Check out our facebook page for pictures and videos from our rehearsals -
It is with great sadness that we report the death of Chris Edworthy in May 2020. Chris was one of the original members of Red Earth Opera, singing bass in the chorus for Dido and Aeneas, and either playing bassoon in the orchestra, or singing (sometimes both) for our subsequent performances. A true gentleman, he will be sadly missed. He had been diagnosed with cancer in February 2019, and continued to perform with us despite the progression of his illness. His last performance was The Love Potion in November 2019. RIP Chris.
We do not yet know if and when we shall be able to reschedule our spring concert. We have tentatively booked the weekend of 17th and 18th October for an event. We hope to be able to announce more in July.
We are always looking for sponsors or ways of fundraising for Red Earth Opera. Although we only pay expenses to our soloists for our productions, and we also have venue costs to pay, music to source, and those train fares add up very quickly. If you are interested in sponsoring a performer, or donating even a small amount, please get in touch. We have signed up to the Torbay Good Causes Lottery and to Easy Fundraising, so please follow the links below if you would like to help using either of those options.
Torbay have announced their very own lottery, and we have been approved as a good cause to benefit from this. You do not have to be a resident of Torbay to sign up for the lottery, and if you nominate us as your good cause, then we receive 50% of your stake. The top prize is up to £25,000. Please visit www.TorbayLottery.co.uk and search for RedEarth.
Opera in Devon, for Devon: Community, not Corporate
About
Red Earth Opera was formed in 2013, to perform at the Teignmouth Classical Music Festival in March 2014.
The idea came from a meeting of performers looking for opportunities to sing and play opera in Devon and to involve local musicians.
We started from a base of nothing - no funds, just enthusiasm and determination. The performance of Dido and Aeneas was a great success and we were immediately invited back for 2015. We gave two performances of Mozart's Idomeneo in March 2015, and we continue to develop. Our third opera was Gluck's Iphigenia in Tauris at the 2016 Teignmouth Classical Music Festival in Teignmouth and in Chudleigh. We also gave a very successful supper concert at St Michaels Church, Teignmouth on 17th October 2015. Since then, we have presented two more concerts - this time with orchestral accompaniment, a "come and perform" weekend of Cavalleria Rusticana, and two more opera performances - Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito, and Rossini's Cinderella (both in English translations by Amanda Holden).
Our singers and players are drawn from Devon, Somerset and Cornwall (and beyond) and range in age from under 18 up to past retirement. We also offer places in the orchestra and chorus to talented young musicians from Torbay - supported by a donation from the Torbay Music Hub.
Our aim is to present affordable opera which is complementary to that offered by the large touring companies or the corporate opera pops, and which is approachable and enjoyable for those who are not already keen on opera. We also want to give performers opportunities at all levels. It is our policy to present our full length operas in English.
Red Earth Opera was formed in 2013, to perform at the Teignmouth Classical Music Festival in March 2014.
The idea came from a meeting of performers looking for opportunities to sing and play opera in Devon and to involve local musicians.
We started from a base of nothing - no funds, just enthusiasm and determination. The performance of Dido and Aeneas was a great success and we were immediately invited back for 2015. We gave two performances of Mozart's Idomeneo in March 2015, and we continue to develop. Our third opera was Gluck's Iphigenia in Tauris at the 2016 Teignmouth Classical Music Festival in Teignmouth and in Chudleigh. We also gave a very successful supper concert at St Michaels Church, Teignmouth on 17th October 2015. Since then, we have presented two more concerts - this time with orchestral accompaniment, a "come and perform" weekend of Cavalleria Rusticana, and two more opera performances - Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito, and Rossini's Cinderella (both in English translations by Amanda Holden).
Our singers and players are drawn from Devon, Somerset and Cornwall (and beyond) and range in age from under 18 up to past retirement. We also offer places in the orchestra and chorus to talented young musicians from Torbay - supported by a donation from the Torbay Music Hub.
Our aim is to present affordable opera which is complementary to that offered by the large touring companies or the corporate opera pops, and which is approachable and enjoyable for those who are not already keen on opera. We also want to give performers opportunities at all levels. It is our policy to present our full length operas in English.
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Many thanks to David Henshaw for the photograph of Paignton Pier, showing the red sands of the beach here.
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