Saturday 28th April
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| "Swing it" Dudes |
Today was a big night on the
current tour, with the Opera Dudes appearing at the Thornbury Arts Festival.
This is the closest the Dudes have got to a homecoming for Tim, whose home town
is Bristol. We were unsure how the Festival had heard of the Dudes but all was
revealed when Artistic Director Liz Wilkins told us that she'd first heard
about the Opera Dudes in a snowstorm on top of a Tibetan mountain! Our fame has
spread far and wide....
We arrived early in the day
with more than enough time to enjoy the extensive delights of Thornbury in the
driving rain! We did pay a visit to the famous Riddifords Grocers, which was
apparently the inspiration for one of Neil's favourite comedy creations, Open
All Hours with Ronnie Barker. No sign of Granville but some d-d-d-delicious
looking f-f-f-farmhouse cheeses!
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Saturday's show was ‘Swing It’
- which includes our fantastic four piece band, Jimmy The Lip's All Stars, led
by the multi-talented Jim Stretton of ‘Brassed Up’ fame. These four guys - also
Iain, Percy and Richard - double up as a jazz quartet and a brass big band
section and bring a whole new dimension to the show. Great guys, great players
and seriously fancy ties!
We were performing at The
Armstrong Hall which, despite its rather tired 1970s aesthetics, is a really
nice venue, with an excellent stage and good facilities. People couldn't have
been nicer or more helpful and the band were delighted with the spread that was
provided; we didn't even get near the tin of chocolate biscuits. 
We were following on from
some pretty starry talent too; Evelyn Glennie earlier in the week and a quick
glance at the autograph book revealed previous performers included such names
as Stefan Grapelli, Heddle Nash and a certain Margaret Thatcher - apparently
she blew one hell of a trumpet (principally her own!)
The show went down a storm -
we certainly enjoyed it and the audience response, once they realised what they
were in for, got warmer and warmer. Admittedly they were a bit soft in
Thornbury - taking pity on poor beleaguered trumpeter Jim and feeling sorry for
Neil when Tim finally lost his patience with him, but then this is the West
Country.
Mind you, we had one or two feisty members; when Tim introduced the
character of the philandering Duke of Mantua from Rigoletto, one gentleman
piped up 'he can keep away from my wife!'
Great comments after the show
included 'this was the best night we've had in 23 years!' Many thanks too to Brian and Peter who did a
great job on the lights and sound.
The Opera Dudes New CD is now out and ready for sale!!
Follow this link for more details.
1. Come Fly With Me - Cahn/ Van Heusen
2. Because You’re Mine - Brodszky/ Cahn
3. Sway - Ruiz/ Gimbel
4. Recondita Armonia - Puccini (Tosca)
5. Volare - Modugno/ Paris
6. Prelude in C# Minor - Rachmaninov
7. Impossible Dream Medley - Leigh/ Darion
8. O Sole Mio - Di Capua
9. The Lady Is A Tramp - Rodgers/ Hart plus Allen/ Lole
10. E Lucevan Le Stelle - Puccini (Tosca)
11. Come Prima - Taccani/ di Paola
12. Buona Sera - Sigman/ DeRose
13. On The Street Where You Live - Lerner/ Loewe
14. Time To Say Goodbye - Sartori/ Quarantotto
15. Funiculi Funicula - Denza/ Turco
2. Because You’re Mine - Brodszky/ Cahn
3. Sway - Ruiz/ Gimbel
4. Recondita Armonia - Puccini (Tosca)
5. Volare - Modugno/ Paris
6. Prelude in C# Minor - Rachmaninov
7. Impossible Dream Medley - Leigh/ Darion
8. O Sole Mio - Di Capua
9. The Lady Is A Tramp - Rodgers/ Hart plus Allen/ Lole
10. E Lucevan Le Stelle - Puccini (Tosca)
11. Come Prima - Taccani/ di Paola
12. Buona Sera - Sigman/ DeRose
13. On The Street Where You Live - Lerner/ Loewe
14. Time To Say Goodbye - Sartori/ Quarantotto
15. Funiculi Funicula - Denza/ Turco
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