A Night at The Opera
Monday 24th June 2019 at 8:00 pm

Richard Black’s work as a pianist takes in opera, the symphony orchestra, chamber music and song recitals. He has helped rehearse operas from Purcell to the 21st century. He is a familiar face at opera auditions, and he frequently accompanies students of every voice and instrument at colleges in London.

In performance, Richard has played for singers at Wigmore Hall and St John’s Smith Square, as well as in New York, Paris and Luxembourg. He has accompanied a wide range of instrumental works and played in a variety of chamber ensembles. He has accompanied on several CDs and has broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

Richard is also an experienced recording engineer, producer and editor.

Melanie Mehta has taken various solo roles in Light Opera including Josephine in “HMS Pinafore” & Adele in “Die Fledermaus”.  She has sung with large choirs in London & abroad.  Her solo Oratorio experience includes: Vivaldi Gloria, Haydn Nelson Mass, Donizetti Messa di Gloria and the Requiems of Brahms, Mozart & Verdi. She has sung with small ensembles including Myriad Singers, The Triptych Singers, The Dulwich Singers & Borough Chamber Choir singing at Choral Services & concerts at various venues including St David’s Cathedral (Pembrokeshire), Liverpool Cathedral (Anglican & Catholic) & Molières, Saint-Alvère & Trémolat in France.  Her Opera experience includes the role of Mother in Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel, a Witch in Verdi’s Macbeth (all with Midsummer Opera) & covering the Soprano roles in The Consul (Menotti) with Staircase Opera. Until moving to Devon in 2017, she was a regular performer at the St George’s coffee concerts.Melanie Mehta has taken various solo roles in Light Opera including Josephine in “HMS Pinafore” & Adele in “Die Fledermaus”.  She has sung with large choirs in London & abroad.  Her solo Oratorio experience includes: Vivaldi Gloria, Haydn Nelson Mass, Donizetti Messa di Gloria and the Requiems of Brahms, Mozart & Verdi. She has sung with small ensembles including Myriad Singers, The Triptych Singers, The Dulwich Singers & Borough Chamber Choir singing at Choral Services & concerts at various venues including St David’s Cathedral (Pembrokeshire), Liverpool Cathedral (Anglican & Catholic) & Molières, Saint-Alvère & Trémolat in France.  Her Opera experience includes the role of Mother in Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel, a Witch in Verdi’s Macbeth (all with Midsummer Opera) & covering the Soprano roles in The Consul (Menotti) with Staircase Opera. Until moving to Devon in 2017, she was a regular performer at the St George’s coffee concerts.

Mike Wells’ past roles include Macduff (Macbeth, Verdi) Oberon (Oberon, Weber), Tamino, The Duke (Rigoletto), Fenton (both Falstaff, Verdi and Merry Wives of Windsor, Nicholai), Lenski, Aeneas, Cyril (Princess Ida), Spalanzani (Hoffmann, Offenbach), Le Remendado (Carmen, Bizet), Riccardo (A Masked Ball, Verdi), Scaramuccio (Ariadne auf Naxos, Strauss) and Malcolm (Macbeth, Verdi). His most recent role was Almeric Tchaikovski’s Iolanta with Rose Opera. Mike also sings with various music clubs, groups and choirs around London, and with an acapella quartet. His next roles include Arbace (Idomeneo, Mozart) with Rose Opera and First Commissioner (Dialogue des Carmélites, Poulenc) with Midsummer O