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about us
Longhope Opera is an annual Bel Canto opera festival showcasing emerging artists, hosted at the Longhope Estate in Newton Valence, Hampshire. Every Summer since 2015, Longhope has welcomed several hundred guests to it's charming grounds. Guests take walks around the grounds and peruse the various events on offer before they are entertained with a comic opera from Scherzo Ensemble and enjoy dinner overlooking the South Downs.
Guests at Longhope have previously enjoyed several gala concerts, The Marriage of Figaro, The Barber of Seville, Il turco in Italia, L'elisir d'amore and La Cenerentola. This summer, having wowed thousands of guests since 2018, Scherzo Ensemble will return with their fifth production - Donizetti's Don Pasquale. To deliver Longhope Opera, Scherzo assembles an entire company (performers, creatives, technical staff and management) of emerging professionals. The central aim is to help young practitioners gain professional experience and build confidence, with the associated aims of fostering deeper respect and understanding between theatrical departments.
the team
Matthew O’Keeffe
Artistic Director
Matthew is the Director of Longhope Opera and Scherzo Ensemble,
which he founded in 2015 whilst studying music at King’s College
London. He is based in South London and works as a singer,
conductor, producer, arranger and composer. During his degree, he
was a countertenor Choral Scholar and studied singing with
Michael Chance at RAM whilst at the same time seizing every
opportunity to conduct and manage music projects within the university.
Soon after graduating with a 1st in 2017, he founded Lunchbreak Opera
which stages accessible and digestible shows in the City of London which fit
within the working day, offered for free. Shows have included Suor Angelica,
Prima la Musica, Gianni Schicchi and A Dinner Engagement. Matthew works
very hard to share his love of classical artforms with new audiences –clearly
visible in his work with the Brixton Chamber Orchestra, which he founded in
2018. BCO is an innovative ensemble of young professional instrumentalists based in Lambeth. The Orchestra champions informal classical performance in community spaces, and also engages fully with the diverse musical cultures of Brixton. On the side, Matthew also directs the Trouvere Collective (Medieval troup) and is choirmaster at St Thomas’
Church, Fulham, and The Centre for Young Musicians. Matthew arranges music for all his ensembles and his compositions have been premiered on BBC Television and in Westminster Cathedral.
Grace Tarr
General Manager
Grace is the general manager of Scherzo Ensemble. She started working with the
charity in May 2024 after over 7 years in the theatre and events industries as a
producer, writer, event coordinator and team lead. She has worked in Paris,
Madrid, St Moritz, Venice, Amsterdam and Istanbul. Grace is also a qualified
accounts assistant and bookkeeper.
