The first night is a recital of arias from the Bel Canto style of opera. If you have heard of or know the Barber of Seville, Rigoletto, La Traviata, and our festival opera Don Pasquale, then this is the sort of music that you will hear. The style is very tuneful, lively, sometimes comic, sometimes dramatic. Composers are Verdi, Rossini, Donizetti and Bellini, big international stars of their time with up to 70 operas each to their name, all represented in our programme. Some rarities by them are featured too for your discovery.

Our cast are up-and-coming singers who are graduates of these prestigious Music institutions:

Christina Petrou Soprano, Guildhall School of Music and Drama	Chloe Hinton Mezzo soprano, English National Opera	Alberto Sousa       Tenor,  Guildhall School of Music and Drama	Ricardo Panela Baritone - Guildhall School of Music and Drama	Richard Keohane Accompanist (piano)  Royal Academy of Music
More about Christina Petrou	More about Chloe Hinton	More about Alberto Sousa	More about Ricardo Panela	More about Richard Keohane

Hear Alberto Sousa singing one of the arias here:

The festival organisers are Marie Soulier who runs Opera Pour Un Salon, and Adam Swann, marketing consultant for Opera Rara and a trustee of Baroque ensemble Arcangelo.

The following events are scheduled for the Festival:

Friday 4 October at 8 pm. Bel Canto Recital. A programme of arias by Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini and Verdi, including duets and quartets from operas such as The Barber of Seville and Rigoletto, and lesser known works – Rita by Donizetti and I Lombardi by Verdi. Christina Petrou (Soprano), Chloe Hinton (Mezzo soprano),
Alberto Sousa (Tenor) and Ricardo Panela (Baritone) accompanied by Richard Keohane, (Pianist).

Friday 11 October at 8 pm. Baroque Recital. Two singers accompanied by period instruments such as the theorbo, lute, medieval guitar and baroque harp, singing a selection of arias by Purcell, Monteverdi and less well-known composers such as Pallavicino and Caccini.

Sunday 10 November at 3 pm. An afternoon of humorous arias from mainly late 19th and early 20th century comic operas and operettas, with tea and home-made cakes in the interval.

Sunday 17 November at 3 pm. Comic Opera in three acts: A shortened, semi-staged version of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale.
All performances are at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Narbonne Avenue, SW4 9LQ and there is a chance to stay on and meet the singers and musicians after each performance.

Tickets are available for individual recitals at advance prices of £15, opera £20, or a pass for all events at £45, with reductions for children, concessions and family passes. Full details and booking at www.claphamoperafestival.com or email info@claphamoperafestival.com. You can book online here.