“It’s not what you expect when you’re coming in for a glass of rosé,” says Cat Wellington.
She’d come to The Charles Holden pub in Colliers Wood for a catch up and drink with her friend Nick Cowling and ended up with a front row seat to an unexpected opera performance.
From lively cafés to quiet corners of local libraries, unexpected venues across Merton, Croydon and Wandsworth are being transformed into intimate opera stages this summer.
The performers, all trained opera singers and musicians, want to break down barriers and bring the magic of opera to new audiences, especially children and families enjoying the summer holidays.
“It was mental; brilliant, but mental,” Cat told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
The initiative is the brainchild of Baseless Fabric Theatre, a Wimbledon-based and community-focused troupe known for blending accessibility with high-quality performance. Their modern reimagining of The Elixir of Love, in which the geeky Nemorino tries to win the love of his crush Adina, will pop up in public spaces throughout July and August.
“It’s been wonderful seeing the reaction of people who didn’t know they were going to be experiencing a bit of opera this afternoon,” said Joanna Turner, Director of The Elixir of Love. “There were kids with their mouths wide open, not believing the sounds coming out of our performers’ mouths.”
Ms Turner spoke to the LDRS after the group’s first performance of the run on in Colliers Wood on Thursday afternoon (July 24). This performance wowed shoppers inside Marks & Spencer before the performers, led by the group’s own brass duo, made their way into The Holden, which is opposite the Tube station.
Putting its wet weather plans in place, the group set up to perform its final act in the foyer of Colliers Wood Library. At this point, the performers had attracted a crowd of intrigued onlookers, including a number of young children with their parents on the first days of the school summer break.
Colliers Wood parents Patrick and Jessica Murphy had seen Baseless Fabric’s previous performances across London, but had no idea they would be seeing another one with their young child last week. “It’s just such a nice thing to have in our town,” said Jessica.
Ms Turner, who reworked the Elixir of Love tale for a modern audience, believes shock and surprise are key to street opera. She told the LDRS: “You can’t do a dress rehearsal for street opera. It all depends on what can happen on the day.
“It’s like a flashdance, but for opera. There are no other opera companies that are doing this.”
Credit: Harrison Galliven
Baseless Fabric’s performances are, in their own words “for people who might not otherwise get to experience them, or who simply need a little moment of awe in their day”.
They regularly work with schools and care homes, and are committed to embedding their work in their local South London area.
Wandsworth Council has given the group grant funding, while Croydon Council has provided organisational advice for its town centre performances. The group will also be performing at the newly refurbished Mitcham Bandstand on August 9, in an event put on by Merton Council.
The LDRS even spotted Mitcham Cricket Green Councillor and former Civic Mayor of Merton, Gill Manly, in the crowd during the Colliers Wood performance. Cllr Manly, a singer herself, told the LDRS: “We need more live music like this in Merton, there is nothing like hearing real instruments and real voices.”
The Elixir of Love is running street opera performances from July 24 to August 10; find out if they will be performing in your town here. They are also putting on a run of paid shows at East London’s Arcola Theatre, where audience members will be able to watch an extended version of the show.
