Cherry Potts, Writer

Category: Community

  • The performing bug

    It’s the last performance of Macbeth on Sunday and from previous experience I know we will have withdrawal symptoms.  I think it was after Elixir of Love that we bumped into fellow chorus members at the Maritime Museum and practical had a keening session on the subject of how bereft we felt. Years ago I…

  • Unsung heroes

    We’ve got a very good review for Macbeth in Opera Today, but I do have to take issue with one thing: While I’m sure the opera wouldn’t happen without Keith Murray’s support, the true heart, soul and backbone of the community opera projects reside in the main in one person: key go-to person and community…

  • Musical storytelling

    Last night, before the performance Chris Rolls (director) reminded us that it is easy at a second performance to think, right I’ve done that now, and to slacken off a bit. Don’t let it get comfortable, he said. Good advice.  We didn’t. However the advantage of having done a full performance with audience was that…

  • Macbeth first night shakes the walls

    Macbeth first night shakes the walls

    I don’t know how I didn’t notice in rehearsal, but when we are waiting in the dressing room, we can not only hear the overture, we can feel it, the drums and brass rumble through the floor and the walls shake slightly. I can only assume that they’d been holding back a bit until now!…

  • Reading at Brixton BookJam: Opera first night nerves

    First night nerves not about the Book Jam, but about the Opera which starts tonight (there are a very few tickets left – you’ll be sorry you missed it!) I was a bit uneasy about yet another night out in a week of performances, but thought, what the hell, I’ll ask to go on early.…

  • Spooky rehearsals

    Spooky rehearsals

    Chris Rolls (director) and Oliver Townsend (designer) have really gone for the supernatural and psychological in our production of Verdi’s Macbeth – lots of ghosts, spooks and blood. An Act III cameo role for 5 children as the Masters of the Earth warning Macbeth against MacDuff and setting im up with the Birnham Wood nonsense.…

  • The Scottish Opera

    Things are hotting up for the cast of Macbeth (Verdi), the latest production from Blackheath Halls Opera. We’ve met and heard all the principals, and we’re firmly off the book and managing to move and sing at the same time, though getting up from kneeling (to various kings – we get through a few) and…

  • Keats Festival 2013 opens

    Today is the first full day of the Keats Festival, which is held at Keats House, Keats Grove, Hampstead. I spent yesterday evening at the launch event, listening to the poetry of Jay Bernard (Demon’s in Hell go on strike, in the most visceral meaty bit of poetry I’ve heard in a long time, very…

  • Chorus Festival – South Bank

    Here are is a video clip and a photo of Vocal Chords doing their thing at the festival,- we were by the Mandela statue on Sunday at 1. We also sang in the opening event.           A and I went to two workshops – Sea Shanties on Saturday , and on…

  • Chorus

    This weekend I’m singing. OK I know, I sing all the time, but this is in public, and at the South Bank Centre. The magnificent Chorus festival, a fixture for several years now over the May Bank Holiday, is on from Saturday to Monday, with warm-ups, rehearsals, workshops and performances. YOU can join in! Download…