Tuesday 28 June 2011

Mill Hill Music Festival - Day 4 - The Charles Court Opera at Trinity Church

So after a brief night off, the Festival kicked back into life tonight with Opera at Trinity Church in Eversfield Gardens. This featured the superb Charles Court Opera. There were over 120 people in attendence and a truly marvellous night was had by all. It was the first time I'd been to the Trinity Church Hall for possibly 30 years and it is an excellent venue for such a do. It is small enough to be intimate, but well laid out with a decent car park and good transport links, having a bus stop right outside.

This event probably had the most London wide appeal, as we sold telephone booking tickets to people from all over London & the home counties. When people in Dulwich start booking for the festival we know we're doing something right. The venue suited the opera. People in the UK tend to associate Opera with expensive halls and ladies with pearls. In countries such as Italy it is the music of the masses. The Charles Court Opera are trying to re-establish that link. The program featured french, italian & Gilbert & Sullivan to name but a few. There were four singers and a pianist. I've been to Operas at the Royal Opera House, but this was a more intense and intimate experience. One day maybe we'll do an "Opera Picnic" with fireworks, I suspect that would work rather well, but what do I know I'm a rock and roller.

As Opera doesn't need a PA system, my role was limited to watching, eating peanuts and drinking beer. What better way to spend a wet Tuesday night in NW7 !

Tomorrow night, we are back to the Mill Hill Sport Club for the Jazz night. The Mill Hill Jazz Club are hosting the Geoff Mason Sextet. There are a few tickets left and it's £9 on the door (£7 to Jazz club members). It promises to be a good night. We've had 700 people attend the five festival events so far, all in small intimate venues, with every event having a minimum of 100 people in attendance. As an organiser, that tells me we are doing something right !

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