In March last year, Keswick Amateur Operatic Society had to cancel its eagerly anticipated spring show, Evita, which had been set to take place at the Theatre by the Lake the following month.
Since then, the society, which comprises around 30 members of all ages and backgrounds, has been getting to grips with life online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Along with the rest of the world, members have been learning how to Zoom, record and adapt to on screen rehearsals and meetings.
Although greatly missing the chance to perform together and in front of the local community, they have been working away in the background on projects to keep voices in trim, explore new avenues and so that they are ready to spring back into action once they are able. And just as importantly, simply to stay connected with friends.
Over Christmas and January, members sang and read through various musicals and Christmas songs, appreciating the value of having a weekly routine and keeping the social-side of the community alive, something that all were very grateful for in these strange times.
Since then, KAOS member Gillian Ania gifted the society with her very own musical to work on, a project that started as a single song last year,and grew into something rather bigger.
Song followed song, characters began to take shape and interact and by autumn they’d woven themselves into a whole musical, set in Keswick.
The society is now running weekly singing rehearsals to learn and develop Gill’s songs and has assembled a writing team to work on the script.
Gill said the pandemic was the initial impulse.
She added: “It was during lockdown that the first lyrics started to form in my head, soon settling into a tune with a slow ,tango-like rhythm. I developed harmonies, called the song Coronavirus and thought that was that. But the ideas just kept coming.”
Gill’s ideas come mostly when she’s out walking or can’t sleep. “Just a line of melody, a lyric or rhythm but I have to jot it down or, at the least distraction, it will vanish!” she said.
KAOS is keen to open the project up to non-members and people are urged to email [email protected] for more information.
It is unclear when the society will be able to take to the stage again but it’s hoping to showcase some of its work around Christmas and that its annual musical will be back in 2022.
