Edward Johnson writes… John Wilson has been expanding what Chandos describes as “a large and varied discography” with the Sinfonia of London and it’s a reminder of those splendid Proms he did in years past. These rejoiced in such titles as “The Broadway Sound”, “Hooray for Hollywood” and “The Warner Brothers Story”. He also engaged some splendid singers and here are two of them, both doubling up as actors. Amongst many stage and TV appearances, Julian Ovenden will probably best be remembered as Michael Kitchen’s pilot son Andrew in Foyle’s War“, though he also appeared in several episodes of Downton Abbey as one of Lady Mary’s suitors. He sang ‘Younger than Springtime’ from South Pacific in the John Wilson “Broadway Sound” Prom of 2012 and the video of his performance on YouTube has now had well over one-million views.
The other actor-singer I like is Jamie Parker, the church-going, piano-playing student in the play and film of Alan Bennett’s The History Boys. His many theatre credits include the lead roles in the Globe production of Henry V as well as that in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child“. In the John Wilson “Late Night Sinatra” Prom in 2015, he sang several numbers, his high note at the end of ‘I Won’t Dance’ deservedly helping to bring the house down!
Julian Ovenden …
Jamie Parker …