Five-star Fringe hit with ex-politician and opera singer

A British-American opera singer and an award-winning Edinburgh-based former politician will perform a festive adaptation of a five-star Fringe hit show in the capital next month.

Andrea Baker, the internationally-renowned mezzo soprano, and former SNP councillor Richard Lewis will present a tinsel-tinged edition of Sing Sistah Sing! The Christmas Celebration, a celebration of Christmas and the sound and breadth of the African American female voice.

It will run from December 20-23 and 27-30 show at The Rose Theatre, the city centre venue that, together with the iconic St Stephen’s Church in Stockbridge, was purchased by the Olivier Award-winning performer Peter Schaufuss two years ago and transformed into a modern space for performance and training.

The show gained great acclaim during this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, receiving warm praise, sold-out audiences and five-star reviews.

Peter Schaufuss said: ‘We are so happy to bring a special festive adaptation of such a successful Fringe show to The Rose Theatre. It will be a treat for people in Edinburgh at Christmas time to see something totally different to what is out there and to savour the superb virtuoso performance of Andrea Baker and the considerable talent of Richard Lewis.’

Baker, who conceived and wrote the production, is the first African American to sing Fricka, Waltraute, Erda and 2nd Norn in Wagner’s great Ring Cycle in the Chinese premiere of the work at the Beijing Arts Festival, the first African American Carmen in Australia at the Sydney Opera House and the first African American to sing the role of Ortrud in the South Korean premiere of Wagner’s Lohengrin at the Daegu Opera Festival.

Lewis, who attended the Capital’s James Gillespie’s High School before graduating from Oxford University and completing a Masters in music at University of Edinburgh, served as convenor of City of Edinburgh Council’s culture and sport committee from 2012-2017.

Sing Sista Sing! The Christmas Celebration will show at The Rose Theatre (Rose Street, Edinburgh) on December 20-23 and 27-30, with performances on Thursday-Saturday at 7.30pm and Sunday showings at 5pm. To purchase tickets, visit www.rosetheatreedinburgh.co.uk or call 0131 622 6552.