MEDIA RELEASE FROM CANTERBURY VOICES

Canterbury Voices is a co-operative of Christchurch Singers with all the skills necessary to present outstanding professional work. Christchurch is where their homes and hearts and there is always a desire for good music in this city.
Canterbury Voices intend to help satisfy that need with a variety of Concerts from Opera and Operetta to Classical Music Theatre repertoire.

It has grown out of an initiative taken in January 2007 by “Friends of Opera in Canterbury”, steered by Barbara Cottrell and Christine Negus. At that time Canterbury Opera had just announced the closing its doors and it appeared that there was going to be a huge vacuum in the normally very active and vibrant Christchurch Music scene.

Through 2007 the Friends organised concerts with help from Julian Anderson producing and directing, and assistance from supportive accompanists such as Alison Holden and Louise Clark. They were well attended and showed the performers not only that the public loved hearing the music, but that there was a niche for the type of concerts they were providing along side the larger organisations.
With the success and growth of Southern Opera a new Friends of Southern Opera organisation has been formed. The interim “Friends” had achieved its goal of providing a focus for opera-lovers in the transition and Canterbury Voices has developed to allow those singers the ongoing opportunities to perform and to grow as performers. Many of them also work with the larger Choirs and other vocal groups, but Canterbury Voices has and will allow them to showcase solo work as well as develop as artists by working with others in smaller ensembles.

Part of the work that Canterbury Voices has inherited from the “Friends” is to
sponsor of a student to the New Zealand Opera School in January 2008.
A scholarship was awarded last year (to Virginia Nichols) and will be an ongoing initiative to help to foster young talent in Canterbury.

Proceeds, after costs, of every concert given by the Group will be used to fund this scholarship and develop other ventures providing similar opportunities.
2008 and onward look to be exciting times for Christchurch’s Opera voices, and aficionados!

MID WINTER MOZART from “Canterbury Voices” at The Great Hall, Christchurch Arts Centre, 2-4 pm, Sunday 22 June is a small opera event featuring solos, duets and ensemble items from Mozart's operas, The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute and Cosi fan Tutte.
It is produced by Julian Anderson with pianist Alison Holden and Director David Allen.
The singers are Helen Charlton, Liesa Falconer, Virginia Nicholls, Jillian Bartram, Andrew Grenon, Ben Caukwell, Christopher Bruerton and Julian Anderson.
Proceeds will go towards a scholarship for a young Canterbury singer to attend the New Zealand Opera School.
Tickets: $35 from Ticketek (transaction fees apply).

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