School appeal strikes a chord with opera singer (From Stroud News and Journal)

School appeal strikes a chord with opera singer

To raise funds for Wynstones School's new music hall project, world-renowned opera singer Sarah Connolly will perform a one-off concert at Stroud's Subscription Rooms this week. Reporter Sian Davies spoke to the mezzo-soprano at her Rodborough home about her impressive career.

NEW YORK, San Francisco, Paris, Berlin and Belgium are among the cities where opera singer Sarah Connolly, 42, from Rodborough has performed.

Despite being a big name in the opera world, mother-of-one Sarah, is a relatively unknown name in the Five Valleys.

But on Friday, September 23, she will be performing a one-off concert in Stroud's Subscription Rooms to raise funds for a new music hall at Wynstones School, Brookthorpe - where her husband was educated.

"It's very unusual to play in Stroud because there's not much of a classical music scene around here," she said.

All proceeds from the concert will be put towards the music hall project at the school, which will give pupils a chance to perform.

Sarah, who has been singing professionally since 1994, said she never intended to become a singer.

"I wanted to be a pianist and started training at the Royal College of Music," she said.

"While I was there I was encouraged to sing and became friendly with the singers - they were generally more outgoing than the pianists and seemed to have a lot of fun."

When Sarah left college she sang in choruses for a number of years before deciding to try a solo career.

Since then she has built a name for herself as a critically acclaimed opera singer, performing in roles as both men and women in some of the most prestigious opera houses in the world.

"I'm blessed with broad shoulders and a tall physique - which lends itself well to male roles," she said.

Sarah, whose two-year-old daughter Lily and husband Carl travel with her for work, has little time for hobbies due to her chaotic schedule.

"I do a lot of travelling for my job - I recently spent five weeks in New York doing the Metropolitan Opera - I came back to Stroud for a week before going to East Sussex for three months," she said.

Sarah was born and grew up in County Durham where she developed her love of music.

The concert starts at 7.30pm and will feature songs by Brahms and Gloucestershire composers Ivor Gurney and Herbert Howells.

For details contact the Sub Rooms box office on 01453 760900.