With over 2,000 people having attended the original From Couch to Chorus digital choir in the Summer, Opera North has put together a special Festive Edition starting next month. Ideal for singers who are missing their usual choral sessions, From Couch to Chorus: The Festive Edition is also suitable for beginners who would like to try and master some operatic repertoire from the comfort, and privacy, of their own living rooms.

From Couch to Chorus: The Festive Edition will comprise five weekly sessions led by a professional choral director over Zoom, with input from members of the Chorus of Opera North. Each one-hour session will be specifically prepared for four different voice types - soprano, alto, tenor and bass. No previous experience or ability to read music is required, and the Lifelong Learning team will be on hand to help people ensure they join the right group. For those who feel in need of a greater challenge, The Festive Edition has also been adapted to include a new Fast Track option where singers of all voice types will come together for two evening sessions with the chance to progress at a faster pace.

By the end, everyone will be able to sing excerpts from Puccini’s much-loved La bohème. In addition, the soprano and alto singers will have learnt the sublime ‘Evening Prayer’ from Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel, while the tenor and bass voices will be feeling suitably festive having mastered Sullivan’s ‘The Marquis de Mince Pie.’ The final session will bring all the singers together for an online festive concert, featuring the operatic repertoire they have been taught alongside a selection of Christmas carols.

To participate in From Couch to Chorus: The Festive Edition, people will need to register online where they will also find an option to contact Opera North if they would like help in determining their voice type. The sessions will be held on Wednesday and Thursdays over five weeks from Wednesday 11 November, with a culmination concert being held online on Monday 14 December.

See link below for further details.

NB: No deadline specified.