Renowned soprano Alison Buchanan, the self-proclaimed Prom Queen of England, will wow at Sunday's (August 6) Proms in Bedford Park.
Bedford-born, she is now based Stateside, and making the journey home here especially for the occasion.
She went On Track with Total MK and shared her musical likes and loves...
The song that first awakened your musical senses
A: The song that gave me the singing bug was Brahms Alto Rhapsody sung by Christa Ludwig. The LP was hiding amongst a sea of reggae and R & B. One day when I was, I rummaged through my father's record collection, saw this odd looking cover, I was curious and after playing it, I started mimicking the singer, one day at school I disrupted the music class by making that noise. That was it! the music teacher found me a vocal teacher and the journey began.
Physical or digital - how do you take your music?
A: I am on the road a lot so I do a lot of digital, I always have my iPod at hand! But there is nothing that beats a live concert.
The first time you thought 'Music - this is the job for me'
A: Glyndeboure Festival Opera. It was my first production, (I was 16 and still at Bedford High School). This production was a huge success, every night we had ovations.... one night I remember looking out at the audience who were screaming and hollering and I thought 'this is the life for me!)
Your best on stage memory...
A: Had to go on as Michaela in Carmen at San Francisco Opera, I was the understudy. After my aria there was silence (I thought OMG! It was so bad they are not going to clap, how embarrassing) well after a little while, they started clapping and they went on and on, I'm kneeling in my final position (you usually stay there til the applause stops) and I'm crying, it was overwhelming and wonderful!
And the worst gig you've ever done
A: Squarking like a chicken, while singing with a famous orchestra in German, conducted by the famous Sir. Colin Davis in a concert that was broadcast live all around Germany.... that's very high up the worst List. Or doing this gig in Italy where we had to live and perform in a disused monastery. My bed was covered in fleas that was hell, although the location was stunning and the music amazing!
What made you take up singing?
A: I think the truth is singing took me up! Once the ball started rolling, I had no control , things kept falling into place. Bedford County Council really helped and guided me in the early years.... it was like the stars were aligned.
Which one song by another artist do you wish you had written
A: Anything Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud and Shape Of You (loving those)
And one - by yourself - which holds special significance
A: Four Last Songs by Richard Strauss (not by me) but that's my life work... each time I do it I add another layer and it's meaning deepens for me, which I guess is logical as it's about death and as you get older your feelings on death change.
Are there any current influences you look to?
A: I love Music from Senegal, I love great voices... it's a little cliche but as an artist, you draw inspiration from everything. You have to be open to being influenced by anything at anytime!!
If you could step into the shoes of another musician, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do?
A: Leontyne Price (living) arguably the best opera voice of our generation. I would just enjoy that amazing journey. She was an black soprano who broke down many colour barriers in the 50's and 60's based on the quality of that voice and her artistry.
And any genre of music that you simply can't stand?
A: Hmmmm: difficult as you can be inspired by all music...... heavy metal, I find that hard to be inspired by! Oh and hard core rap
Finally, plug your show in Bedford - what can we expect?
A: Fabulous music, electric energy, a big screen showing bits of films a wonderful orchestra, a very handsome singer from the West End, a chart topping star, fireworks and me in a Union Jack dress!
To book tickets for Sunday's event - which also features Australian Tenor Daniel Koek, soprano Joanna Forest and The London Gala Orchestra, click here
