Midge in next series of "popstar to operastar"

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/midge-ure-and-thornton-for-opera-reality-show_1218679

Good luck Midge, show them what´s a real VOICE!!!

short mention in the "sun" newspaper -


TOPLOADER's JOSEPH WASHBOURN is starring in TV's Pop Star To Opera Star. The singer, whose band release album Only Human on June 6, will join JOE McELDERRY and MIDGE URE. Joseph said: "I'm against a virtual saint in Midge. There's no way the big man upstairs will let me beat him."

full list of participants at

http://www.itv.com/popstartooperastar/

I'll be making an exception and watching this 'reality' show!!! Go Midge!!

M

In a roundabout way Midge has already attempted opera. There is a youtube clip of him performing 'Phantom Of The Opera' with a lady whose name I always forget.

I personally don't like his version of POTO compared to Crawford & Harley. Will be interesting to hear what operatic tune he attempts though.

I'm not putting money on it but I'm going to tip Andy Bell to beat Melody Thornton...who I've never heard of & have no idea what she sounds like. Had it been Faye Tozer & not Claire Richards from Steps I'd have actually tipped her to win. Cheryl Baker will be the first voted off if that's how it works!! Never heard of Joe Washbourn - who is Joe McEldery? Did he win X-Factor or the like? Jocelyn Brown looks a 'stereotypical opera star & I bet a lot of the punters will tip her, but for me Andy Bell.

this is the best news ever, and as i am a fan of midge and rolando, this is impossible dream, that has come true, i have set up a facebook page, for midge to win, and won't be shutting up about it, i am off to see rolando on saturday, so will see if i can get anything out of him lol,

Midge latest twitter -

"Sitting learning Italian for my up and coming appearance on pop star to opera star in the next couple of weeks. What have I let myself in 4"

I assume they are going to be trained by genuine opera stars?

Lucky bugger whoever gets Lesley Garrett...she's lovely.

Another thing that comes to mind...if Midge is now involved with this....where does that leave a tour this year assuming there was going to be one this year to promote a new album?!!

katherine jenkins and rolando villazon, are training them, myleen klass is presenting the show

Don't generally like 'reality' TV but I'll be making an exception for this one too! With his voice Midge will be brilliant at it and hopefully the winner! I quite like some opera anyway so add in the Midge factor and the show will become a rather enjoyable mix! Hope he has great fun doing it! Shame I have no means of recording it.

Bit of a shock! But will definitely be tuning in ,,,go Midge!!!

Disappointed no Lesley Garrett but Katherine is another fave. Not too much of a surprise who the presenter is...Mylene has been on Classic FM for quite some time now.

Had Russell Watson been on it training Midge that would have been ironic!!

its starts in June , and with 8 contestants will probbaly only be 7 or 8 weeks - so finished by beginning/mid of Aug

Yeh that's the timescale I looked at assuming the first week or two no one gets the chop, then the usual 1 a week format.

Suppose it might be possible for tour dates to start by the end of the year & carry on into next. He's gonna be knackered, especially as I'm taking a wild guess as an unclassically unvocally trained person myself, he may need to rest the voice a bit after the show after probably hitting some pretty high notes. Then again, as with all of the 8 contenders, it depends how long he actually lasts in the show!!

A lot of people only go on these shows when they have new product to promote - so it may be a good sign

Oh s*** - are you telling me Steps are reforming?!!!

6 weeks, max, i now have a few followers on my fb page, all rooting for midge and will be wearing my support badge in london, while i am at the opera seeing rolando lol...
my midge support badge lol

This is too scary - I hope I dont meet you down a dark alley at night

i'm a big opera fan and a big midge fan, whats wrong with that, showing my support for midge, and bigging up opera is ok by me

I used to detest opera in the same way as I detested blues & jazz, but my tastes have changed these days. I'm a huge fan of Lesley Garrett who can turn her voice to anything from classical, opera, musicals...her version of 'Wouldn't It Be Loverly' is the best I've heard.

To think...when Lesley was in the 'Perfect Day' video, I had no idea who she was!!

If you've ever heard the singing voice of Brian Blessed he is one person who could turn his hand to opera.

On the subject of opera...the French Eurovision entry has a very operatic feel to it & is a favourite to win. Hallelujah...it's not being sung in English either!!

MIDGE URE HELL YEAH!!!
Anything that promotes Midge and/or Ultravox is good in my books cant say im a fan of talent contests or reality tv but ill probably try and catch some of this.

Another Midge tweet from this morning -

Struggling with the concept of trying to sing from a different vocal area without sounding like the "go compare" man ! Not confident yet !


-
for anyone outside the UK , this is a reference to a series of annoying TV adverts for insurance - see for example
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_-9QFvhQWo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvqzx1bA488

Yah, but... the chap singing the Go Compare stuff is actually a proper opera singer doing something that makes money for a change.

Yes he is.

Talking of opera singers...don't hear much about Paul Potts these days!! I think I heard him mentioned on the radio the other week but I forget in what context.

Makes you wonder how long SuBo will last!!

But you would admit that the adverts are really annoying ?

Yes...very.

What will be even more annoying will be people turning to his future gigs & singing gocompare!!

Mind you...the ads are not quite as annoying as those bloody meerkat ones. He even 'wrote' a book!!

I think the the meerkats ones are really clever and I would have loved to have a fly on the wall when that campaign was concived. The real clever thing is that there is potential for marketing spins offs.