Royal Opera Chorus
The singers and staff of The Royal Opera Chorus company.
Staff
Lee Bamford
Rosie Purdie
Sopranos
Tamsin Coombs
Stephanie Louise Edwards
Esther Mallett
Caroline Modiba
Eleanor Pennell-Briggs
Emma Smith
Helen Withers
Contraltos
Madeleine Mitchell
Cari Searle
Marianne Vidal
Miranda Westcott
Tenors
Patrick Ashcroft
Alex Baker
Simon Davies
Mark Guerin
Alex Haigh
Tim Parker-Langston
Richard Monk
Basses
Eugene Dillon-Hooper
Charbel Mattar
Thomas Nießer
About the Chorus
The Royal Opera Chorus was created in 1946 for the re-opening of the Royal Opera House after World War II. Known then as the Covent Garden Opera Chorus, it first appeared during December the same year in Purcell's The Faery Queene, staged together with Sadler's Wells Ballet (now The Royal Ballet). Its first full-scale opera production was Carmen in January 1947.
Since 1947 the chorus has been the backbone of The Royal Opera, performing in an average of 20 productions each season, in a wide repertory ranging from Baroque through to newly commissioned works. The chorus is frequently augmented by as many as 60 freelance singers when larger productions are mounted.
As most operas are performed in the original language (Italian, French, German, Russian, Czech) the chorus works closely with language coaches during the rehearsal period. Due to the brevity of production runs (six or seven performances) the chorus will often be performing in two or three productions in the evenings while rehearsing one or two other productions during the day and also learning the music of several other operas, all at the same time.
Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation, a charitable company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales (Company number 480523) Charity Registered (Number 211775)