St. Endellion music Festival part 1

Here was our musical home, the St. Endellion Church, Cornwall for the 55th Summer Festival of Music. We all worked very hard to give wonderful performances during the 2 weeks of the festival.  4 regular orchestral concerts and 2 performances of the complete opera Carmen by George's Bizet were produced during this time. One of the concerts was repeated in the Truro Cathedral.The chorus was outstanding. Most of the chorus members are not full-time singers, but do sing regularly with ensembles during the year.  The vocal soloists were amazing as usual. My favorites came back from last summer - Roderick Williams (baritone) and Rachel Nicholls (soprano). Pamela Helen Stephen sang Carmen this summer. She sang the role perfectly. (Her late husband was Richard Hickox, former director of this festival.) The orchestra sounded good this year. It is a combination of professionals, very good amateurs and a smattering of music students. The violin sections changed personnel with players leaving early or coming late. We managed.  The audiences were enthusiastic and very supportive. Mostly full houses, especially for the orchestral concerts.