Five Reasons to See… Pop-Up Opera’s Spring shows
Pop-up Opera are a young company who aim to give opera a breath of fresh air by “popping-up” in quirky and ususual venues. Their latest two shows, L’Elisir D’Amore and Don Pasquale are touring round London from 16 April to 11 May 2013.
Here the company give us five reasons to go…
1. See something in the pub for £20, that people pay hundreds of pounds for
Experience opera in a way that you can’t possibly in a normal opera house. Just 20ft away from an opera singer, you’d have to pay £300 for a front row ticket to get anywhere near this close. ‘A two hour explosion of beautiful music, top-class singing and exceptional acting’ writes Matthew Parris of the Times. The standard is world class, but tickets are totally affordable.
2. It might convert you to opera
How often might you have a professional opera singer sit on your lap? Or get to see opera in a pub while drinking your pint? This is a totally different way of experiencing opera. It’s less stuffy than going to the opera house, and certainly a lot more fun. Harvs and Dale weren’t your conventional opera goers: ‘Our neighbour persuaded us to attend the Popupopera @ Shoreham and having never been inclined to go to an opera it took all his best sales skills and a few cans of beer before we succumbed. The next day, and with some trepidation we set off towards the house boat and sat next to the exit “just in case”. But the emergency exit was not needed, our first opera experience was surreal (given the location), absolutely engaging, a lot of fun and one of the best things we’ve done this year…The hidden door to opera has been opened)’
3. It’s in a cave!
Hear Donizetti’s amazing music echoing around 100ft underground in Clearwell Caves, Forest of Dean. See the action illuminated by candlelight in an underground tunnel shaft. Get cosy with the singers aboard a boat made from a double decker bus and a piece of fighter plane, or afloat the Thames on a barge. Sit back and watch the story unfold in a London pub, drink in hand. The venues are all part of the experience and every single performance is totally unique.
4. Some say it’s better than the Royal Opera House and ENO
‘Certainly funnier and better in many ways than ROH and ENO’ writes Opera Now.
This is not amateur opera. It’s accessible, enjoyable and fun, but it’s not dumbed down. The singers are up and coming new talent, professionals at the start of promising careers. The fresh and dynamic staging is by RADA choreographer and dancer Darren Royston, the ensemble numbers crisply put together by vibrant young musical director James Henshaw. It’s quality stuff, and critics are raving about it.
5. Kiddies, grannies, hipsters, hippies, and yuppies all love it
Audiences have ranged from 8 year olds getting their first taste of opera, newbies convinced they weren’t going to enjoy it but totally converted, to buffs loving something fresh and funny and very different. Laugh until your sides hurt, be moved to tears, get caught up in the story. A brilliantly entertaining night out, whoever you are and whatever your scene. ‘I cannot imagine anyone, of any class or age or tastes, who would have been bored or unmoved’ The Times
L’Elisir D’Amore runs from 16-24 April, Don Pasquale from 7-11 May, at various venues
