The Opera Piccola team all live locally, but there’s nothing amateurish, provincial – or, thankfully, in the least stuffy – about their performing style. For a start, they are first rate singers, and the accomplished acting is an unexpected bonus. The dramatic and comic potential of the music is exploited in a way that is hugely entertaining.
Wiltshire Times
Continuity between the extracts was maintained by Graham Billing – part narrator, part compère – whose ironic summaries of each opera was a performance in itself. Two soloists were particularly outstanding and ensemble work was consistently strong, making the whole evening worthwhile and enjoyable.
Bath Chronicle
Opera Piccola are winning themselves a reputation for being thoroughly unstuffy about a genre that has traditionally taken itself too seriously. They are superb singers and actors and it’s refreshing to find that they have a delightfully inventive style of presentation – and such a sense of humour! The evening was a lot of fun, demonstrating the combination of musicianship and acting talent that is Opera Piccola’s hallmark.
Wilts Gazette & Herald
Here is a vocal group that relies on hearty stage presence, good artistic direction and a sincere enjoyment of operatic works to get the message across. Each and every member put heart and soul into a well- rehearsed programme of arias and choruses. These pieces were well received, especially those from the more unusual repertoire.
Bath Chronicle
The audience were immediately aware that something exceptional was happening. Superb pure voices, and an undeniable sense of scene fulfilled expectations of a really captivating second half. The audience warmly appreciated this presentation, and applauded enthusiastically.
Journal de Gien (Loire Valley, France)
The performances were undoubtedly an outstanding success, as Opera Piccola conjured up an evening that no one had expected.The simple staging was so enhanced by the singers’ voices that most of the audience went home astonished. After studying the intricacies of the plot, the listeners were able to fully appreciate many funny scenes with wonderfully sung highlights, and difficult rhythms almost effortlessly executed.
Ostfriesland Kurier (North West Germany)
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