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Barking
Operatic Society was started in the 1970s as
a Council night school class and was originally
called Barking Operatic Workshop. Under the auspices
of the former Barking Arts Council, the Group was
led by local music teacher Ethel Giles, who was paid
by the Council, and members paid night class fees to
the Borough. Barking Operatic Workshop put on its
productions in local halls and schools throughout
the Borough. |
In 1979, Ethel Giles retired and another
Barking music teacher,
Carole Cable took over as Musical
Director. The evening class was cancelled, but
members wanted to continue their interest and
formed Barking Operatic Society which was given
a grant by Barking Arts Council to help pay for
the Musical Director and a pianist. B.O.S.
members collected membership fees and organised
fundraising events and from the 1980s, were able
to stage larger scale productions - usually in
The Broadway Theatre, Barking.
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| When Barking Arts Council was
disbanded, B.O.S. was told to apply directly to the
Grants Section of the Council for funding. This the
Group has done ever since and B.O.S. is very
grateful for the financial assistance it receives
from the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
without which its ability to stage high quality
musical productions would be severely curtailed. |
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Carole
Cable died unexpectedly in May 1997, but
since January 1998, B.O.S. has been fortunate to
have Carol Lucas, another Barking and Dagenham music
teacher, as its Musical Director. The Society
currently has more than 30 members and is now a well
established feature of the musical life of the
Borough. In November 2005 Barking Operatic
Society decided to change its name and as from
January 2006 has become...
Barking Music and
Drama, or...
Barking MAD |
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