History

Opera da Camera was formed in 1981 as a small professional opera company and registered charity. The original objectives were to provide opera performances for children and young people, and opera for all, of high quality at modest cost, and to take opera to areas and venues where this art form is seldom seen. Opera da Camera developed as a small-scale touring group to perform rare operas as well as some of the more standard repertoire, excerpts and concerts performing not only in various theatres and at festivals, but also in unusual venues for opera.

Operas and Venues

Venues have included churches, stately homes, a puppet theatre, a marquee and a shopping centre as well as theatres. The company’s repertoire has included operas by Mozart, Donizetti, Rossini, Bizet, Ravel, Walton, Berkeley, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Puccini. Conductors have included Norman Beedie and Derek Barnes, with directors Jeffrey Davies, John Dane, and David Gwyn Harris. Concerts of opera excepts and concert versions have also been presented, with piano accompaniments.

Education Work and Summer School

From the early years, the opera productions were cast with a combination of experienced performers along with young professional singers to provide them with performing opportunities and experience. Singing teachers and singers working with local teachers also became involved in opera productions and concerts, including John Aplin, Margaret Norden, Diana Stuart, and Jeffrey Davies. Opera da Camera became keenly interested in promoting and providing music education, and in 1989 founded the East Anglia Music Summer School at the University of East Anglia.

The East Anglia Summer Music School

The School provides training for adult singers of any age, amateur or professional, and also piano accompanists, with masterclasses, workshops and individual tuition in opera and a wide range of recital repertoire. Teachers and tutors have included Paul Bateman, Angela Bostock, Kenneth Bowen, Teresa Cahill, Janice Chapman, Jeffrey Davies, Roderick Earle, Derek Hammond-Stroud, Glenville Hargreaves, Ian Kennedy, Mary King, Ellis Keeler, Sarah Leonard, Joy Mammon, Paul Bateman, Ian Partridge, Jennifer Partridge, Michael Pilkington, Elizabeth Ritchie, Anthony Roden, Betty Roe, Antony Saunders, Diana Stuart, Dennis Wicks, Mark Wildman, Hazel Wood and Rae Woodland.

Follow the link to see details of the  East Anglia Summer Music School 2011 to be held in the University of East Anglia Drama Studio and Music School. Application forms may be downloaded, or applications can be received by e-mail.

The Opera da Camera Charity

All funds received by Opera da Camera are used for educational work or, when specified, for opera or concert performances. The organisation is a non-profit opera company and registered charity (no. 283855).