Major opera house in the Harborough district will stage six outdoor concerts over the next few weeks - here's the information

A major opera house in the Harborough district is to stage six outdoor concerts over the next few weeks.

Nevill Holt Opera (NHO) will put on the shows in the gardens of Nevill Holt Estate, near Medbourne, on Saturday August 29, Saturday September 5 and Saturday September 12.

Two performances are going to be performed on each date.

Reflecting the opera’s commitment to nurturing the most talented up-and-coming young singers in the UK, each concert will feature at least five of their young artists.

Each visit will last for two and a half hours.

Guests will be able to enjoy the 45-minute outdoor performance, explore the sculpture in the beautiful gardens and buy locally-sourced food and drink.

The opera’s Managing Director, Annie Lydford, said: “Despite the immense challenges of the last four months, we have tried to approach this summer as creatively as possible.

“From welcoming our NHO Members to a socially-distanced picnic in the Nevill Holt grounds serenaded by our fantastic Young Artists through to filling our theatre with art and sculpture so that it can operate as a gallery from the 4th July, we have tried to use what we have to bring art, music, culture and entertainment to people who have desperately missed it during lockdown.

“It is exciting now for us to be able to present a proper concert series, enabling paid work for our young artists and bringing live music to those who are so desperate to hear it.”

She stressed: “It matters to us that we are producing work and able to funnel our financial support through to the artists and freelancers who are particularly affected by the pandemic.

“Understandably, many organisations have been focusing on broadcasting well-known and established singers during this period.

“But we believe it is crucial to be supporting and employing those at the very start of their careers, too.

“We are so lucky to have access to the beautiful gardens at Nevill Holt.

“Our Artistic Director, Nicholas Chalmers, has deliberately chosen programmes that will fit perfectly in those very special surroundings.

“We are grateful to have access to performance spaces outside, and offer our continued solidarity with every organisation and individual who is not yet able to perform.”

WHAT'S ON

Saturday August 29: An English Country Garden (1pm-3.30pm entry, 2.30pm performance; 4pm-5.30pm entry, 5.30pm performance)

NHO Young Artists will entertain you with a selection of English Folksongs in arrangements by Grainger, Elgar, Parry and more.

Saturday September 5: Summer Shakespeare (1pm-3.30pm entry, 2.30pm performance; 4pm-5.30pm entry, 5.30pm performance)

NHO Young Artists accompanied by double bass and piano will sing the Birthday Madrigals by John Rutter and Songs and Sonnets by George Shearing.

These works are written in the jazz style using some of Shakespeare’s most famous texts.

Saturday September 12: Choral Music from the Renaissance (1pm-3.30pm entry, 2.30pm performance; 4pm-5.30pm entry, 5.30pm performance)

NHO Young Artists will sing a celebration of continental choral masterworks from the renaissance period, featuring works from top composers, including Gabrielli, Palestrina and Monteverdi.

Each event will be carried out with strict social distancing and hygiene measures in place.

These measures will be shared with all guests in advance – and the opera is grateful to people for carefully observing guidelines.

If guidance changes and it becomes necessary to cancel these outdoor concerts, all ticket buyers will receive a full refund.

Tickets are £35 each and will go on sale to NHO Members at 9am on Monday July 20 and open to general booking at 9am on Monday July 27, through NHO’s website (www.nevillholtopera.co.uk).

The opera is holding back 20 tickets for each concert for those it works with through its community and education programmes - and to people who may not otherwise be able to afford to come.

Further details on this will be shared shortly.

Nevill Holt Opera was founded in 2013 on the Nevill Holt estate as an independent festival with its own distinctive vision.