Classical music fans especially Opera fans are in for a treat when the Menaka Singers Opera Ensemble together with Barbara Segal Opera, stage another concert at the Russian Cultural Centre on Wednesday November 21 at 7.30 p.m. The guest artiste will be the acclaimed British Baritone Christopher Thornton-Holmes. He will also, for the benefit of our singers be conducting master classes during his stay in Sri Lanka.
The program for the evening will include some of the well loved arias such as Deh vieni alla finestra, The Catalogue Aria from Don Giovannia, Una Parola Adina from Elisir d’Amore, Dunque io son from the Barber of Seville, Voiche Sapete from the Marriage of Figaro, Che Gelida Manina from La Boheme amongst others.
The other soloists for the evening are Rachael Halliday (Mezzo Soprano), Samali Liyanage (Soprano), Jehani Gamlathge (Soprano), Hiruni Perera (Mezzo Soprano), Nishantha Warnakulasuriya (Baritone), Emesh Wijewardena (Tenor) and Ravindu Perera (Baritone).
A graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester where he obtained the Diploma in Professional Performance, Christopher Holmes began his career with Glyndebourne Festival and nurtured his craft working with Bernard Haitink and Director Sir Peter Hall. Since his first role as one of the four Lackey in Der Rosenkavalier conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, Christopher Holmes has performed in many opera presentations including those at the Royal Opera Covent Garden, the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, London, recorded for DVD and television. With Barbara Segal he toured to Indonesia and the Middle East as Pinkerton in Puccini’s ‘Madama Butterfly’.