On 27 November 2008 the Philharmonia Chorus was privileged to be invited to participate in the debut performance by the newly-formed London Lyric Opera at the Barbican.

LLO presented a concert performance of Der fliegende Holländer, Richard Wagner's early masterpiece featuring Gweneth-Ann Jeffers (Senta), Anne-Marie Owens (Mary), James Hancock (Holländer), Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts (Erik), Karl Huml (Daland) and Richard Roberts (Steuermann) together with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under the distinguished Wagnerian conductor Lionel Friend.

The work was performed without cuts, adhering to the composer's original keys and featuring the revised 1860 ending.

The Philharmonia Chorus, trained by Madeleine Lovell, their newly appointed Associate Chorus Master, provided three separate choruses: the Norwegian mariners, the ladies and the offstage Dutch ghostly crew, who finally came together in the rousing dramatic final Act III.

This was a new departure in the repertoire of the Philharmonia Chorus, who very much look forward to the next engagement with the LLO on Tuesday February 17th for a concert performance of Beethoven’s Fidelio with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, on this occasion under the baton of our own Associate Chorus Master Madeleine Lovell. This concert will be staged at The Cadogan Hall. Details can be found at www.londonlyricopera.com or www.cadoganhall.com