The company
Based on the borders of Surrey, Hampshire, and West Sussex, Opera South presents operas, particularly lesser known operas, of real artistic merit.
The company was founded in 1984 as Opera Omnibus and was soon both incorporated as a limited company and registered as a charity . The company rebranded itself as Opera South in the first years of the 21st century. For more details, see the company history.
Aims
Opera South aims to:
- enable talented young singers (professional and advanced student) to gain performance experience at the start of their careers
- present fully staged operas, often those lesser known, in the south of England
- increase access to high quality opera by also presenting galas and concerts containing scenes and arias from opera and operetta, plus lectures and workshops throughout the region
- encourage community involvement in a vibrant and challenging activity
- introduce children to the pleasures and potential of opera and music theatre.
A very high standard of enjoyment is achieved with professional lighting, costume, and set design and a highly trained chorus. The company also occasionally performs in London or elsewhere.
The orchestra
The renowned Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra joined the company in 2005 and plays at the fully staged productions held annually in February at the Haslemere Hall, with Tom Higgins, our Director of Music, conducting.