About HGO

OUR AIM ADVANCING YOUNG SINGERS

HGO stages first-class award-winning opera, with vibrant young singers and live orchestra, twice a year in London at affordable prices. Our standards of singing, acting, playing and production, coupled with the extraordinary intimacy of our venues, brings opera to life in a way that even major opera houses cannot achieve. We stage a wide variety of operas from the Baroque to the present-day, led by dynamic young directors and conductors.

And we provide thereby unique opportunities for young singers – the professionals of the future – to perform in a theatre, before audiences, roles which, early in their careers, they would not be given in the big opera companies. Many are recent graduates from music college or students approaching the end of their course. They are hungry for experience in staged productions of our quality and excitement, and they value the boost that a major role with HGO can give them on their way to a successful career.

HGO is a registered charity: we have no paid staff, no premises, no overheads. We are entirely dedicated to forwarding our objective of advancing young singers.

Success Stories – support HGO and see where your generous donations lead.

OUR OUTREACH THE COMMUNITY OF NORTH LONDON

HGO has grown thanks not least to our North London audiences and community. We are developing initiatives with schools and community organizations to work with them in spreading the magic of opera and music and to grow new and wider audiences.

OUR HISTORY OVER 30 YEARS OF OPERA

HGO was founded, as ‘Hampstead Garden Opera’, by Roy Budden in 1990, originating from the opera classes run by him at the Hampstead Garden Institute. Under Roy, and his successor Alastair Macgeorge (our Chairman Emeritus), it steadily grew in reputation and competence.

Originally intended to concentrate on the operas of Mozart, its repertoire has extended from the works of Monteverdi to contemporary opera. Each production is led by remarkable young production and music directors. In recent years productions have taken place at Jackson’s Lane Theatre in Highgate.

HGO is frequently nominated for awards, and won the Off-West End Opera Award for its 2012 production of ‘Così fan tutte’ and the NODA London Opera Award for its 2020 production of ‘La bohème’.

HGO PEOPLE MEET THE TEAM

HGO is the performing arm of the not-for-profit organisation HGO Trust Ltd. The Trust is a registered charity (no.1168484) and consists of a Board of Directors and Trust Members, all of whom give their services on a voluntary basis. The Trust ha no employees or overhead expenses, and dedicates its entire income directly to its objectives of advancing young singers through the presentation of high-quality opera productions and associated activities.

We are always glad to consider active new Members for the Trust and/or the Committee who are keen to support and develop our activities. Please contact Chairman, David Conway, if you are interested in joining us.