Harrogate Highlights

As anticipated, we had a wonderful time in Harrogate - and so did our audience! Here's just two of the emails we've received praising our performance:

My husband and I and our two guests had a great time at your performance last night. We had to move fast to get tickets! I particularly enjoyed "Nella Fantasia", having only heard it performed solo before. Tremendous.
PW, audience member, Harrogate

My wife and I took a party to The Northern Aldborough Festival Cabaret Evening at The Sun Pavilion, Harrogate, last evening; the table in the front corner, immediately to the right of the ‘stage’. We all enjoyed your performance enormously - thank you, and congratulations.
MH, audience member, Harrogate

I don't normally plug restaurants in this blog, but I must mention the superb meal we had before the show at Quantro on Harrogate's Royal Parade. Really tasty food, nice atmosphere and attentive staff - what more could five opera divas and divos want!

Hooray for Harrogate!

Hatstand Opera love performing in Harrogate - and not just because of Betty's Tea Shop! We always seem to have the nicest audiences here, whether performing at the International Centre, or in the truly lovely Harrogate Theatre. Our next venue, however, is new to us, the Sun Pavilion in the Valley Gardens.

It has to be said, the Sun pavilion does looks amazing! This octagonal building has been fully restored to its 1930's Art deco glory, completed with stained glass roof and parquet dance.

We'll be performing in this lovely venue as part of the North Aldborough Festival, when 140 or so happy dinner guests will sit down for an evening of fine food and fantastic music.

What's more, it's been a sell-out for weeks! However, they have got a waiting list, so if you're desperate to see Hatstand Opera in Yorkshire, it might be worth a ring...

Tuesday 1 July 2008 at 6.45pm for 7.30pm
A Bite at the Opera – opera cabaret evening
The Sun Pavilion, Valley Gardens, Cornwall Road, Harrogate, N Yorks, HG1 2PQ
Part of the Northern Aldborough Festival
Tickets: £40 including dinner & pre event drink
Box Office and Information: 01423 322586
Email: festival@aldborough.com
http://www.aldboroughfestival.com

Hatstand bring Hollywood to Surrey!

Where can you travel "Over the Rainbow" to hear "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" and meet Laurel and Hardy, all in one "Supercalifragilistic" evening? Farnham, of course! Hatstand Opera present our latest show, Lights, Camera... Action!, on Saturday 31 May 2008 in the grounds of the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice in Farnham, and it's packed with the best music from Hollywood blockbusters and favourite movies alike.

Hatstand Opera are delighted to be able to support a local charity for the company's first Surrey performance this year. This is our first truly 'local' performance after our move to Hampshire, so it's very special for us. So, join us for a fun evening of great music in the gorgeous grounds of the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice in Farnham. It's ideal entertainment for all the family, so bring your friends, your neighbours, your granny - they'll all love it!

Lights, Camera... Action! Hatstand sing the Movies
The songs behind famous movies, from opera to silver screen classics
Nothing brings a classic film scene to life like a great soundtrack. Hatstand Opera bring the music behind the movies back into the limelight! From opera classics to famous screen songs, you'll love these timeless tunes presented in glorious colour by
"The enterprising stars of Hatstand Opera" The Times.

This entertaining and toe-tappingly good show includes favourites such as "Ebben? ... lontana" from cult classic "Diva" and tear-jerkers from "Captain Corelli's Mandolin". Then, after the Intermission, it's non-stop wonderful award-winning songs that'll send you "Over the Rainbow" or even "Way Out West" with supercalifragilistic delight! Play it (again), Sam!


Saturday 31 May 2008 at 7pm
Lights, Camera... Action!
Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice, Waverley Lane, Farnham, GU9 8BL
Drinks reception 7pm, performance 7.30pm

• Complimentary glass of wine on arrival
• Selection of canapes during interval
• Pay bar
• Raffle

Tickets: Adults £15, Under 12s £7.50

Box Office: 01252 729446
http://phyllistuckwellhospice.org

HELP SPREAD THE WORD! Please copy and paste the above text into an email, and send it to, say, 100 of your closest friends! See you there!

Back at The Beck by Popular Demand!

Hatstand Opera are back at the Beck Theatre in Hayes this May after a highly successful first visit back in February. After wowing audiences with opera, they now turn their attention to the magic of the movies with "Lights, Camera... Action!" on Friday 2 May 2008.

Lights, Camera... Action! Hatstand sing the Movies
The songs behind famous movies, from opera to silver screen classics
Nothing brings a classic film scene to life like a great soundtrack. Hatstand Opera bring the music behind the movies back into the limelight! From opera classics to famous screen songs, you'll love these timeless tunes presented in glorious colour by "The enterprising stars of Hatstand Opera" The Times.

This entertaining and toe-tappingly good show includes favourites such as "Ebben?...lontana" from cult classic "Diva" and tear-jerkers from "Captain Corelli's Mandolin". Then, after the Intermission, it's non-stop wonderful award-winning songs that'll send you "Over the Rainbow" or even "Way Out West" with supercalifragilistic delight! Play it (again), Sam!

Director Kirsty Young is delighted to be returning to the Beck Theatre: "I knew from the moment we walked in that this was a special space, and we can't wait to fill it with beautiful music featured in such popular films as 'The Shawshank Redemption', 'The Mission', 'Bend It Like Beckham' and even 'Mr Magoo'! "

'Classic' movie soundtracks have become increasingly popular in the last ten years or so, with cds of music from such films as 'Lord of the Rings' selling millions of copies. Simon Bates' radio show 'Classic FM at the Movies' attracts thousands of listeners, and film theme concerts by major UK orchestras are often sold out. Hatstand Opera's "Lights, Camera... Action!" at the Beck Theatre is your chance to hear this great music sung live, in a theatre that loves voices!

Friday 2 May 2008 at 7.30pm
Lights, Camera... Action! Hatstand sing the Movies
The Beck Theatre, Grange Road, Hayes, Middx, UB3 2UE
Tickets: £12
Box Office: 020 8561 8371 or via Ticketmaster
http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/venue/189848
http://www.becktheatre.org.uk/

HSO tenor tackles the London Marathon

Former HSO tenor Arwel Treharne-Morgan is, quote "running/walking/crawling/panting the London Marathon" for the Samaritans today - go Arwel!

Arwel performed on and off for several years with Hatstand, including a memorable performance as the love-struck hero Lord Albert in our only full-length production, Rossini's "Love's Luggage Lost!"

However, it was for his habit of bursting into uncontrollable giggles on stage that we remember him most! During one memorable performance of"Zitti zitti" from "Barber of Seville", Arwel and baritone Bryan both dissolved into fits of gigles, with pianist Ros not far behind, leaving mezzo Kirsty the only person in the theatre not laughing, including the entire audience, ushers and stage crew!

If you wish to sponsor Arwel, visit http://www.justgiving.com/arweltm.

Hitting High C's at The Beck

For eight years Hatstand Opera were based in Harrow - and we never actually sang near there! Now we are making amends, bringing our anniversary edition of Golden Moments from Opera to The Beck Theatre in Hayes on Friday 1 February 2008.

We at Hatstand Opera chose South Harrow as our base after moving out from the original Cricklewood location. Director Kirsty Young and soprano Toni Nunn both lived in the borough, along with the group's most experienced baritone, Bryan Kesselman.

We are delighted to be performing for the first time at The Beck. What a hidden gem this theatre is! It's tucked in its own little green oasis, and it has the most wonderful sound, the best regional theatre I've sung in for a long time. You can even park outside it too - what a joy!

Golden Moments from Opera: the 15th anniversary edition
2008 marks Hatstand Opera’s 15th anniversary, and it’s amazing to think our very first show, Golden Moments from Opera, is still going strong! The fun formula of hilarious scenes and heart-rending arias has delighted thousands of fans across the UK and beyond.

This 15th Anniversary edition features favourite items that you, the audience, have loved most over the years. This tune-packed show is ideal for anyone who likes the British Airways advert music, or thought the World Cup theme sung by Pavarotti was a good ‘un, and it's fabulous for opera anoraks too!

Friday 1 February 2008 at 7.30pm
Golden Moments from Opera
The Beck Theatre, Grange Road, Hayes, Middx, UB3 2UE
Tickets: £12
Box Office: 020 8561 8371 or via Ticketmaster
http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/venue/189848
http://www.becktheatre.org.uk/

The true meaning of hatstand

It always amazes me how words can totally change their meanings, as they are adopted by different generations. Without wanting to sound like an old fogie, do you remember when 'wicked' meant bad, 'bad' meant awful, and pants were things you bought from M&S? Oh, only me, then.

Anyway, it now appears that 'hatstand' has a whole new meaning too. Now, this is odd, because when I founded Hatstand Opera fifteen years ago, a hat stand was either:
a) a piece of hall furniture
b) a stand for a hi hat cymbal in a drum kit

Furthermore, it was always a 'hat stand', not a 'hatstand', which according to millions of spell-checkers across the world, was a word that didn't exist!

Now, however, you can describe something as 'hatstand', which according to the following web site http://my.opera.com/STEFANfromPARIS/blog/show.dml/1629076, means:

"Hatstand: Insane, particularly if characterised by exaggerated or cartoonish behaviour; gibbering in an nonsensical fashion."

Not quite Hatstand Opera, but close enough!

So, have a hatstand Hatstand Happy New Year, and we look forward to welcoming you to a show soon. For details of our live shows in 2008, consult the Hatstand Opera performance diary, which is definitely wicked, innit!