Wednesday Tea

‘The two artists were about the best we have ever heard over the last ten years.’.

‘It was a very enjoyable afternoon, the singers and pianist were first class and it was a very intimate session.’
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Tuesday Tea – Relaxed Performance*

‘It was brilliant. My mum, who has dementia, had one of her best days out in years. It was lovely and warm in the building, the tea was just the right size, and the cakes were delicious… The songs were a good mix of old and new… The old songs took her back. She was in such a good mood afterwards, it was just like having her back.’
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Audience feedback from previous years
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In September Clonter was delighted to be able to FINALLY present all those that enjoyed the online concert in June 2020, with the two artists – John Ieuan Jones and Naomi Rogers – who put this show together. As audience numbers were not back up to normal levels, we wished to invite them back again, to give more of the online audience – whose requests helped construct the content –  a chance to see these two artists reunited with Robin Humphreys at the piano.

This increasingly popular Clonter event consists of afternoon tea, followed by an hour of songs from musicals. The tea itself includes smoked salmon, cream cheese and cucumber, and egg mayonnaise sandwiches, with the crusts cut off, followed by a tiered cake stand presented to your table with an assortment of goodies, which include a freshly baked scone with whipped cream and strawberry jam (the Devon way), orange and walnut flapjack, chocolate cake, and a very juicy strawberry. Accompanied by an all important cup of tea or fresh coffee, served in rosebud china and ceramic teapots. This is preceded by an hour of songs from the shows, presented by two singers and a pianist, under the swagged red organza and brass chandelier, banqueting style in the intimacy of the Ramsey Room at Clonter.

Clonter also offers a ‘relaxed’ performance – On Tuesday 8th March – which was introduced to offer people in care homes, or for those being cared for at home, and their carers, something to go to together during the day. This opportunity has also been extended to those with other disabilities. (See below for further details).
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Anything You Can Do
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People Will Say We’re In Love
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We’ll Meet Again
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John leuan Jones – Baritone

Originally from the Welsh coastal town of Rhos-on-Sea, John Ieuan Jones recently graduated from the masters course at the Royal Northern College of Music with distinction, where he studied with Matthew Best. His studies were generously supported by the Drapers’ Company, the D’Oyly Carte Trust, George Henry Peters Scholarship and the Gwilym Gwalchmai Jones Award. During his time at the college, he sang several principle roles including Harry Easter in Street Scene, Pandolfe in Cendrillon, Lord Ellington in La Vie Parisienne and Watchful in The Pilgrim’s Progress. Whilst at college, he also worked at Buxton Festival Opera and Longborough Festival Opera, and since graduating has sung the title role in Krása’s Brundibar for Welsh National Opera and a Flemish Deputy in Don Carlo for Grange Park Opera. Ieuan is a busy and in demand concert singer having performed throughout the UK, in Europe and the USA. Recent highlights have included an Opera Gala at The Bridgewater Hall, making his solo debut at The Royal Albert Hall at the London Welsh Festival of Male Choirs, guest soloist at the North America Festival of Wales in Washington DC and last year shared the stage with Sir Bryn Terfel at the Wales Millennium Centre in the opening concert of the National Eisteddfod of Wales. His many awards and scholarships including the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Scholarship, the Help Musicians UK Sybil Tutton Award, the Manchester Welsh Society Award, the RNCM James Martin Oncken Song Prize, Second Prize in the Elizabeth Harwood Memorial Prize at the RNCM and the Dunraven Singer of the Year competition. Ieuan has also had countless successes at National and International Eisteddfodau in Wales, having won the prestigious Osborne Roberts Memorial Prize, the Wilbert Lloyd Roberts Memorial Scholarship, and last year winning the major prize at the National Eisteddfod, the W Towyn Roberts Memorial Scholarship. He is a familiar face on Welsh television channel S4C, frequently appearing and performing on programmes such as ‘Noson Lawen’ and ‘Heno’ and his recordings include Harry Sherwood in Cellier’s Dorothy with Victorian Opera conducted by Richard Bonynge, now available on Naxos CD. Ieuan is also an accomplished harpist, having performed for the Prime Minister and members of the Royal family.

Click here for full biog.
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Naomi Rogers – Mezzo Soprano

Naomi is a mezzo-soprano from Suffolk with a Master of Music in Performance degree and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Royal Northern College of Music. She studies under the tutelage of Louise Winter, is a part of the Opera North Mentor Scheme and is an Associate Artist for SoundUp Opera. Last year she was a Bursary Recipient for the Opera Awards Foundation and has received a number of other awards.  Naomi’s most recent operatic performances at the RNCM include: Poulenc’s Dialogues des carmélites (Soeur Martha), Vaughan William’s The Pilgrim’s Progress (Madam Bubble), Puccini’s Suor Angelica (Maestra della Novizie), Offenbach’s La Vie Parisienne (Clara), Kurt Weill’s Street Scene (Cameo role) and Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Peaseblossom). Last summer Naomi performed for Buxton’s International Opera Festival in the operas Georgiana (multiple composers) covering the role of Grey, and in the chorus of both Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin and Caldara’s Lucio Papirio Dittatore. She also premiered the brand new opera Dotter Of Her Father’s Eyes by Gary Lloyd, singing the title role, at the Dublin 2019 WorldCon, held in the Convention Centre Dublin and has just finished working with Opera North on their production of Turn of the Screw by Britten. Naomi has just finished a project with Clonter, which she is very proud of and is working on a new commission with Gary Lloyd which is set to perform in the Chester Storyhouse and the Lunbury Theatre (ROH).  As a regular concert performer, Naomi’s highlights are performing as guest soloist at the International Opera Awards 2019 (Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London), singing Mozart repertoire with the Hallé Orchestra  (Bridgewater Hall), and performing a solo recital for Buxton Opera House. In 2019, Naomi was a finalist in the prestigious Frederic Cox competition at the RNCM and in the same month made her recording debut as soloist in Sullivan Songs alongside David Owen Norris.

Click here for full biog.
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Robin Humphreys – Accompanist

Robin Humphreys is a graduate of the University of Birmingham and a holder of the prestigious Diploma in Professional Performance from the Royal Northern College of Music, where he studied piano accompaniment with David Lloyd. Appearing in concert both as a soloist and an accompanist for over 35 years, he now pursues a successful career as an accompanist and répétiteur, the breadth of his repertoire being reflected in television and radio broadcasts ranging from BBC Radio 3 to Emmerdale! At the RNCM, Robin is a senior music coach within the School of Vocal Studies, for whom he was also chief répétiteur on the majority of college productions from the late 1990s until 2013. He has appeared with the Manchester Camerata in the world premiere of “A Feast of Fables” by Paul Reade, has been Musical Director for Feelgood Theatre Productions and, from 1990-2000, Opera and Concert Productions (Worldwide) Ltd with whom he toured throughout the Gulf, the Indian sub-continent and the Far East. Robin has a particularly close association with Clonter Opera Theatre in Cheshire, where he regularly works as Assistant Musical Director and Accompanist. He is also an accompanist member of the British & International Federation of Festivals.
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Covid Measures

Whilst government restrictions have all been lifted, we are very aware that customer confidence varies enormously, and so to be as inclusive as possible, we would request that people still wore masks when entering and moving about, and although you will be seated banquet style, we will ensure there is an empty seat between groups.
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Refund Policy

We would like to reassure you that with the continuing, and fluctuating, pandemic situation, should you need to cancel due to Covid, a full refund will be offered.
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Wednesday 9th March

Tickets £36 (Ramsey Room), £30 (Foyer) – Both to include Concert & Tea, £15 (Foyer) – Concert Only*

Doors Open 2.30pm

Performance 3 – 4pm

Tea Served 4pm

*Please note that this event is banqueting style – You will be sharing a table with others. However, if you would prefer a table for two, this option is available. Tickets £45. Limited availability.
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UPDATE: It is too late now to book tea, but we have been trying out a new format in which the concert is first, so if you would like to come for the performance only, please contact the Box Office on 01260 224514 (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10am – 4pm).
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*Relaxed Performance – Tuesday 8th March

A ‘relaxed performance’ is intended specifically to be sensitive to, and accepting of, audience members who may benefit from a more relaxed environment, including (but not limited to) those with autistic spectrum conditions, anyone with sensory and communication disorders or learning disabled people.

Tickets £21 + 1 Carer comes for Free

Book Through Box Office Only
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