Michael Hawley

Michael has lived in Huddersfield from childhood, educated at St. Joseph's and at St. Gregory's Grammar School, he sang his first Gilbert and Sullivan role while at college, this was the Major General in Pirates of Penzance. Ten years elapsed before he again sang publicly (though Cliff Richard, The Beatles, and Elvis were in his repertoire), this was when he joined Honley Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Since then he has performed nearly all the major G & S character roles.

He made his debut with South Yorkshire Opera at the Crucible Theatre Sheffield in 1989 with a highly acclaimed Ko-ko in Mikado, followed by a similar success in 1990 as the Lord Chancellor in Iolanthe. In addition to shows; concerts both in Sheffield and Huddersfield are a regular feature in a busy calendar; the most recent being at the newly opened Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield, singing with his regular partner Nigel Rothery.

Michael Hawley and Nigel Rothery met at Honley G & S and worked together as Pooh-Bah and Ko-ko, Shadbolt and Point, Colonel Calverley and Bunthorne, and many others both in concerts and productions with the full society and its concert party.

In 1986 they decided to look for a new challenge, and found it in Sheffield in the shape of South Yorkshire Opera where they both now take principal pans.

They study singing with Patricia Hamilton. Ask either of them "with whom do you most like to sing", the answer will be ......

Nigel Rothery

Nigel, born and raised in Huddersfield, began singing at an early age. Most of his early singing career was in folk music, but whilst at Colne Valley High School he became interested in Gilbert and Sullivan.

His first singing role at the age of 15 was that of Shadbolt in 'The Yeomen of the Guard'. After playing many principal baritone roles with Honley Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Nigel joined South Yorkshire Opera in 1986.

His performances in the Crucible Theatre at Sheffield have included Papageno in 'The Magic Flute', Schaunard in 'La Boheme' and Dr. Bartolo in 'The Barber of Seville'.

He is also in demand on the concert platform in both oratorio and concert engagements and recently took the part of Mephistopheles in Holmfirth Choral Society's Concert Version of 'Faust'. Next month he will be appearing as Tommy in Sheffield Amateurs production of 'Brigadoon'.

He also claims that any similarity between his last name and that of this evening's conductor is purely coincidental!