Q&A with the Chorus
Chorus Member of the Month
Long standing member of the Chorus, Baritone Edward Thornton, tells of his passion for music, languages and rehearsal rituals.
Edward Thornton
Chorus role: Baritone
Time with company: 30 years
What made you want to sing and how old were you when you made this decision?
From the age of 15 and having sung in a church choir for some years, I knew I wanted to be a professional singer. I was in a local church choir when my voice broke and I realised it was usable. From then I went onto Cambridge, where I studied Modern Languages and was also part of Trinity and Kings College choirs. I learnt more about music in these choirs than anywhere else.
How did you get involved with Opera North?
While touring with ENO I heard of auditions being held for a new opera company, I went along in May 1978, started in October 1978 and have been here ever since…
Opera North Highlights?
The team work and singing as an ensemble. Also at Opera North we have the opportunities to play supporting roles and covers. Although we are a team, in each performance we are individual faces in the crowd and each have a character which our costumes are tailored to.
Is there a particular composer or an opera you enjoy performing in?
There are several; Mozart, Verdi, Janáček and Benjamin Britten especially. Specific operas I have enjoyed being in are Prince Egor in 1982, Boris Godunov in 1989 and most recently The Adventures of Pinocchio 2007, which was great fun, with comedy, tragedy and an overall flawless performance.
Which opera are you most looking forward to this season?
Don Carlos by Verdi is one of my favourite operas so I am very much looking forward to that. It is also great to work with an extended chorus, we are a very supportive team and we pride ourselves on welcoming visiting artists.
How long before a performance do you have to rehearse?
It depends on how difficult the music is to learn. For the upcoming Spring season we received the music in February, so three months prior to the performance. For an opera such as Skin Deep, which was very technically difficult, we got the music 6 months before.
How do you prepare your voice?
I always do vocal exercises in the morning, I don’t worry about colds, I carry on regardless.
Is it hard to sing in different languages?
Because I studied French and Spanish at Cambridge University and Italian and German at the Royal College of Music, I really enjoy languages, so singing in different languages isn’t a problem for me. In fact I embrace it and love the fact that Opera North does a varied range of operas in different languages. I enjoy singing in French most so I am looking forward to the French composer, Massenet’s Werther next year.
Any advice for an aspiring opera singer?
Just go for it. Try hard and get the best possible training. Finding the right teacher is very important, however do not be discouraged if you don’t, be strong and single minded about what you want and go for it. Most singers I know, whether amateur or professional, seem to be motivated by a deep inner compulsion: they simply must do.
If you weren’t in the chorus of Opera North, what could you see yourself doing?
I always wanted to be a singer, I couldn’t ever not sing. When I retire I am considering teaching singing or even teaching A-level languages on a one to one basis. I come from a family with a nursing background, so that could also have been a possible career path for me.
When you’re not singing, what do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy walking and cycling. My family all enjoy singing, my wife was a founder member of the Opera North Chorus and my daughter is a budding singer too. We are part of the St Oswald’s Parish Church choir in Guiseley, which is a small choir but are very successful in what they do. It is great that I can pass on my knowledge of professional singing to them. Church music is how my passion of singing began and I love that I can revisit that.
