Two decades of fine productions
Since 1984 Opera Omnibus/Opera South has
mounted successful fully staged productions
of opera, many of them fine but lesser known works,
as well as concerts of opera music and a varierty of other events.
Full list of past opera productions
A launch pad for singers
Many aspiring young singers have sung with Opera South (previously known as Opera Omnibus). As a student, Garry Magee sang the role of Eugene Onegin in 1992. He subsequently sang Pelleas and Don Giovanni at the English National Opera and has since established an international career. From then on, standards consistently improved, with resources being devoted to the advancement of recently graduated or advanced student singers.
Following the fully-staged production of Moniuszko’s The Haunted Manor (Straszny Dwór) in 2001, two of the lead singers, Grant Doyle and James Edwards, joined the Vilar Young Artists at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and now sing leading roles at the Royal Opera House and with English National Opera. About that time, a modern adaption of the short Weber opera Abu Hassan (renamed Andrew McCann and updated to a University squat) was performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to much acclaim — and it was awarded four stars «««« by The Scotsman. Two years later, the production of Bellini’s Beatrice di Tenda was highly praised and awarded four stars «««« by the Times Critic in the Daily News Review.
Among many other singers* who have become well-known since singing with Opera South are (in A-Z order): Dominic Barrand, William Berger, Rebecca Bottone, Ashley Catling, Catriona Clark, Sean Clayton, Michael Dewis, Alistair Digges , Jared Holt, Jennifer Johnston, Alla Kravchuk, John Lofthouse, Catherine May, Geraldine McGreevy, Eliana Pretorian, Jonathan Pugsley, Rebecca Ryan, Mark Stone, Nathan Swift, Håkan Vramsmo , Nicholas Watts, and Alice Woodbridge .
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For more press comment see our page The Past | Press Comment
* See also the growing list of artist links.