Members' CVs!

Founder members of Avon Opera

Judi Walton   -    Mezzo Soprano

Judi is co- artistic director and founder member of Avon Opera.

Judi started performing at the age of seven and was brought up on a diet of G&S and Musicals. After gaining a drama degree in London where she also performed at the Royal Albert Hall for the MAYC, Judi taught in a range of schools and is now Head of Performing Arts at the Kingsley school. Judi has performed a range of roles including Tessa (The Gondoliers) Fiametta (Carmen) Jackie (Me and My Girl) and her quirkiest role Agnes (Mame) in a range of theatres across the Midlands including the RST Swan theatre and Main House.  Judi has been involved with over 150 productions either as principal performer or as technical support.  She has been directing local operatic societies since 1990 and directed the highly successful production of The Zoo and Cox and Box performed at Buxton International Festival August 2007. She was back on stage in The Boyfriend (April 2-5th 2008 Stratford upon Avon Civic Hall) and has agreed to direct Rugby Operatic for their 2009 production of Orpheus in the Underworld.

Claire Johnson     -    Soprano

Claire is founder member and co-artistic director of Avon Opera.

Claire trained at the Guildhall School of Music whilst studying for a BA degree in Music and Publishing in Oxford. She completed post graduate singing studies at the Birmingham Conservatoire with Pamela Cook and Howard Milner. Claire is in demand as a Midlands concert soloist and particularly enjoys the wide variety of roles she has played for local operatic companies. Favourite roles include Tatyana (Eugene Onegin) Konchaknova (Prince Igor) Carmen (Carmen) Susanna (The Marriage of Figaro). More recent roles have included title roles in Patience and Princess Ida as well other G&S leads at the Swan Theatre Stratford. 2007 saw Claire perform the role of Laetitia in the production of the Zoo and she maintains her considerable violin skills by performing with Beauchamp Sinfonietta.

Ian Walton – Baritone

Ian is the chairman and a founder member of Avon Opera.

Ian’s first performance was at the age of seven as pageboy to his father’s Mikado and in late 1970s was offered work with the D’Oyly Carte. Since then he has performed many roles in G&S and opera with many societies In the mid 90s Ian became principal baritone with Opera Severn, a semi professional group and worked with Maria Moll of ENO, Graham Jackson (conductor of Welsh National Opera) as well as other professional singers. Ian’s favourite roles include Figaro from the Marriage of Figaro, Escamillo (Carmen) and Pluto (Orpheus in the Underworld).After his successful performances of Thomas Brown and Mr Cox at the international G&S Festival in Buxton 2007, Ian has recently revived the role of Shadbolt for Astwood Bank Operatic's production of Yeoman of the Guard (March 2008). He is undertaking a cross Atlantic trip in his new boat Windborne. He left in May and is expected back on our shores sometime in July when he will then play the Pirate King for Tanworth in Arden.

Tim Johnson   -    Tenor

Tim is a founder member of Avon Opera.

Tim has sung a wide range of leading roles for many operatic companies within the Midlands area. Major roles in opera and operetta have included Schubert (Lilac Time) Sutton (White Horse Inn) Marco (The Gondoliers) and Remendado (Carmen). Tim has also taken leading tenor roles such as Hilarion, Frederick and Nanki Poo for Stratford upon Avon G&S society at the Swan Theatre Stratford.  Current plans include performing in the Magic Flute in February.

INVITED MEMBERS 

Jane Faulkner – Soprano

Jane sang in the Worcestershire area for years playing most of the Gilbert and Sullivan and light opera soprano roles. She made her professional debut with D’Oyly Carte Opera Company in 1993 and has played the roles of Celia (Iolanthe), Adele ( Die Fledermaus) Gabrielle(La Vie Parisienne), Juliette (The Count of Luxembourg). She has also sung with Opera Della Luna playing Tracey/Mabel (The Parson’s Pirates) Opera Severn playing Micaela in Carmen, The New London Savoyards, The Player’s Theatre Company, (national tour of The Boyfriend) Cunard and Swan Hellenic Cruises. After completing the national tour of Phantom of the Opera, Jane was invited to join the West End cast where she understudied and played Wardrobe Mistress/ Confidante for three years. Jane is also in demand for weddings and cabaret concerts and regularly joins with ex members of the D'Oyly Carte for concerts. Jane teaches singing at various schools in Buckinghamshire

Belinda Morley  -  Mezzo Soprano

Belinda trained professionally at the Royal Northern College of Music and she is in demand as a regular guest soloist for many local professional organisations including Armonico Consort and has  sung in a range of concerts around the UK and Europe  Recent solo engagements include Requiem (Mozart) St John’s Passion (Bach) and Messiah (Handel). Belinda teaches singing locally and is Head of Vocal Studies at the Kingsley School. In her spare time she runs “Little Larks” which takes movement and music into a variety of Day Nurseries and schools.

Joan Self  - Mezzo Soprano

Joan performs opera, musicals and concerts throughout the Midlands area. Favourite roles include the Fairy Queen (Iolanthe) which she performed in Seattle USA, Mad Margaret (Ruddigore) winning the 2003 Best Character Actress at Buxton International Festival and again in 2004 with Little Buttercup (Pinafore) which she later performed in Vancouver. Joan also won the Best supporting actress award for the 2004 Waterford International Music Festival for her performance as Madame Armfeldt in Sondheim's A Little Night Music. She has performed with Bel Canto, Severnside Theatre ensemble, Stratford upon Avon operatic and Cotswold Savoyards.

Alison York – Contralto

Alison has performed many varied roles with local groups. Among her favourites she lists Katisha (the Mikado) Fairy Queen (Iolanthe) Mercedes (Carmen) and Aunt Eller (Oklahoma). She has been a member of the CBSO chorus for  17 years and has sung in major concert halls throughout the world. Since 2000 Alison has appeared at the Sydney Superdrome for the Olympics and the Hong Kong Festival. Alison also enjoyed playing the role of Eliza in the Buxton production of The Zoo summer 2007

Alison’s most recent role was as Vera in "Mame"  (January 2008) Alison will join Ian and Mike in Pirates of Penzance playing the role of Ruth.

Michael Faulkner – Tenor

Mike is a very accomplished performer with extensive experience. His roles to date include most of the G&S tenor parts but he has also sung many operatic roles from Il Pagliacci, the Bartered Bride  to Rodgers and Hammerstein  and Beggars Opera. Mike works extensively in oratorio and concerts. Mike and Ian’s production of Cox and Box won the Worcestershire One act Festival and they have performed it twice at the prestigious Buxton Festival in the last four years. Mike played Sir Walter Raleigh in ‘Merrie England” March 2007 and followed that with his third performance as Box in the international Buxton Festival. Since then Mike is reviving his role of Colonel Fairfax for Astwood Bank's production of Yeoman of the Guard (March 2008) in addition to directing pantomime. He will play Frederick in Tanworth in Arden's version of the Pirates of Penzance in July.

Paul Carter – Tenor

Paul has sung with numerous societies in London, Wales and across the Midlands. He has sung most of the tenor G&S leads. Operetta and musicals include The Land of Smiles, Die Fledermaus,Carousel, South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof and Kiss me Kate.

Paul performed in Avon Opera’s Viennese Evening January 2006.

Michael Hawkins – Baritone

Michael studied singing at the Birmingham School of Music under the esteemed English baritone Frederick Sharpe. His 47 years in the business have included seasons with English National Opera, Scottish Opera and Opera North, extensive concert work and London West End Musicals. He also has happy memories of “adventures” as a member of the late John Hanson’s once famous touring company. More recently he has played countless baritone roles for many local societies.

Ann Parsons -   Opera accompanist

Brian Midgeley  - accompanist

Brian studied mathematics at St Catherine’s college Cambridge and the piano privately and then took up a teaching career. He gained professional piano teaching and performing qualifications, but a lifelong interest in piano chamber music and accompaniment led him to preparing and conducting over a dozen operas. Since 2001 he has been chairman of the Stratford upon Avon Chamber Music Society.

Avon Opera would like to extend their thanks to Brian for his commitment and hard work in accompanying them. His experience and considerable knowledge is much appreciated.

Maddy Evans - accompanist

Maddy first played for Avon Opera in December 2007 and is recognised as "one of the best accompanists in the area" (NODA winter 2007). In addition to her violin skills formerly as leader of Leamington Sinfonia, Maddy is the new MD of Stratford Operatic and her inaugural show is "The Boyfriend" (April 2nd - 5th)