Hi all, this is my first venture into Viva Voice (cos I can't sing myself!) but I thought you might like to hear about this....and anyway Katyjay hinted that she'd like to hear about it

The English Touring Opera are putting on a touring festival of baroque opera between now and December. They will be putting on performances of Monteverdi's Orfeo, Cavalli's Erismena, Handal's Tolomeo, and Purcell's Dido & Aeneas and Jephte. They will be playing at (in order) Hackney, Cambridge, Exeter, Canterbury, Crawley, Lincoln, York, Snape Maltings, Buxton, Ulverston, Malvern, and Bath.

I went along to Hackney Empire last night, to see the production of Cavalli's Erismena. I've never even heard of him before but it was wonderful - the story was complicated but very enjoyable, and the simple set and costumes worked beautifully. The singers were all fantastic, especially the lead soprano, and the tiny pared down orchestra (just 2 violins, 1 cello, 1 bass, recorder player, harp, harpsicord, and a theorbo) was heavenly. I wish I could write more critically about the singing for you, but I know nothing of singing other than that it sounded very beautiful to me

What absolutely made my night was that one of the violins was an old schoolfriend who I have not seen in 13 years, since I went to university and she left for the Purcell School.....in fact it was the girl whose playing inspired me to take up violin lessons during the last few months I was at school!!! I just settled into my seat before the performance started, looked up, and there she was waving at me....it was so brilliant to see her again, we were able to catch up during the interval and we're going to keep in touch via email I still can't believe it's been 13 years; when we were chatting it was like I'd only seen her a couple of weeks back.

I'm going back next week to see Dido & Aeneas.....and that's going to be even more amazing because another girl who was at our school with us will be singing the part of Belinda! I didn't know this girl as a friend, but remember her because she was already an amazing singer at 15 and would sing at all our school concerts. Wow....by the way, it's not like we went to an amazing private school or anything, it was just a state grammar!!!

If anyone fancies joining me for Dido & Aeneas on Saturday, or would like details of the tour dates/performances, just drop me a PM

Toni

I'm going to see Tolomeo in Exeter in a few weeks time. Really looking forward to it. Wanted to see more, but too far and too expensive!

Glad it was good.

I wanted to see Tolomeo too, it's on this Friday in Hackney but I have a prior engagement I'm thinking of going to see it in Cambridge though....and the Monteverdi, which I missed here.

I'm very tempted by Tolomeo in Cambridge too. I've just got to pursuade my hubby to either babysit, or come too and sort out a babysitter.