23/04/2024
A quick history of Matchbox Opera….
The group started way back in 1969, as Neville Park Opera, and became Matchbox in 2003, when King Charles The Martyr Hall became both the rehearsal and performance venue.
The first Matchbox Opera production was Rigoletto in 2002.
In 2004, it was Nicolai’s The Merry Wives Of Windsor, in which some of our concert singers appeared, with Mark singing Falstaff… and lots of shenanigans with wicker baskets…. and a trellis.
Then it was The Magic Flute in 2005 followed by Smetana’s The Bartered Bride in 2006.
In 2007 was the first Carmen, when yours truly joined the group. Quite pleased I did….
We then went on to produce Donizetti’s The Elixir Of Love in 2008 and Rossini’s Le Comte Ory in 2009, both featuring Mark.
In 2010 Mark sang the title role in Don Giovanni, followed by Marcello in La Boheme in 2011.
We returned to Mozart in 2012, with Cosi Fan Tutte, with Mark singing Don Alfonso, and in 2013 Matchbox decided to branch out…
Our production of Tosca was taken to 4 churches local to Tunbridge Wells, with Mark singing the evil Baron Scarpia. As our tour was so successful, we continued to tour, the next being the second Rigoletto in 2015, when Mark sang the title role.
On to 2016, and we returned to Carmen, with Mark singing Zuniga… and our guest tenor Richard sang Don Jose.
In 2017 was Matchbox’s second Magic Flute, with Mark singing Papageno, and in 2018 we returned again to La Boheme, with Mark once more singing Marcello, Richard as Rudolpho, Rebecca singing Mimi and me singing Musetta.
Our final production, although we didn’t realise it at the time, was The Marriage Of Figaro in 2019, with Mark singing The Count.
Then, of course, came 2020…and production ceased, although the group very much stayed in touch.
And here we are, this being the first time that we’ve sung together in over three years. We are of course, devastated that we are doing so without Mark, but we hope that this concert may not be a stand alone, with the possibility of it becoming an annual event, enabling us to always keep Mark in our memories.
Photo… from somewhere way back in time… with Mark front and centre at the Church hall in the annual concerts that Matchbox produced back then.
Matchbox Opera Concert
Saturday April 27th 7pm
King Charles The Martyr Church, Tunbridge Wells
Make sure the date is in your diaries!
The concert is non ticketed, no need to book, but donations can be made at any time,
just go to our donations page on the Mental Health Resource:
https://www.mentalhealthresource.org.uk/fundraisers/matchbox-opera-concert
Mental Health Resource
