Popstar to Operastar

Popstar to Operastar
Genre Reality
Presented by Myleene Klass
Alan Titchmarsh (2010)
Judges Katherine Jenkins
Rolando Villazón
Simon Callow (2011)
Vanessa-Mae (2011)
Meat Loaf (2010)
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen (2010)
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 2
No. of episodes 12
Production
Producer(s) Emma Greenhalgh
Jamie Wiggins
Location(s) The London Studios
Running time 90 minutes
Production company(s) Renegade Pictures
Release
Original network ITV, STV, UTV
Picture format PAL (576i)
Original release 15 January 2010 (2010-01-15) – 10 July 2011 (2011-07-10)
External links
Website

Popstar to Operastar is a British television programme in which current pop stars are trained to sing opera. The show began airing on ITV on 15 January 2010 at 9pm.[1] The show is repeated on TV3 Ireland on Saturday evening.[2] The programme is produced by Renegade Pictures.

With the show being a singing competition, it featured appropriate judges: (Mexican tenor) Rolando Villazón, (Welsh mezzo-soprano) Katherine Jenkins, (pop singer) Meat Loaf and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. Villazón and Jenkins also mentor the contestants giving them the songs to sing during the live shows. Meat Loaf and Bowen were critic-judges, who talked about their performances. However, after the first series, it was announced that Meat Loaf and Bowen would not be returning as judges. Their replacements were confirmed to be actor and opera-director, Simon Callow and classical singer/violinist, Vanessa-Mae. The presenters of the show were confirmed to be Alan Titchmarsh and Myleene Klass with the non-operatic "Dies Irae" from Verdi's Requiem as the theme tune. However for the second series, Titchmarsh did not return to the show. The winner of the first series was Darius Campbell and winner of the second season was Joe McElderry.

The first episode of series 2 brought in 5.98 million viewers bringing the show its highest ratings to date. Each week the results show features a guest performances, normally an operastar singing to promote their upcoming album. For every vote cast, money is donated to the Nordoff-Robbins charity. The winner also receives a payment for a charity of their choice.

Format

The show is an opera-singing competition in which eight celebrity singers who are known for singing pop music compete through the competition and try to win the title of the show. Each week they are trained by professional opera stars (mentors); who teach them how to sing opera. The acts all perform live, giving a performance of their operatic song in an effort to impress the public, who will vote for them to keep them in the competition. Each performance is shown both live on television and in front of a live studio audience. The two singers with the fewest public votes are in the bottom two and get the chance to sing again, however their previous performance are "forgiven and forgotten" and the judges vote based on their sing-off performance who should stay and go. During the first series, if the judges vote went to a tie, it would go down to the public vote, however during series two the head judge will get to decide who stays in the competition after the sing off, if it is a tie. The head judge changed every week. However if the judges vote against the contestant to stay in the competition they will be eliminated. A proportion of the revenue from the telephone votes is donated to the Nordoff-Robbins music therapy charity.[3]

Judges and presenters

Series 2 new judges, Vanessa-Mae and Simon Callow

Once the show had been announced, there was a lot of speculation over who would be on the judging panel. However, it was later confirmed that the show's judges were to be Katherine Jenkins, who would also mentor the contestants, and Rolando Villazón who would mentor as well. Meat Loaf and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen were also confirmed to be judge critics, who would judge the contestant's performances only and not mentor the acts. All of the four judges critique each performance.

Jenkins and Villazón mentor the acts, training the pop stars in the art of opera singing; bringing them out their comfort zone and training them to sing in an operatic voice.

It was then later confirmed that Myleene Klass would present the show, however she was revealed as a co-host and Alan Titchmarsh was confirmed to be the other co-host of the show and they would present it together. However after series 1, Alan Titchmarsh confirmed that he would not return as the co-host of the show and Klass would present the show as a solo presenter.

After series one, it was confirmed that Meat Loaf and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen would not be returning as judges and would instead be replaced by Vanessa-Mae and Simon Callow.

Judges

Presenters

Current:

Former:

Series 1 (2010)

Popstars

Popstar Solo/Group/Band Status
Alex James
Blur (Bass guitarist)
Eliminated (Week 1)
Vanessa White
The Saturdays
Eliminated (Week 2)
Jimmy Osmond
The Osmonds
Eliminated (Week 3)
Danny Jones
McFly
Eliminated (Week 4)
Kym Marsh
Soloist / Hear'Say
Eliminated (Week 5)
Marcella Detroit
Shakespears Sister
Third place (Week 5)
Bernie Nolan
The Nolans
Runner Up (Week 6)
Darius Campbell
Soloist
Winner (Week 6)

Series 2 (2011)

Popstars

Popstar Solo/Group/Band Status
Midge Ure
soloist / Ultravox
Eliminated (Week 1)
Jocelyn Brown
Soloist
Eliminated (Week 2)
Melody Thornton
Pussycat Dolls
Eliminated (Week 3)
Andy Bell
Erasure
Eliminated (Week 4)
Joseph Washbourn
Toploader
Eliminated (Week 5)
Claire Richards
Steps
Third Place (Week 5)
Cheryl Baker
Bucks Fizz
Runner Up (Week 6)
Joe McElderry
Soloist
Winner (Week 6)

References

  1. "Popstar to Operastar gets set for primetime". STV. 15 January 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
  2. "Popstar to Operastar". TV3 Ireland. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
  3. "Popstar to Operastar - charity". itv.com. Retrieved 29 January 2010.

External links

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