THE Croydon Philharmonic Choir and a pair of distinguished soloists are to join Basingstoke Choral Society (BCS) for their next performance.

Joined by the New London Sinfonia and conducted by David Gibson in The Anvil on Sunday, April 6 at 7pm, BCS will perform Rossini’s William Tell Overture and Stabat Mater and Verdi’s Te Deum.

Rossini completed his opera William Tell in 1829, making it his 36th in nineteen years. The overture has become his best known work due to an indelible association with The Lone Ranger TV series.

Rossini’s sacred piece Stabat Mater was first performed in Paris in 1842 to great acclaim. Three of the movements had to be repeated to quieten the cheers from the audience. No fewer than 29 performances followed in its first year.

The solemn text, a devotional poem about the Virgin Mary’s vigil at the foot of the Cross, could not be in greater contrast to the unashamedly theatrical style of the work, with its beautiful and gloriously uplifting music.

Guest mezzo-soprano Heather Shipp studied at Trinity College of Music‚ London and the National Opera Studio. Her most recent and current engagements include performances at the Royal Opera House, Symphony Hall‚ Birmingham‚ Opera North‚ Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen, Teatro Real in Madrid and for English National Opera.

Baritone Ashley Riches is a member of the Jette Parker Young Artists programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Previously he studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and English at Cambridge University, where he was a member of the King’s College Chapel Choir under Stephen Cleobury.

He has given song recitals at Wigmore Hall, Barbican Hall, the City of London Festival, Chelsea Schubert Festival and Ludlow Festival and has recorded Poulenc Chansons Gaillardes with Graham Johnson for Hyperion. He recently sang several Handel arias for a David Starkey TV series Monarchy and Music.

Tickets for the concert are available from the box office on 01256 844244 or online at anvilarts.org.uk.