Operatic Duets and Neapolitan Songs Performed by Acclaimed Musical Duo

male and female both stood smiling with ukuleles wearing formal evening wear.

The College was delighted to welcome acclaimed musical duo, George Bartle and Amanda Harkett on Friday 2 July to give a special musical performance online, organised by the Senior Tutor (Academic Affairs & Programmes), Dr Jo Ashbourn. The "A Summer Evening at the Opera" event was livestreamed from a London studio and an online audience of over 60 joined to hear George and Amanda sing a selection of operatic duets and traditional Neapolitan songs, accompanied by their ukuleles. As they sang, each piece was introduced with its history of composition, putting it into its background context and weaving a musical thread through the programme of operatic favourites.

The full programme is below:

  • La Donna è Mobile (Verdi)
  • Habanera (Bizet)
  • O Mio Babbino Caro (Puccini)
  • Funiculì, Funicula (Denza)
  • O Sole Mio (di Capua/Mazzucchi)
  • Nessun Dorma (Puccini)
  • The Flower Duet (Delibes)
  • Papagena/Papageno Duet (Mozart)
  • Ombra Mai Fu (Handel)
  • Ave Maria (Gounod)
  • Santa Lucia (Cottrau)
  • Torna a Surriento (De Curtis)
  • Libiamo Ne’lieti Calici (Verdi)
  • Con Te Partirò (Sartori)

Over several years George and Amanda have performed at many arts and music festivals both across the UK and abroad to standing ovations. They have also toured extensively around the UK with their critically acclaimed full-length theatre show 'Access All Arias'.

The video of the performance can be viewed here.