Go Compare tenor in opera at Venue Cymru, Llandudno

Dec 29 2009

TENOR Wynne Evans, best known for his role advertising Go Compare, is heading to North Wales.

He’s filmed six ads for the price comparison firm as flamboyant character Gio Compario, with the latest unveiled on Christmas Day.

There’s still one to be screened said Wynne.

Next week he’ll start rehearsing with Welsh National Opera, ready for a tour with Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio, which takes in Llandudno in March.

Initially he wasn’t due to appear in the Go Compare adverts, instead simply to provide the voice, said Wynne.

"When I went for the audition they thought one person couldn’t do all the singing, acting and dancing. But when I began to sing I started doing all the actions, to help, and then they asked if I wanted to appear.

"They are massive fun to make, I was given pretty much of a free rein, jumping around and so on. The fact that it’s Welsh is doubly pleasing."

He gets it sung to him in the street regularly and emails from people inviting him to their partie - such as the mum who wanted him to appear at her son’s birthday bash - not realising he’s got a busy professional schedule.

Even the staff at the Royal Opera House - used to seeing international stars on the stage - asked for his autograph and for photos to be taken with him.

"Even though I’ve sung in front of 75,000 fans at the Millennium stadium for the rugby internationals, I’ve reached millions through the ads, such as when I pop up in the middle of X Factor," said Wynne.

When we speak, the dad-of-two was looking forward to Christmas at home with the family, and a chance to learn his German score for Abduction.

A joint production with opera houses from Houston, Boston, Colorado, Kansas and Minnesota, and conducted by Rinaldo Alessandrini, it’s a modern version set aboard the Orient Express in the 1920s en route from Paris to Istanbul.

Opera buffs class it as one of Mozart’s wittiest and funniest creations. It tells the tale of Belmonte (Robin Tritschler) and his lover Konstanze (Lisette Oropesa), who is held captive by Pasha Selim (Simon Thorpe). Belmonte and his servant Pedrillo (Wynne) hatch a cunning plot to free Konstanze and her maid Blonde (Claire Ormshaw). First, though, they have to get past the Pasha’s steward Osmin (Petros Magoulas).

The WNO will also be performing Puccini’s Tosca and Bizet’s Carmen.

Opera’s a small world, and Robin last year understudied Wynne, and they’ve also performed together in Otello, along with Simon - with whom Wynne went to college.

"It’s not an opera I know so I’m looking forward to getting into the role. It will take time to learn it, though I can speak some German and Italian as well. Otherwise I have to learn a role phonetically."

His ability with language is helping him learn Welsh as well, as his two young children are being taught at school. Born in Carmarthen, his love of the musical world sprang from his parents, who ran the town’s Lyric Theatre.

Welsh National Opera, Llandudno Venue Cymru, The Abduction from the Seraglio, March 9; Tosca March 10 and 12; Carmen March 11 and 13. Tickets 01492 872000 or venuecymru.co.uk