Abigail stars as Nanny to a well received audience in Jamaica - Sept 2016
A roomful of opera lovers came out to 'Sacred Mountain' - Incidents in the life of Queen Nanny and the Maroons that took place at Vera Moody Concert Hall, Jamaica. The audience also came to meet composer Dr Shirley Thompson (recently enlisted as one of the 10 most influential Black people in Britain 2016) and soprano Abigail Kelly, UK-based classical musicians of the Jamaican diaspora.
Judging from the applause when the opera ended and the animated discussion which followed between Thompson and the audience, the opera was well received.
Thompson's 45-minute opera Sacred Mountain: Incidents in the Life of Queen Nanny of the Maroons was presented in the Vera Moody Concert Hall at the Edna Manley College's School of Music. Untraditionally, the opera was written for only one singer (with some narration) and it was Kelly who sang.
Abigail performs at the House of Commons to an invited audience at book launch - 5 Oct 2016
Abigail Kelly performed to a selected audience at the House of Commons for the launch of Maxie Hayles' Autobigraphy entitled 'Taking it to the Max'. Read more
Abigail features on new CD 'Jesse Owens & Preludes In Our Time'
JESSE OWENS & PRELUDES IN OUR TIME featuring ABIGAIL KELLY | JOHNNY HERFORD | MEGUMI FUJITA
PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA | STUART STRATFORD
The Philharmonia Orchestra are heard in all their majesty on the incidental music from Michael Stimpson's opera, Jesse Owens, a work about the legendary US athlete who won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics of 1936. This is accompanied by a collection of songs from the opera, arranged for soprano, baritone, and piano, in which singers Abigail Kelly and Johnny Herford beautifully illustrate the breadth of the work, the struggle, humour, and achievements of the greatest Olympian ever. These two works are complimented by Preludes In Our Time, for solo piano. Written while the world was looking towards the Beijing Olympics, this unique collection is enchantingly performed by Megumi Fujita, who also accompanies the singers.
Released on Stone Records on 12/08/2016
Available to pre-order from
WWW.MICHAELSTIMPSON.CO.UK
WWW.STONERECORDS.CO.UK
WWW.AMAZON.CO.UK
Abigail performs to an audience in Władysławowo in Poland
Review of 'The Marriage of Figaro' - Opera, Jan 2015 magazine
A review of 'The Marriage of Figaro' in London featuring Abigail Kelly - Opera Magazine, Jan 2015.