Come and see Heritage Opera's Barber of Seville

Well, we're half way through the tour of Heritage Opera's The Barber of Seville, and it is a rip-roaring production full of laughs and colour, even if I say so myself. If you live in the North West of England and haven't been to see it, please do try to come along to one of the remaining shows.

The cast is: Count Almaviva - Nick Sales 

Rosina - Melanie Lodge/Ailsa Mainwaring

Dr Bartolo - Richard Woodall

Don Basilio - Stephen Holloway

Figaro - Stephen John Svanholm

Berta - Sarah Helsby Hughes

Fiorello - Matthew Palmer

Musical director - Benjamin Cox

The remaining shows are: 

Brownsholme Hall, nr Clitheroe - Thurs 30th May, 7.30pm

Lancaster Grand Theatre - Friday 31st May, 7.30pm

St. George's Hall, Liverpool - Sat 1st June, 7.30pm

Nantwich Civic Hall - Monday 3rd June, 7.30pm

Lowther Pavilion, Lytham - Friday 7th June, 7.30 pm

If you want to book a ticket you can do so through the Heritage Opera website http://www.heritageopera.co.uk/the-barber-of-seville/

Early Morning Auditions - aaarrgghh!

So, today I have an audition for a leading UK company at 9.37am. Am I mad to be singing at that time of day?

I would normally not really be keen on auditioning so early. Ideally, I would be auditioning for them after lunch, which would give me a slightly better take-off stretch with getting mentally and physically prepared. But this time I specifically asked if I could get a super-early slot as I have to get back to Manchester for lunchtime to start the last week of rehearsals with Heritage Opera on their Barber of Seville (in which I'm singing Figaro).

So, what have I done to cope? Well, I didn't get an early night, as I was at a meeting till late, then sorting out some admin when I got home. Ideally I would have been in bed by 11, as I set my alarm for 5am and actually got up when it went off. At least I will have been up for four and a half hours by the time I sing. I'll have a warm-up after breakfast at about 8am for 15 minutes before I leave the house, and hopefully I will be on good form when I walk through the door to the audition room.

Then it's straight to Euston and onto the train, by way of a Costa coffee joint.

One thing is certain. I will sleep well tonight!