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Where are they now?

There is life after the NOC - sometimes our members have enjoyed themselves so much in our shows, they've ended up turning professional!

Here are just a couple of our old boys and girls ...

Peter Wedd

Peter began his grand opera career with us in the chorus of La Boheme in 1983, but left before taking any principal roles. At the time, he had an ambition to sing in musicals. We must have done something to him all those years ago! Peter seems to turn up everywhere these days up to and including the Royal Opera House. He's recently finished recording a new version of Turandot.

Helen Beechinor

Helen sang a number of roles with the New Opera Company including Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus) and the title role in Carmen prior to turning professional in 1999. Since completing her studies at the Royal Northern college of Music, Helen has worked principally with the Carl Rosa Opera, and has sung roles for Opera Femina, Rydale Festival, Grim’s Dyke Opera and University of Kent Opera and most recently performed at The Royal Opera, Covent Garden in Wagner’s Lohengrin.

Helen’s recent work schedule included last autumn's production of Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov for the Royal Opera House.

 

Ian Jervis o

Ian played a number of principal roles with us in the 1980s.With boundless adaptability, he sang everything from the tenor role of Goro in Madam Butterfly to the deep baritone part of Monterone in Rigoletto. Unsurprisingly, he's having a varied career on stage and TV, recently recieving a particularly glowing review in The Times for his title role in The Barber of Seville for Garden Opera (opposite). A DVD of his performance in an updated Boheme alongside Nigel Planer, broadcast on Channel 5, is due for release shortly, but in the meantime, catch him later this year in a radical new production of Falstaff.

 

Trevor Fearn

Our hugely popular principal tenor for more than two decades is currently enjoying a change of pace, returning to the work of Gilbert and Sullivan, for which he has a lifelong passion, alongside an impressive cast of professionals, as a member of Grims' Dyke Opera, at WS Gilbert's splendid former home in North London.

 

Other places to spot NOC singers ,old and new

Grims Dyke Opera Company

Three Counties Musical Society

Garden Opera

The Princess Suor Angelica.

Helen has also sung many Gilbert & Sullivan roles, including Tessa The Gondoliers and Ruth The Pirates of Penzance. For Grim’s Dyke Opera Co. (based at W.S. Gilbert’s former home) she performs Queen of the Fairies Iolanthe, Dame Carruthers Yeomen of the Guard, Buttercup HMS Pinafore, Pitti Sing The Mikado and Saphir Patience. For Carl Rosa Opera she has performed Katisha The Mikado, Guilia/Inez The Gondoliers and covered Queen of the Fairies/Phoebe Meryll/Tessa.

Concert work includes Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius and The Apostles, Mozart’s Requiem, Bach’s St John Passion, Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Stravinsky’s Pulcinella.

In January 2002 she performed the role of Lalume in our production of Kismet, and is delighted to be taking part in the Novello Festival.

Helen’s future plans include the Autumn production of Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

oles include Carmen, Prince OrlofsFledermaus, Amneris Aïda, Ulrica Un ballo in maschera, Maddalena Rigoletto, Rosina & Berta Il barbiere di Siviglia, Lucy Lockit The Beggar’s Opera, Mrs Noye Noye’s Fludde and The Princess Suor Angelica.

Helen has also sung many Gilbert & Sullivan roles, including Tessa The Gondoliers and Ruth The Pirates of Penzance. For Grim’s Dyke Opera Co. (based at W.S. Gilbert’s former home) she performs Queen of the Fairies Iolanthe, Dame Carruthers Yeomen of the Guard, Buttercup HMS Pinafore, Pitti Sing The Mikado and Saphir Patience. For Carl Rosa Opera she has performed Katisha The Mikado, Guilia/Inez The Gondoliers and covered Queen of the Fairies/Phoebe M’s Dream of Gerontius and The Apostles, Mozart’s Requiem, Bach’s St John Passion, Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Stravinsky’s Pulcinella.

In January 2002 she performed the role of Lalume in our production of Kismet, and is delighted to be taking part in the Novello Festival.

Helen’s future plans include the Autumn production of Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.