Our vision is very simple

To allow people to hear great British operas that they may only have read about, by recording them, to the highest standards possible.

How we do it…

Research

We research the history of opera and related works in Britain’s richly varied musical theatre tradition.

Record

We make studio recordings with professional musicians, following original scores and texts as much as possible, and taking into account what we know of the composer’s intentions.

Release

We release our acclaimed recordings on CD and in streaming formats, accompanied by full texts and informative essays.

Our Team of Trustees

We obtain copies of the original materials, usually a manuscript score, and typeset it, straightening out inconsistencies and mistakes in the original, and sorting out anything that isn’t clear, and if a decision has had to be made, marking it in the score, so that the performers know exactly what the composer wrote, and what’s had to be adjusted.

Valerie Langfield

Andy H. King

David Chandler

Chris Wiley

Benjamin Hamilton

Research

 

These are not just high standards of performance, but also high standards of preparation of the performing materials.

 

We obtain copies of the original materials, usually a manuscript score, and typeset it, straightening out inconsistencies and mistakes in the original, and sorting out anything that isn’t clear, and if a decision has had to be made, marking it in the score, so that the performers know exactly what the composer wrote, and what’s had to be adjusted.

 

The consequence is that you, the audience, can trust that what you hear is what the composer really intended.

Record and Release

Our first opera, Smyth’s The Boatswain’s Mate, was released in August 2016, and our second, Burnand and Solomon’s Pickwick, together with George Grossmith’s Cups and Saucers was released in February 2017. Extracts from Loder’s Raymond and Agnes, were performed in Bath in October 2015, and the complete opera was recorded in October 2017, with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, conducted by Richard Bonynge. We recorded Smyth’s Fête Galante in November 2018 – Odaline de la Martinez conducted members of the Lontano Ensemble.