Taekwondo champ to sing opera at Kingston lights switch on
8:30am Friday 12th November 2010
- Share
- Comments(0)
it barely seems five minutes since last year’s Christmas lights lit up Kingston but already the town centre is getting ready to get in the festive mood once more.
Before Father Christmas himself pushes the big red button next Thursday a host of performers will be taking to stages throughout the streets, including opera singer Gari Glaysher.
the 44-year-old – who himself is from Bromley but his mum used to work in Bentall’s – has just re-released his album Serenata and has performed on the West End stage and for high profile dignitaries such as Prince Albert of Monaco.
“I’ve done a few switch-ons before and it is usually a great atmosphere,” says Glaysher, who will be part of the festivities on Clarence Street.
“It’s the first thing you get involved in when it comes to Christmas and it gets people into the festive spirit.
“I have been asked to sing some festive stuff and some of my own stuff from my album that was re-released last week.
“There are two songs on that that were written exclusively for me by Luciano Pavarotti’s daughter Cristina.
“I was blown over when she contacted me and wanted to work with me and it was a fantastic experience and I will be singing one of those.”
Glaysher turned professional nine years ago but before then had a rather colourful past you wouldn’t normally get with an opera singer – being a heavyweight boxer and national taekwondo champion.
“It wasn’t professional boxing, just amateur,” he says.
“I did it on and off from when I was 11 before my last fight in 1991.
“In between that I was a black belt in taekwondo and competed for England and was three times national champion.
“I was always very sporty and when I wasn’t competing in taekwondo I went back to the gym to try and get a boxing bout.
“But I became a professional singer in 2001 and I haven’t looked back since – touch wood.”
Kingston Lights Switch on, various locations, November 18, 3.30pm to 6pm, free. Visit kingstonfirst.co.uk
- Share
- Comments(0)
more Leisure stories Share Close
<a href="http://www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/leisure/8631469.Taekwondo_champ_to_sing_opera_at_Kingston_lights_switch_on/tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/leisure/8631469.Taekwondo_champ_to_sing_opera_at_Kingston_lights_switch_on/Fri, 12 Nov 2010 08:30:48 GMT 00:00″>Taekwondo champ to sing opera at Kingston lights switch on (From Wimbledon Guardian)
festivities, kingston, share comments
No comments:
Post a Comment