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BBC News
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Lesley Garrett 'honoured' to sing in Bedford Proms 2025
Opera singer and performer Lesley Garrett said she was "honoured" to be invited back to an outdoor concert series to restart a Proms 70, will perform at Proms in the Park, alongside Russell Watson, as part of the Bedford Summer Sessions on Sunday 6 July. The event was last held in the town in 2023 and has returned after requests from members of the public, organisers said. Garrett said it could be the last Proms she performs in, but "I will give it my all, which is still considerable". "Singing isn't something I do for a living, it's what I am", she said. "I do it because that's what I was born to do.""It's an exciting time in my life. I no longer have to prove anything. I'm not looking to grow my career, but enjoy the legacy of being in the profession for 45 years, as I started in 1980."After the Proms, her next role will be Heidi Schiller in Stephen Sondheim's Follies for the Northern Ireland Opera Company in September. Then she will help plan a November concert for Bantam of the Opera, a choir she is involved with, before undergoing a hip replacement. Garrett said music was in her soul, and she would "carry on until I can no longer perform"."The big criteria is whether I'm still good enough - I still have singing lessons every week with Joy Mammen, my original singing teacher," she said. "We will then decide together to hang up those chords. I would hate to start disappointing people. You never know if the next one is going to be the last."Garrett last came to the town to sing in 2018 and said she could not wait to return to Bedford to perform in the Proms with her "old friend" Russell Watson. "If it's my last Proms, I'm thrilled it's going to be with him," she continued. "I'm honoured to be asked to restart the Bedford Proms, I will give it my all, which is still considerable." Mark Harrison, promoter at Cuffe & Taylor, said the absence of the Proms from the Summer Sessions in 2024 "left many feeling disappointed". "We have listened to the general public's wishes, and we are delighted that we have been able to bring it back for 2025," he last Proms was held in 2023, in a slightly different format as West End Proms. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Belfast Telegraph
02-07-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
King Charles' visit to Northern Ireland in March cost £80k in travel expenses
It was the second most expensive trip made by the royal family in the past year. Other trips here, taken by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Edinburgh, cost an additional £40,000. There are 43 separate journeys by royal family members listed in the official report for 2024/25, where travel costs were at least £17,000, up from 27 trips in 2023/24. Some 13 of these involved the King, an increase from eight in the previous year. These included the most expensive trip during the period: the 11-day visit by Charles and the Queen to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in October 2024, which included engagements in Australia and which had travel costs totalling £400,535. The King was also involved in the second most expensive trip on the list: the three-day visit with the Queen to Northern Ireland in March (£80,139). The couple were hosted by well-known publican Willie Jack in Belfast, enjoying a tipple of whiskey during their visit. Charles was also briefed on research into cancer therapies at the Ulster University campus in Coleraine, while Camilla took part in a cookery demonstration at a farm near Limavady with celebrity chef Paula McIntyre. The royal couple also enjoyed a stop-off in Banbridge on their final day. Their travel costs included a charter flight and use of a helicopter between Hillsborough, Limavady and Coleraine. Other NI visits included one by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester last September, which had a travel bill of £20,911. The pair visited the Ulster Folk Museum and attended the Northern Ireland Opera. The bill also took in a charter flight onwards to Manchester, where they attended a Davis Cup tennis tie. A third visit, this time by the Duke of Edinburgh, had £18,368 travel costs. Edward visited St Catherine's College in Armagh and a Duke of Edinburgh reception at Hillsborough Castle. Separately, a chartered flight for the Princess Royal, to attend the Scotland vs Ireland Six Nations match in February, cost £21,250. The newly published accounts reveal that a visit by the Prince of Wales to Estonia in March had travel costs of £55,846. This included two earlier journeys by staff for planning purposes. King Charles and Queen Camilla visit Banbridge A two-day trip by the King on the royal train in February to Staffordshire, to visit the JCB factory in Rocester and the Tower Brewery in Burton upon Trent, cost £44,822, while a two-day trip by the Duke of Edinburgh to Estonia in January to visit the Royal Dragoon Guards while on a military operation cost £39,791. Of the 13 trips involving the King that appear on the list, eight were undertaken with the Queen and five by himself. The King's other costs included a charter flight with the Queen between royal residences in April 2024 (£21,184), and a two-day trip on the royal train to Crewe in May 2024 (£33,147). A two-day visit with the Queen to northern France in June 2024 for the D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations cost £29,890), while a two-day visit with the Queen to the Channel Islands in July 2024 had travel costs of £28,872. Meanwhile, the King is bidding the 'fondest of farewells' to the royal train after approving its decommissioning following decades of service. Charles and other royals will rely on two new helicopters when the nine-carriage train's maintenance contract ends in early 2027, according to the accounts. James Chalmers, Keeper of the Privy Purse, described the move as an example of the royal household applying 'fiscal discipline' in its drive to deliver 'value for money'.
South Wales Guardian
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Lesley Garrett cast in Northern Ireland Opera's Follies after cancer surgery
Garrett will play Heidi Schiller in Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's musical about a group of former showgirls, at the Grand Opera House in Belfast in the autumn, The British soprano said on ITV's This Morning earlier this month that she had cancer surgery after being diagnosed with thymoma, a rare cancer of the thymus gland, which could have affected her singing. Since the surgery to remove the tumour, she has made a successful recovery and will now be joining the Follies cast. Garrett said: 'I'm so excited to be coming back to Belfast and especially to be making my debut with Northern Ireland Opera at the age of 70. 'Sondheim's Follies is a masterpiece and I'm delighted to have been given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform the iconic role of Heidi Schiller.' The production marks the singer's 45th anniversary in the industry and her debut with the Northern Ireland Opera, where she will play the 'opera diva' of the Weismann's Follies. Set in 1971, the musical follows the group as they return to their former Broadway stage at Weisman Theatre, for a final reunion show before its scheduled demolition. Jazz singer Jacqueline Dankworth, who was in the original cast of the West End debut for Sondheim's Into The Woods in 1990, will join the cast as Carlotta Campion. West End stars Anna-Jane Casey and Annette McLaughlin will play former room mates Sally Plummer and Phyllis Stone. The production is directed by Cameron Menzies, with Greg Arrowsmith as the musical director. The musical scored seven Tony awards at the 1972 ceremony and is best known for its songs Broadway Baby, I'm Still Here and Losing My Mind. Follies will run from September 13-20.
Wales Online
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Lesley Garrett cast in Northern Ireland Opera's Follies after cancer surgery
Lesley Garrett cast in Northern Ireland Opera's Follies after cancer surgery Garrett will play Heidi Schiller in Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's musical about a group of former showgirls, at the Grand Opera House in Belfast in the autumn Internationally acclaimed soprano Lesley Garrett (Image: ©William Cherry / Presseye ) Classical singer Lesley Garrett has joined the Northern Ireland Opera's revival of Follies, after her cancer surgery. Garrett will play Heidi Schiller in Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's musical about a group of former showgirls, at the Grand Opera House in Belfast in the autumn. The British soprano said on ITV's This Morning earlier this month that she had cancer surgery after being diagnosed with thymoma, a rare cancer of the thymus gland, which could have affected her singing. Since the surgery to remove the tumour, she has made a successful recovery and will now be joining the Follies cast. Garrett said: "I'm so excited to be coming back to Belfast and especially to be making my debut with Northern Ireland Opera at the age of 70. "Sondheim's Follies is a masterpiece and I'm delighted to have been given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform the iconic role of Heidi Schiller." Article continues below The production marks the singer's 45th anniversary in the industry and her debut with the Northern Ireland Opera, where she will play the "opera diva" of the Weismann's Follies. Set in 1971, the musical follows the group as they return to their former Broadway stage at Weisman Theatre, for a final reunion show before its scheduled demolition. Jazz singer Jacqueline Dankworth, who was in the original cast of the West End debut for Sondheim's Into The Woods in 1990, will join the cast as Carlotta Campion. West End stars Anna-Jane Casey and Annette McLaughlin will play former room mates Sally Plummer and Phyllis Stone. The production is directed by Cameron Menzies, with Greg Arrowsmith as the musical director. The musical scored seven Tony awards at the 1972 ceremony and is best known for its songs Broadway Baby, I'm Still Here and Losing My Mind. Article continues below Follies will run from September 13-20.
Leader Live
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Lesley Garrett cast in Northern Ireland Opera's Follies after cancer surgery
Garrett will play Heidi Schiller in Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's musical about a group of former showgirls, at the Grand Opera House in Belfast in the autumn, The British soprano said on ITV's This Morning earlier this month that she had cancer surgery after being diagnosed with thymoma, a rare cancer of the thymus gland, which could have affected her singing. Since the surgery to remove the tumour, she has made a successful recovery and will now be joining the Follies cast. Garrett said: 'I'm so excited to be coming back to Belfast and especially to be making my debut with Northern Ireland Opera at the age of 70. 'Sondheim's Follies is a masterpiece and I'm delighted to have been given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform the iconic role of Heidi Schiller.' The production marks the singer's 45th anniversary in the industry and her debut with the Northern Ireland Opera, where she will play the 'opera diva' of the Weismann's Follies. Set in 1971, the musical follows the group as they return to their former Broadway stage at Weisman Theatre, for a final reunion show before its scheduled demolition. Jazz singer Jacqueline Dankworth, who was in the original cast of the West End debut for Sondheim's Into The Woods in 1990, will join the cast as Carlotta Campion. West End stars Anna-Jane Casey and Annette McLaughlin will play former room mates Sally Plummer and Phyllis Stone. The production is directed by Cameron Menzies, with Greg Arrowsmith as the musical director. The musical scored seven Tony awards at the 1972 ceremony and is best known for its songs Broadway Baby, I'm Still Here and Losing My Mind. Follies will run from September 13-20.
