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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

Idle bar chatter... Friday

Paul : Do you think those two are together? J : Who? Paul : That old guy and that young boy over there… J : Yes they are. Paul : Because…? J : Because they are wearing the same sort of shirts and the older one is being protective of the younger one… Paul : Like by giving you those death stares he is doing right now because he knows that you are talking about them… J : Exactly! Paul : I don't know what he is worried about… They both look shocking who would want 'em??

Scenes from Brompton Cemetery Saturday 14:42

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DSC02343r Originally uploaded by Pauly_ . There's nothing more refreshing than soaking up the sun lying on a couple of gravestones. Londoner's can't get enough of it...

Scenes from Leicester Square Thursday 20:05

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Scenes from Leicester Square Thursday 20:05 Originally uploaded by Pauly_ . The square post premiere of the new Superman movie... Not as popular as a Tom Cruise flick...

Scenes from Kennington Tube Tuesday 23:57

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Scenes from Kennington Tube Tuesday 23:57 Originally uploaded by Pauly_ . After having a few sensible vodkas catching up with J fromAustralia, snapping photos of nice looking people was one way to pass the time waiting for the next southbound tube... Oh and the gentlemen centre was inspecting his abdominals. He must work out. The 6-pack is popular in London for those who don't eat chocolate, drink beer, eat pizza and spend most of their free time in the gym perched atop a swiss ball. I don't have one. I still eat a little bit of chocolate...

Overheard in Covent Garden Monday 21:48

American woman : Yeah it was like… It was like… It was like… It was like… It was like… Ffffuck! Man : Yeah?

Scenes from outside Costa...

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Scenes from outside Costa... Originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Some people chose to listen to the match rather than watch it (that way they could photograph everyone from their rather good seats outside Costa coffee...) Oh and hopefully this answers the request for more photos of Paul in London locations... Well... It's a start...

Scenes from Old Compton St Soho Sunday 19:56

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DSC02307 Originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Old Compton Street becomes and extended viewing area outside Pulcinella where there is a tv facing out on the street...

Scenes from Soho Sunday 18:25

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DSC02255 Originally uploaded by Pauly_ . The World Cup final still had over half an hour before it started but it was ground zero for fans who were shouting EEE-TAL-YA, EEE-TAL-YA, EEE-TAL-YA... Having a three syllable name for a country makes it all the more exciting really...

Scenes from Bedford Square Sunday 18:09

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Scenes from Bedford Square Sunday 18:09 Originally uploaded by Pauly_ . WC1 is home to many beautiful squares. This one - Bedford Square - is famous for its historic homes and crack dealers . The square has just been tarted up a little as well...

Scenes from Piccadilly Circus Saturday 23:56

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Scenes from Piccadilly Circus Saturday 23:56 Originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Piccadilly Circus is popular around midnight if you are lost, drunk, trying to get a mouldy hamburger from Burger King or all of the above. Speaking of mouldy food (or perhaps food with a bit of tarmac on it), I nearly got knocked down at Cambridge Circus by a flying hotdog stand. Two men obviously desperate to avoid Westminster Health Inspectors, raced across the road with cart of sizzling sausages and nearly crashed into me. In their haste they also let a tray of hot dog buns fly across the road. Somehow before the lights changed they managed run back and pick the buns off the road before the traffic could mow them down... They were last seen heading east on Shaftsbury Avenue with buns back on cart ready for unsuspecting diners towards Holborn...