Carmina Burana & Opera Concert - November 2004 Singers' Charity Boost On Sunday November 21, the Kentish Opera chorus took a break from performing in operas at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley. Instead, they joined the Kentish Opera Orchestra, the Bromley Philharmonic Choir, the Bromley Boy Singers and the Carroll Singers for a very special event at Croydon's Fairfield Concert Hall. The Primrose Foundation is committed to the fight against breast cancer in the Bromley area and wants to build a new centre on part of the old Farnborough Hospital site. To help raise money for the venture, Kentish Opera led an initiative to perform Carmina Burana, Carol Orff's magical, powerful, but sensual setting of poems found in an old Bavarian Abbey in 1803. The main theme is called O Fortuna which has now become one of the most popular chorus pieces ever written. You don't have to be a music lover to recognize its drive and passion that accompanies many television commercials or any activity that needs to make an instant impact. The concert hall was virtually full for the event which also included extracts form popular operas and, not surprisingly, Nessun Dorma was greeted by rapturous applause. Sung by tenor Paul Badley, it was an impressive performance. For the main work, both the tenor and the baritone, Paul Napier-Burrows, are expected to perform a few vocal gymnastics that were handled with great vocal skills. Together with soprano Yvonne Patrick, the trio brought truly professional skills to the event. The choirs and orchestra were conducted by Robyn Sevastos whose enthusiasm and skill ensured and inspired performance of the Orff work. Information about the Primrose Foundation can be found on its web site. Log on to www.primrosefoundation.org.uk. Kentish Times December 2nd 2004