WEST END star Shona Lindsay has joined the line-up for what is being described as the York Proms ‘most ambitious event so far’.
Lindsay - who was the youngest actress ever to play Christine in Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera - will take to the stage in Museum Gardens on June 18 to perform songs from Cats, Les Miserables and Wicked.
The star, known for her ability to belt out songs, will complete a Proms line-up which also includes international opera singer Jennifer Coleman and Opera North tenor Tom Smith – plus the event’s own live orchestra conducted by Ben Crick.
Launched in 2017, the annual Proms event had to be cancelled for two years because of Covid.
The pandemic vbriefly seemed to threaten its survival. But it returned with a vengeance last year – when the audience included 500 ticket-holders who had originally bought tickets for the cancelled 2020 event and had held on to them ever since.
Organiser Rebecca Newman said: “We survived the pandemic largely due to the loyalty and patience of our audience that we’ve built up since we launched in 2017, with over five hundred 2020 ticket holders waiting almost three years to use their ticket.”
This year’s event will be a special ‘A Night at the Musicals’-themed show, and will feature a spectacular fireworks finalé over the ruins of St Mary's Abbey.
It has attracted sponsorship from the likes of Yorkshire Profiles, Inglis chartered accountants, York Gin and Fulprint, not to mention a grant from York BID - all of which mean it will be bigger and better than ever, Rebecca said.
But if you want to see it, you’d better book tickets quickly.
“In recent weeks we’ve seen unprecedented ticket demand and the event is due to sell out in the next few days,” Rebecca said.
Jennifer Coleman, this year’s ‘guest soprano’ who is currently part of the award-winning Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, in Belgium, will be performing songs from earlier, classic musicals like The Sound of Music, West Side Story and My Fair Lady. She is returning after making her York Proms debut in 2019.
She will complement Shona Lindsay perfectly, Rebecca said.
“Jennifer is a very versatile soprano and her approachable operatic voice received great feedback in 2019, so she will do a phenomenal job of our classic show pieces.
“But for the more modern musicals we were seeking a different timbre and style of voice, which is often referred to as a musical theatre ‘belt’ voice, which Shona does with effortless mastery.
“She will be rounding off our musicals show with Defying Gravity, which will no doubt bring the house down ahead of the flag-waving Last Night of the Proms style finale.”
The event will open with a community stage hosting local groups and soloists.
The main evening show starts at 7.30pm and includes a stunning fireworks finale over the Abbey ruins.
York Proms 2023, Museum Gardens, 7.30pm, June 18. The last few tickets, priced £32-£41, with tickets for teenagers £14 and for children £5, are on sale at yorkproms.com, from the Visit York Information Centre or on 01904 555670.
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