Diva Dog Opera: New Georgian Opera

DivaDogOpera

Monday 15th March 2014

New Georgian Opera

The Bringing together of Opera and Great British Historic Buildings...

Well we finally set it up! My best friend and Counter Tenor Oliver Gerrish and I launch our opera venture - New Georgian Opera on the 3rd of May 2014. We met in 1999 at the Eton Choral Course although I must admit I couldn't really remember him as I was far to busy being studious whilst he was having fun with the boys which included the wonderful Tenor and now world famous actor Eddie Redmayne. However our lives met with a bang in 2001 as we became the best of friends during our time studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. During our first year at GSMD Oliver became president of the Young Georgians - of which I am a founder member. The Young Georgians is part of the Georgian Group which exists to preserve Georgian buildings and heritage. We decided to put together our love of architecture and Opera in our NGO venture. We look to bring opera to Great British buildings and to help bring attention to those historic buildings in need of some saving.

Oliver and I at Sutton Scarsdale Hall - the finest Baroque ruin of a beautiful Georgian palatial home in Derbyshire.

Both Oliver and I are from the Midlands - I from Staffordshire and Oliver from Derbyshire. Thus it was decided that our first NGO concert would be held at the Grand Pavillion - Matlock Bath to help raise money and awareness to this building in need of some TLC. The Pav as it is lovingly known by the locals- (partly named as it was used as a nightclub in former years) was once a grand Edwardian Pleasure Palace with its huge hall and proscenium arch stage. Even in its current condition it is host to many shows, however our concert "A Night At The Opera" will be the first opera act to performed there in decades.