VARIOUS: OPERA BABES TURN CLASSICAL MUSIC ON ITS HEAD WITH COOL STYLE AND CROSSOVER SOUND

Record ID: 393160

  • Title: VARIOUS: OPERA BABES TURN CLASSICAL MUSIC ON ITS HEAD WITH COOL STYLE AND CROSSOVER SOUND
  • Date: 23rd January 2003
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK UNITED STATES (JANUARY 15, 2003) (REUTERS) SOUNDBITE (English) KAREN ENGLAND SAYING: "You do feel a bit precious sometimes, because even drinking alcohol because it can really dehydrate you and we both love drink but you have to be very careful when you have that, like last night. You have to watch it. America's quite good because there isn't much smoki
  • Embargoed: 7th February 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment,General
  • Reuters ID: LVA38QCHA0TXCFWJCMG5YOF7JF22
  • Story Text: From singing operatic arias amongst the buskers of Covent Garden to singing for the Queen, the Opera Babes have come a long way. The two sexy young British musicians are turning classical music on its head with their cool style and crossover sound.
    Rebecca Knight and Karen England started out singing operatic arias along with many other buskers (street performers) at London's Covent Garden Piazza before being "discovered."
    Reminiscent of a fairy tale, the duo went from street singing to performing at the 2001 FA Cup Final, at Buckingham Palace and signing a six figure album deal with Sony Music.
    Says Karen England,
    "We kind of met five years ago in an opera company and we did a bit of touring in North America.
    And just to stay in the country a while, we thought it would be nice to do a bit of busking, I think you call it street performing. It's like begging with a little basket and singing to anybody who would walk by."
    According to critics, their music serves a valuable purpose: passing classical music from generation to generation. Their debut album, "Beyond Imagination" consists of 15 tracks, selections from many classical and contemporary works. There is the stylish "One Fine Day" from Madame Butterfly, sung here with extraordinary grace.
    The debut collection represent a variety of styles from the classic opera of Bizet and Verdi, through the originally instrumental compositions of Dvorak and Tchaikovsky through to 20th century works by Morricone and Carl Orff. In each case, however, Opera Babes have made the songs their own and given each a modern twist while maintaining the operatic tradition.
    An extreme strain on the vocal cords, opera requires the girls to protect their voices. Says England, "You do feel a bit precious sometimes, because even drinking alcohol because it can really dehydrate you and we both love drink but you have to be very careful when you have that, like last night.
    You have to watch it. America's quite good because there isn't much smoking over here."
    So what has been the best part of the last two years? Says Knight, "We have done some fun things, really lovely events.
    We got to sing solo on stage at the Royal Opera House and we have been to the Albert Hall five or six times. We have sung for the Queen and we did the prom in the Palace. We have a fantastic concert schedule coming up in the U.K this summer.
    We have been given a lot of great opportunities."
    But despite the incredible opportunities that are now knocking on their door, the girls firmly believe that the excitement of busking is hard to beat.
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