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Belters and bohemians: Opera Locos @Sadlers_wells

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At the start of the Opera Locos performance, the announcement says that they really are singing. You could be forgiven for wondering that, given the amplification turns up the backing track and the voices so loud that you can't always tell what's real. But this is a mostly harmless and slightly eccentric blend of opera classics fused with the occasional pop classic. However, recognising the pop tunes would help if you were over a certain age. The most recent of them dates back twenty years. It's currently playing at the Peacock Theatre .  Five performers play out a variety of archetype opera characters. There's the worn-out tenor (Jesús Álvarez), the macho baritone (Enrique Sánchez-Ramos), the eccentric counter-tenor (Michaël Kone), the dreamy soprano (María Rey-Joly) and the wild mezzo-soprano (Mayca Teba). Since my singing days, I haven't recognised these types of performers. However, once, I recall a conductor saying he wanted no mezzo-sopranos singing with the s
Catching up Caught up with a former work colleague from Australia today. Over lunch discussed various sundry issues and gossip including: Had I stayed in my old job I would now be out of a job as the office is being shut down. Well there was no chance of that happening but it is nice to have it reaffirmed that every now and then one can make the right choice in life... It was a cold day today. I needed to have this pointed out to me as I work on the 10 deg rule. If it is above 10 deg then I am not cold, even if it is windy or wet. There is a difference between a café laté and a skinny flat white. The latter is not sold here but I had suggested that there was no real difference in London between the two, until ordering coffee after lunch proved me wrong. Swapping notes on the various artsy things we had seen. I pointed out that I was going to see On The Town again tonight as I had seen it previously in preview, and in the cheap seats. Had a much smarter seat in the stalls seco
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Scenes from Tottenham Court Road 22:36 - Billboard replacement works... 
Random acts of kindness On the tube on Sunday a woman took her shoes off and was moaning about the blisters they had given her to her partner. Suddenly from across the car a woman appeared with two band-aids and gave them to her. She then returned back to her seat... On Monday a woman ran into the car of F while it was parked on the street. The woman left a note detailing her insurance, registration details and a contact number. Tonight a woman asked me while I was grabbing a bite to eat whether she minded if she smoked. I said "No of course not!" Asking if I minded really constitutes as an apology since so many light up without asking if anybody cared... So life isn't always bad in the big bad city...
News: When the Hoff Drops in David Hasselhoff , star at large drops in at a Brixton pub last Saturday when they have a night called the Hasselhoff Scandal . The pub was disappointed that he is now favouring dance music to his old tunes, but there was general concensus that "the Hoff" is cool...
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Scenes from Notting Hill Gate 22:07 - Eastbound Circle Line 
News: Shocking news on the tube A power surge this evening bought most of the Tube network down ... London travelers can take heart however, as it was confirmed today that it is healthier to travel by tube than to travel aboveground. Sure there are particles, but they're made of iron not carbon... so that's all okay then... Conversation on the tube as Central line train pulls into Tottenham Court Road Driver (on speaker): The Northern Line has severe delays southbound due to a power surge. Customers are advised to seek alternate routes... Confused man sitting next to Paul: Excuse me... What about the Northern line? Paul: Well the southbound Northern line is out, but the northbound Northern line is still heading north At this point I quickly make my way out of Tottenham Court Road thinking that there is something for just numbering your metro lines...
News: Piano Man Big in the news tonight is the unfolding story of a man found on a beach in Kent who can't speak, but can play the piano . And he plays it very well. His clothing seemed to indicate that he was a concert pianist, but reports that he did not have any clothing tags have added to the mystery. Is he an illegal immigrant who removed the tags to confuse the authorities, or is he someone who shops for vintage clothing? Comparisons have been made to David Helfgott...
News: The Sith is the betht... Byo lightsaber You know it is going to be one of those nights when you see people walking around Tottenham Court Road carrying light sabers. They obviously had been at Leicester Square for the Mega Star Wars premiere , complete with Darth Vader and a bevy of stormtroopers. Ooh ahh! As tempting as the thought was to be to take a look at the freaks er fans, I decided to go to the gym instead. As for the movie, the Guardian panned it , but hinted that the movie may become a camp favourite liking Hayden Christensen's performance in going to the dark side to Princess Diana's performance on TV - head down, looking up through lowered brows and all... It would have to be worth the price of admission just to see that... Bobbies and Stormtroopers clash at Leicester Square here... Overheard at the gym tonight Muscle Mary (on phone): Oh yes... Yes. Yes yes yes. Yeasss. Yes. Yes. Yes. Ah no.