Grange Park Opera

Pimlico Opera

Pimlico Opera was founded in 1987 by Wasfi Kani OBE and is one of the leading small scale touring companies. There are two strands to its work: an autumn tour and an annual prison project.

The Company provides valuable performing experience for younger artists in operas with high production values.

Landmark productions include the first British performance of Shostakovich's musical comedy Cheryomushki, a satire on life in a 1950's Moscow housing estate which was the subject of a BBC documentary and nominated for a BAFTA award.

Board of trustees: Mark Andrews, David Fielding, Wasfi Kani, Iain Burnside

Working in prisons
In addition to the annual tour Pimlico Opera spends 6 weeks a year working inside Her Majesty's Prisons culminating in public performances in which inmates share the stage with professionals.

Sir Stephen Tumim was the patron of this work until his death. Michael Portillo is the patron of the prison project.

The first was Sweeney Todd with Wormwood Scrubs inmates serving life sentences (described by The Times as the coup de theatre of 1991) then West Side Story in HMP Wandsworth and the third, Guys & Dolls was the subject of a BBC documentary.

In Dublin's historic Mountjoy prison the project was met with great acclaim and a gala performance was attended by then President Mary Robinson.

Besides the obvious educational and rehabilitative opportunities for prisoners, these annual events have become a focus for how prisons might better serve society and help prisoners to become good and useful members of the community. The company has taken more than 25,000 public into prison to witness these remarkable events and during the last decade has worked with close to one thousand prisoners.

There is a full list of previous productions on this site.

How to get involved

Home Secretaries, Judges, Governors & Jailbirds Fund
The Pimlico prison project receives a small operating grant from the Arts Council but the remaining substantial costs of running the project are sought from private individuals and Trusts.

To this end an annual supporter's fund has been established. Donors are classified as Home Secretaries, Judges, Governors or Jailbirds.

Contact
If you would like to make a contribution or find out more, please contact:

Rachel Pearson
Tel: 01962 73 73 63
Email: rachel@grangeparkopera.co.uk

If you would like to be kept informed about future Pimlico Opera projects, please email the Opera Office