In the first half the company turns its attentions for the first time to the music of Handel, including arias from Radamisto, Tamerlano, Rodelinda, Giulio Cesare and Semele. It then unveils some exquisite arias from Haydn’s neglected operatic output before concluding with a Mozart selection, culminating in the delightful trio from Der Schauspieldirektor, in which two prima donnas spitefully compete for the limelight.

Nurturing and providing performance opportunities for outstanding young artists is central to the work of the Classical Opera Company, and many of the singers that it has worked with in the past are enjoying high-profile international careers – three of its inaugural Associate Artists, for example, can be heard on the main stage at Covent Garden this Spring (Anna Leese and Andrew Staples in Die Zauberflöte and Rebecca Bottone in Harrison Birtwistle’s The Minotaur).

The three current Associate Artists have appeared with the Classical Opera Company regularly over the past few months. Allan Clayton participated in the company’s acclaimed new recording ‘The A-Z of Mozart Opera’, Rebecca Ryan sang Cherubino in its recent production of Le nozze di Figaro and Sophie Bevan made her Wigmore Hall debut with the company in January. All three artists appeared in The First Commandment at Wilton’s Music Hall last autumn, a project designed specifically to develop young artists. They are already attracting the attention of major opera companies and Allan makes his Glyndebourne debut this summer singing the title role in Albert Herring.

Further details available on:

www.classicalopera.co.uk

www.wigmore-hall.org.uk