Art & Performance
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Bampton Classical Opera
Bampton Classical Opera was founded in 1993 and has since established itself as a leading small-scale professional company.
Our well-established national reputation is founded on a policy of breathing new life into little-known works of the classical period, in lively and accessible productions of exceptional musical standards, with the best of the country's young singers. We usually perform in English, often in our own upbeat translations, and are committed to relaxed, informal opera at affordable prices.
Most of our performances take place outdoors. Our major venue is Bampton's delightful Deanery garden, where we perform each July for two evenings; we can also been seen in late August at the Grade I-listed gardens of Westonbirt School in Gloucestershire. There are indoor alternatives at both venues should the weather be inclement but, fortunately for us and despite some rather cold Julys of late, we have only once or twice had to make use of them!
Bampton Classical Opera is also a regular visitor to a number of opera festivals, including Buxton and Cheltenham, and also performs in London at St John's, Smith Square and Wigmore Hall.
Although we are a professional company we are voluntary-managed, and rely a great deal on the goodwill and support of a number of wonderful Bampton people. If you are interested in helping with crew, catering, scenery construction, painting, driving large trucks around the country and other exciting possibilities then Anthony Hall anthony@bamptonopera.org - our administrator and chief scenery consultant, would love to hear from you!
The epitome of opera in a garden
The Times
Ploughing a jovial furrow of forgotten 18th-century repertoire and performing them in an idyllic Oxfordshire deanery garden for some of the best ticket-prices available in England, Bampton has punched far above its weight in giving a first break to singers and conductors who now have world reputations.
Opera Now
'There isn't a company in England with as sharp a sense of fun as Bampton. Season after season they dig up rare gems, served up with canny wit, visual deftness and a musical spring that make them one of the high pleasures of an English summer' Opera Now
Bampton Classical Opera was founded in 1993 and has since established itself as a leading small-scale professional company.
Our well-established national reputation is founded on a policy of breathing new life into little-known works of the classical period, in lively and accessible productions of exceptional musical standards, with the best of the country's young singers. We usually perform in English, often in our own upbeat translations, and are committed to relaxed, informal opera at affordable prices.
Most of our performances take place outdoors. Our major venue is Bampton's delightful Deanery garden, where we perform each July for two evenings; we can also been seen in late August at the Grade I-listed gardens of Westonbirt School in Gloucestershire. There are indoor alternatives at both venues should the weather be inclement but, fortunately for us and despite some rather cold Julys of late, we have only once or twice had to make use of them!
Bampton Classical Opera is also a regular visitor to a number of opera festivals, including Buxton and Cheltenham, and also performs in London at St John's, Smith Square and Wigmore Hall.
Although we are a professional company we are voluntary-managed, and rely a great deal on the goodwill and support of a number of wonderful Bampton people. If you are interested in helping with crew, catering, scenery construction, painting, driving large trucks around the country and other exciting possibilities then Anthony Hall anthony@bamptonopera.org - our administrator and chief scenery consultant, would love to hear from you!
The epitome of opera in a garden
The Times
Ploughing a jovial furrow of forgotten 18th-century repertoire and performing them in an idyllic Oxfordshire deanery garden for some of the best ticket-prices available in England, Bampton has punched far above its weight in giving a first break to singers and conductors who now have world reputations.
Opera Now
'There isn't a company in England with as sharp a sense of fun as Bampton. Season after season they dig up rare gems, served up with canny wit, visual deftness and a musical spring that make them one of the high pleasures of an English summer' Opera Now
Address :
WOA Gallery, Market Square, Bampton, Oxon OX18 2JH
West Ox Arts is an membership association that supports artists through the sale of art and craft in its Gallery Shop and through a schedule of rotating exhibitions. You can find out what is happening at WOA via our website www.westoxarts.com or our Facebook page www.facebook.com/westoxarts. We host up to 11 exhibitions a year showing a varied range of contemporary, high quality art and crafts by local and national artists. West Ox Arts is situated in a lovely spacious gallery on the first floor of Bampton's Grade II listed Town Hall in the Market Square. Additionally we host three exhibitions in the Robert Vesey Room located at Bampton Library.
The gallery has a shop which sells locally made, high quality arts and crafts such as jewellery, ceramics, textiles, glassware and cards. We also organise talks, workshops and host regular drop in arts and crafts sessions in the gallery. West Ox Arts is a charity, we rely on income from our membership, exhibitions, donations and sales in the gallery, we additionally have a small yearly grant from Bampton Parish Council The gallery it is staffed during the week by our part-time curator and administrator and at the weekends by volunteers.
Gallery opening hours are Tues-Sat 11.30am- 4.30pm. Sun 2-4pm.
The gallery has a shop which sells locally made, high quality arts and crafts such as jewellery, ceramics, textiles, glassware and cards. We also organise talks, workshops and host regular drop in arts and crafts sessions in the gallery. West Ox Arts is a charity, we rely on income from our membership, exhibitions, donations and sales in the gallery, we additionally have a small yearly grant from Bampton Parish Council The gallery it is staffed during the week by our part-time curator and administrator and at the weekends by volunteers.
Gallery opening hours are Tues-Sat 11.30am- 4.30pm. Sun 2-4pm.