Uncovered Opera Company
Hello. My name is Marrianne Town Smith. Thank you for visiting our site.
I established this company in 2021 to celebrate those unseen singers who cover roles in opera. I had been given 2nd cover of the role of Abigaille for a workshop performance of Nabucco happening in August that year: and due to the ongoing pandemic, both of the other artists ahead of me were not able to perform. I proudly announced I had been "uncovered". In September 2021, having already asked everyone if they would perform with me if I didn't get to go on, I decided to put on two more concert performances, as one just didn't seem enough. I hired the Space Theatre in February 2022 with some money I got back from the Berlin Opera Academy; as again the pandemic prevented me from going there. Armed with £1,600, determination and sheer bloody mindedness - what was going to stop me?
The contract arrived from the theatre asking for the name of the hiring company. "Marrianne Town Smith wants to sing Abigaille again" was a little long.
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Photo credit Clemens Manser
Our mission
Cover singers devote vast amounts of time learning and preparing roles in opera but rarely have the chance to perform.
Let's celebrate those unseen singers who cover roles and give them a platform to be seen: or at least to work on a role and add it to their CV. Let's uncover as many developing singers as possible. Let's bring opportunities to people not heard by larger companies. Let's acknowledge there are not enough opportunities for developing artists and let's do something about it. Let's come together in a fun, encouraging environment. Let's learn, build our skills, work out how to hold our shit together as opera singers and grow as artists. Let's perform!
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Established as a company in 2021, our first production in February 2022 was Verdi's Nabucco. We had so much fun that a further production was developed featuring abridged versions of two Strauss Operas: Der Rosenkavalier and Ariadne auf Naxos in November 2022. And we then took our abridged Ariadne on a small tour of South East London Venues also performing it at St Mary's in Islington as part of their music festival.​
Our first fully staged, full-scale production was in 2023 - a huge, immersive adventure in Hoxton Hall with chorus and ensemble: Verdi's Macbeth. With 4 and 5 star reviews: it was a resounding success.
​We kicked off April 2025 with a concert performance of Verdi's Don Carlo - the Italian Four Act Version. Conducted by Chad Vindin and accompanied by Aleksandra Myslek with Uncovered Company artists and Chorus it was a great performance in St Margaret's Lee.
The story so far...
Further information
Unlike some other developing artist programmes or amateur opera companies there is no fee charged to take part and until funding is secured there is no fee paid to participate. We are a group of likeminded singers, working as part of an equal team, people who actively enjoy learning from each other and want to learn on the job.
Let's connect
