Consider joining our chorus?

Opera South East would be delighted to welcome new chorus members!  We have a range of roles on offer so do get in touch.
We have two change for Members for our 2025-2026 year: -
  • Our annual membership subscription has risen to £160
    for the year 1 October 2025-30 September 2026
  • This can be paid up front, or in 6 monthly payments of £27 each (£162 in total, October 2025-April 2026) to join our rehearsals
  • We also have a new format for our 2026 productions: an academy principal arrangement and chorus will have the option of singing on-stage (costumed and stage directed) or off-stage (chorus singing from the wings with score in hand).
  • We have introduced a category of Full Voting Members who are Non-Singing Members at half price (£80 p.a.)
  • As a result of the Non-Singing Member category, we have abandoned the OSE Friends Category and fee for that.

Membership Fees for new chorus members: You can join free for your first six months as a guest member, though you will have to pay a production fee of £110 to perform in La Boheme, and further performance fees for each subsequent concert/opera you may choose to join us for in that period, and potentially pay a refundable deposit on costume hire (£50).  This trial membership is intended to cover the first operatic production for new members.  After that it's £160p.a. for subsequent years.

Membership offers you voting OSE Membership (1 October one year through to 30 September the next year).  Being a Member means you don't have to pay the above performance fee or costume deposits.  If you would rather pay subscriptions in parts they you can alternatively pay over six monthly subscriptions of £27 from October to March (£162 in total).
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Under 18's do not need to become Members but may participate for free, other than potential costume fees.

Draft Rehearsal Schedule for a full opera production of 
La Boheme
by Puccini, for production performances on Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th April 2026.  This production, as for all OSE productions, the chorus will be sung in English. However for this production, most principal performers will sing in Italian (with subtitles for audience benefit) 

    Director/Conductor: Marcio da Silva

See schedule of rehearsal dates is on the website: Rehearsal dates

Regular Rehearsal Venue

St John's Church Hall, Brittany Road,  TN38 0RD

    Join Opera South East as a member of the chorus or the production support team

Contact Form

    Apply to join The OSE Chorus, or back-stage or admin roles:

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OSE objectives and the role of chorus members

The top objective for chorus members is to attend rehearsals so we can get everyone up to standard. Rehearsals are generally on Sunday afternoons (or occasionally evenings).  However the key final rehearsals for our next production are from 7th to 16th April 2026 are more intense.  It’s hard work but great fun. 

Opera South East aims to:
  • Promote and perform operas, operettas, recitals etc to the highest possible standard ensuring that it is affordable and accessible to everyone
  • Educate and encourage the public into the opera experience
and is committed to:
  • Provide a platform for young professional singers to perform leading operatic roles with the benefit of full orchestra, chorus and professional directors
  • Encourage and promote an interest in opera and education through occasional opera workshops, frequent/normal free under-18s tickets to productions with each adult paying ticket holder (larger free groups by arrangement), and participation through invitation (in performances where children are part of the plot and where we can co-ordinate chaperones as needed)
  • Ensuring that production planning presents challenge, innovation and audience appeal
  • Be aware at all times for the continuing need for growth and development
As a member of Opera South East, you hope you will engage in both the performing and non-performing Company activities.  At the moment, we perform one full opera per year in April but are trying to move to a model of two academy productions annually and around two concerts.  As part of our fundraising efforts, we perform several concerts and other non-performance activities throughout the year and which are an essential source of income for us. 

 Chorus formats:
We understand different people have different preferences.  From our 2026 productions, we welcome both on-stage and off-stage chorus members. (On-stage chorus performing in costume, and off-stage chorus members able to retain sight of the score.)
 
We encourage members to participate in company business activities and currently have various sub-committees covering all aspects of business.  We also like to have a good time at various social events.  

​We welcome you!