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The company
The company was founded in Haslemere, Surrey, in May 1984 as Opera Omnibus and became a Registered Charity in 1985 and a Company Limited by Guarantee in England and Wales from 1986. The company rebranded itself as Opera South in the first years of the 21st century.

Opera South aims to

• enable emerging professional and advanced student singers to gain invaluable performance experience at the start of their careers
• present fully staged productions, especially lesser known operas, in the south of England, mainly in Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire
• present galas and concerts, masterclasses, lectures and children's workshops in order to strengthen its involvement with the wider community
• perform high quality productions in new English translations subtly brought up to date, so that audiences may both understand and fully appreciate them

Since 2005 the company has been supported by the renowned Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra plays at the fully staged productions which are held annually in February at the Haslemere Hall, conducted by Tom Higgins, our Director of Music. Productions also benefit from professional lighting, costume and set designers and a well-trained chorus.

In 2007 Opera South received support from Awards For All.

History of Opera South

The founder members included Ian Tribe, a hard-working impresario and organizer (appropriately, the very first production included Mozart's one-act piece about such a man) and his wife Margaret, a talented soprano.

The company was much encouraged early on by Colonel and Mrs Betty Whitbread, who generously opened their Haslemere home for fund-raising events. Betty Whitbread was founder President until her death, after an accident, in June 2000.

Geoffrey Ramsden, a retired local professional man, sang with the Chorus, and worked hard for the company over many years from the beginning. He helped in countless ways including serving on the committee, doing everything in the office from accounts and legal business to typesetting of publicity and programmes, and hosting the final night after-show parties. Uniquely, he also served in both the top offices.

Locally based architect John Braithwaite has served both as Chairman and as the company's Artistic Director. He continues as our Artistic Director and is also a Vice-President of the company.

Anthony Ramsden replaced John Braithwaite as Chairman in 2005. A local solicitor and Deputy District Judge (County Court), he was a founder member of Opera Omnibus, and has sung in the chorus throughout its 22 years of successful development.

Adèle Leigh Enderl became President in 2001 but, sadly, she died suddenly, just three years later.

We were greatly honoured when the extremely distinguished and world-renowned Philip Langridge, CBE, accepted the Presidency in 2005. Philip and his wife Ann Murray, Hon DBE, always supported the company and Philip remained president until his death on 5th March 2010.

Ann Murray is a Vice-President, together with another international soprano, Lillian Watson.

A launch pad for singers

Many aspiring young singers have sung with Opera South and gone on to pursue successful careers. As a student, Garry Magee, for example, sang the role of Eugene Onegin, in 1992, and went on to sing Pelleas and Don Giovanni at the English National Opera. He has since established an international career.

Following the fully-staged production of Moniuszko’s The Haunted Manor (Straszny Dwór ) in 2001, two of the lead singers, Grant Doyle and James Edwards, joined the Vilar Young Artists at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and now sing leading roles at the Royal Opera House and with English National Opera. About that time, a modern adaption of the short Weber opera Abu Hassan (renamed Andrew McCann and updated to a University squat) was performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to much acclaim. Two years later, the production of Bellini’s Beatrice di Tenda was highly praised by the Times Critic in the Daily News Review.

Beatrice di Tenda, Opera South production 2003

Among many other singers who have become well-known since singing with Opera South are: Dominic Barrand, William Berger, Rebecca Bottone, Ashley Catling, Catriona Clark, Sean Clayton, Michael Dewis, Alistair Digges, Jared Holt, Jennifer Johnston, Alla Kravchuk, John Lofthouse, Catherine May, Geraldine McGreevy, Eliana Pretorian, Jonathan Pugsley, Rebecca Ryan, Mark Stone, Nathan Swift, Håkan Vramsmo, Nicholas Watts and Alice Woodbridge.

Click here for a full list of artists.

See The Past for details of past operas and events, galleries of photographs and press reviews.

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Opera South incorporating Opera Omnibus (founded in 1984) Registered Charity No 1057907
Company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No 3243724

© Opera South