obligations in her capacity as executor and her role as Brady’s Mental Health Advocate told the documentary makers that she has not opened the sealed envelope, she cannot be certain of its contents.

Ian Brady: Endgames of a Psychopath is airing as part of Channel 4’s flagship documentary strand, Cutting Edge, airs on Monday 20 August at 9pm. CTCV is the production company, Paddy Wivell directs.

Despite nearly 50 years in captivity, Ian Brady, child murderer, psychopath and sadist and continues to exert a powerful and disturbing presence in the nation’s consciousness. This Cutting Edge film, through unprecedented access to those closest to him – charts Brady’s on-going attempts to exert influence and control over those around him.

When acclaimed director Paddy Wivell, set out to make a film about Ian Brady’s legal bid to be transferred from a psychiatric facility to a prison, he had no idea that he would find himself witnessing one of Brady’s notorious power plays. At the outset of filming, Wivell met with the solicitors and psychiatrists who have been closely involved in his cases over the last decades – many of them speaking publicly for the first time. But it was a meeting with Brady’s mental health advocate for the last 15 years – which would change the course of the film

His mental health advocate is also one of the executors of Brady’s will and recently applied for power of attorney for his health and welfare. Following Brady’s seizure which saw his mental health tribunal postponed indefinitely, she discloses, on camera, some startling information which appears to present further important evidence of Brady’s ongoing attempts to assert power over the victims’ families.

This film, airing as part of Channel 4’s flagship documentary strand, Cutting Edge, presents the inside story of the Moors Murderer since his crimes were discovered and charts his continued determination for power and control.

Professor Green says ‘Stop listening to my music’

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Music artist Professor Green is encouraging people to stop listening to his music. He’s teamed up with us for our new safety campaign asking people to remove their headphones at level crossings so they aren’t distracted from warnings about approaching trains.

Two people have tragically died this year at footpath crossings and it is thought they were wearing headphones, in the past five years there have been 19 incidents involving headphones at level crossings.

Two people have died this year at footpath crossings where it is thought they were wearing headphones. In the past five years, train drivers or railway staff have reported 19 incidents where pedestrians, joggers or cyclists wearing headphones have crossed the railway, seemingly oblivious to the approaching train.

 

“I never imagined asking people to stop listening to my music but this is about staying safe, so just for a minute, I want them to stop. I know it’s very easy to get caught up in a track when you have your headphones on and get distracted from where you are and what’s around you but I’m asking, please, lose your headphones when at a level crossing and pay attention to all the safety warnings. I don’t want anyone to end up on the tracks listening to one of mine.”

Professor Green, rapper 

Win Sonos music speakers

Our digital campaign ‘Lose Your Headphones’ features the popular rapper in a video which appears on the music streaming service Spotify as well as being promoted via social media sites such as Twitter. We’re offering a prize of Sonos music speakers to five lucky winners who re-tweet our campaign message.

Don’t get distracted

Trains can travel up to 125mph on the main British rail network and even with safety warnings such as lights and signs at footpaths across the tracks, it’s easy to get distracted if you’re caught up with your favourite tune.

Stay safe

Dr Bruno Fazenda, from the Acoustics Research Centre, University of Salford said: “Hearing is the only sense that can warn us of dangers we can’t see and when listening to music with headphones we become isolated and are less likely to hear sounds that might tell us of approaching dangers. It’s not just the volume of the music but also because the headphone itself blocks out ambient noise.

There is also plenty of evidence which shows that when you are doing two activities at the same time, such as listening to music or texting and crossing a railway track, your attention gets divided in such a way that you might not notice an approaching train even if all the warning signals are there.”

Read more about level crossings and how to use them safely.

For videos, content on rail safety for 11-17 year olds, facts and advice go to www.rail-life.co.uk.

Olympic revelry makes the Capital 2.7m stone heavier

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The average Londoner gained a staggering 4.5lbs in the two weeks of the Olympics, as the capital shunned exercise regimes and instead indulged in the fun of the Olympics with extra snacks and booze.

LighterLife, the innovative weight management company, surveyed 1,032 Londoners on Friday (10.08.12) to see how their eating habits and weight had changed during the period, as we celebrated watching triumphant Team GB going for Gold!

The survey highlighted that people consumed nearly 700 calories more each day, as they treated themselves to a few glasses of wine and extra snacks on top of their regular meals, resulting in an average weight gain of 4.5lbs.

This equated to 12,000 extra calories being consumed by the average Londoner during the Olympics – that’s more than 960m calories over the two-week period!

The main reason for the over-indulgence and weight gain however was down to people seeing the Olympics as a time to celebrate and indulge in snacks in front of the telly, as they watched The Games with friends and family.

Mandy Cassidy, Director of Psychology at LighterLife comments: “The Olympics are a fantastic sporting occasion for Great Britain and we typically justify over-eating and associate over indulgence with celebratory occasions. Mindless eating occurs often in front of the TV and emotional eating is a well know reason for over eating when not hungry. Let’s hope Londoners are inspired by the sporting triumphs and introduce a regular exercise regime into their day!”

Boy’s Best Friend Jessi-Cat named National Cat of the Year 2012

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A family puss who has transformed the life of a boy with a severe anxiety disorder has been crowned National Cat of the Year at Cats Protection’s National Cat Awards 2012.

Two-year-old Jessi-Cat was honoured for helping seven-year-old Lorcan Dillon cope with Selective Mutism, a condition which affects his ability to speak and express himself.

Thanks to his pet cat, Lorcan has finally been able to say “I love you” and learnt ways to share his emotions when he finds it difficult to speak to people.

Cats Protection’s National Cat Awards, sponsored by www.verdocatlitter.co.uk, is the UK’s largest celebration of real-life stories of companionship, bravery and survival in the cat world.

At a star-studded awards ceremony at London’s Savoy hotel yesterday (16th of August) winners were chosen in five categories – Best Friends, Hero Cat, Most Incredible Story, Outstanding Rescue Cat and Celebrity Cat.

Jessi-Cat was crowned overall winner after first winning the Best Friends category, chosen by celebrity judge, ex-YES keyboardist and star of Grumpy Old Men Rick Wakeman.

Cat lover Rick said: “All three cats have been a huge support to their owners, but Jessi-Cat is my winner. The bond between Jessi-Cat and Lorcan is incredible and it has clearly had a hugely positive impact on Lorcan’s home and school life. Jessi-Cat helps Lorcan to communicate and express emotions that ordinarily Lorcan wouldn’t be able to do.”

Other celebrity judges attending the ceremony – hosted by ‘Voice of the Balls’ on BBC1’s National Lottery TV programmes Alan Dedicoat – were comedian Ed Byrne, model Lucy Pinder and ex-BBC newsreader Jan Leeming.

Lorcan and his mum Jayne Dillon, 44, of Davyhulme, Greater Manchester, were at the awards ceremony to accept Jessi-Cat’s prizes – a star shaped trophy, three months’ supply of cat food, a year’s supply of Verdo Cat Litter and a framed photograph of Jessi-Cat.

She said the family decided to get a cat to help Lorcan communicate and cope with Selective Mutism, which makes it hard for him to speak to people and leaves him feeling isolated and lonely.

She said: “Lorcan is able to connect love to Jessi-Cat, something he can’t do with people and she’s been a great support to him when things have been really hard.

“He does not express his emotions, he would not say ‘I love you Mummy’, he just doesn’t do it. But with the cat he can cuddle her, he can stroke her, he can talk to her and he can say ‘I love you Jessi-Cat.’

“She is without a doubt the best friend a boy could have and has had a huge positive impact on his life. We’ve had her for a couple of years and in the last year alone he seems to be making excellent progress at school. In the past two weeks he’s started communicating with people he doesn’t know very well and even reads to one of the teachers now – something he’s never done before.”

Other category winners were:

Charley: Charley, of Haltwhistle, Northumberland, won the Hero Cat category after saving the day when owner Susan Marsh-Armstrong, 47, collapsed during a diabetic attack in the middle of the night. As Susan’s life hung in the balance, quick-thinking Charley repeatedly patted her husband Kevin on the face until he woke and then led him to the bathroom where he discovered Susan unconscious on the floor and administered a glucose injection to bring her round.

William: William, of Chorley, Lancashire, won the Most Incredible Story category after making a gruelling half-a-mile journey home on two legs after his back legs were horrifically injured in a dog attack. Despite having one leg amputated the brave puss has since made a full recovery.

Phoenix: Phoenix, of Ballymoney, County Antrim, won the Outstanding Rescue Cat category after she made an extraordinary recovery from horrific burns. She was just a few weeks old when she was found in a coal bunker with hideous injuries but survived against the odds.

Simon’s Cat: Scooping the award for the nation’s favourite Celebrity Cat – chosen in a public vote on Cats Protection’s Facebook page – was Simon’s Cat, the animated moggy made famous worldwide in Simon Tofield’s books and online cartoons.

According to Kate Bunting, the Awards organiser at Cats Protection, Jessi-Cat’s story was an inspiring one.

She said: “The bond between Lorcan and Jessi-Cat is exceptional and it is truly moving to see what an incredible impact a cat can have on the whole family, particularly children.

“We hear many amazing stories of how cats have transformed people’s lives, from elderly people living alone to children like Lorcan.

“There is no doubt that cats can have an incredible calming effect and their intuition, sensitivity and unconditional love can have an incredible impact on their owners.”

Jessi-Cat follows in the paw prints of a long line of feline heroes honoured by Cats Protection. Previous winners have included “moggy midwife” Marmite who loyally stuck by his owner’s side during a difficult pregnancy and labour, and Tee Cee who became a lifeline to his epileptic owner with his ability to detect when he was about to have a seizure.

Cats Protection, the UK’s leading feline welfare charity, has around 6,200 cats and kittens in its care at any one time and rehomes and reunites over 48,000 every year. To find out more about the charity, or to adopt a cat, please visit www.cats.org.uk or call the charity’s national helpline on 03000 12 12 12.

Thanks to Philippa Gedge Photography

Trinny and Susannah Are Back

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-New fashion range launches on QVC-

For over 15 years, leading style gurus Trinny and Susannah have been dressing British women and advising them on “what not to wear” with numerous televised make-overs, to ensure women make the most of their assets. Now, the fashion advisors-turned-designers have been inspired to use their expertise to create their first full clothing range, launching exclusively on QVC this autumn, to cater for women of all sizes and help them feel and look fabulous by what they wear.

The collection focuses on dressing women who are top heavy, bottom heavy or wish to minimise their tummies and features dresses designed to flatter and compliment each of these body types. Jackets also form a strong part of the collection, tailored to create shape and structure for the wearer, resulting in a beautiful female silhouette.

Prices range from £48 to £150. Trinny and Susannah will launch their new collection on QVC on Sunday 19th August using real QVC customers to model the range reminding viewers that this is a range made specifically with them in mind and highlighting the benefits of this carefully designed collection.

Trinny and Susannah love to make women feel better about themselves through the medium of the Make-Over. They teach women to learn to love themselves again from the outside in, to look better and feel empowered.

Trinny Woodall said, “We are delighted to be working with QVC, who have given us the opportunity to bring our Body Shape philosophy to this range.”