New Georgian Opera

In aid of

The Grand Pavilion Matlock Bath
and
The Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust

Saturday 3rd May 2014

Saturday saw the launch of New Georgian Opera in the magnificent setting of The Grand Pavilion at Matlock Bath. The sun shone as spinto soprano Meeta Raval, tenor John Pierce, pianist and Musical Director of NGO Kelvin Lim and I rehearsed in the huge and slightly scruffy concert hall. It was a thrill to test the acoustic of the hall and we were soon quite at home, once the lights had been turned on…although they seemed to be the same as those used for the Rock concert act the night before, so we were all bathed in a particularly loud pink filter!

Elisbabeth Stoppard at The Grand Pavilion

Our marvellous New Georgian artistic team arrived, in the form of Elisabeth Stoppard and Mike Susko (in full Georgian regalia), the red carpet went down, torcheres were lit and the stage was set for the music making in aid of these two great charities.

The Grand Pavilion is one of Derbyshire's great public buildings. It was once an Edwardian palace to the arts, gilded and grand. After years of decline, finally finding a use as a nightclub, it is now back as a venue for music and the arts.

John Pierce, Kelvin Lim and Meeta Raval

John Pierce

Kelvin Lim

                      Meeta Raval

                       Oliver Gerrish

The Derbyshire Hisroric Buildings Trust was set up in 1974, so this was the Fortieth Birthday party for the Trust. We were delighted that Allan Morrison introduced the show and that Barry Joyce and many of the DHBT were in attendance.

                          Kelvin Lim, Meeta Raval and Oliver Gerrish

The gala showcased many of the great opera works of the last three hundred years and we were thrilled to be performing to a full house.

                         John Pierce, Kelvin Lim, Meeta Raval and Oliver Gerrish

Allan Morrison, Elisabeth Stoppard and Barry Joyce of the DHBT

The New Georgian Opera team spent a great deal of time spreading the word about the plight of the Grand Pavilion and the DHBT, so it is to be hoped that this has gone a little way further to ignite people's imagination for this magnifienct former pleasure palace and Derbyshire's foremost architectural charity.

Meeta Raval and Shire, AKA Diva Dog

New Georgian Opera will next be performing at Gunton Park, in aid of the Eighteenth Century working sawmill there on June 21st. We will also be performing in Luxembourg at a special occasion on May the 25th, for the Tete a Tete Festival in London on 6th and 7th August and for the Arkwright Society at Christmas time.

These projects would not be at all possible without the great help and support of of families and friends and, in particular, Zuleika Parkin, our devoted secretary…and not forgetting Shira, our canine mascot…!





For more information on the amazing Grand Pavilion go to:-
http://www.thegrandpavilion.co.uk

For information on the DHBT please go to:-
http://www.derbyshirehistoricbuildings.org.uk

And on us at NGO:-
www.newgeorgianopera.co.uk