Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

The Rambert Dance Company hope to make a young Norfolk baritone one of the stars of the show with a performance at the Theatre Royal in Norwich.

The Eternal Light promises to combine dance, lights and music to dramatic effect, but the leg of the tour that reaches Norwich should be particularly special for one local man.

Ronan Collett, 26, already holds an impressive curriculum vitae, being awarded the Priz Thierry Mermod at the Verbier Academy in Switzerland and a prestigious Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship.

Ronan has performed at the Sydney Opera House and the Perth International Festival in Australia singing Benjamin Britten's War Requiem and has been a recent graduate of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's New Generation Artists Scheme.

Not bad, considering it all started in the quiet and rural surroundings of Holt in Norfolk.

Growing up in Norfolk

Ronan, an avid Norwich City fan, was born at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital and attended Gresham's School in Holt, where his love for music began.

Ronan Collett

"It was fantastic growing up in Norfolk. Living in London, as I do now for my work, I just really miss the skies. All you get is pollution here. I love going back there and going to the sea and of course, for mum's cooking," said Ronan.

"At school they really supported the arts. We had an amazing music teacher called Mark Jones. He taught us to be really enthusiastic - love the music and never lose sight of that," he added.

Becoming a professional baritone, however, was not the first career option for the aspiring Ronan.

"I actually got into singing through drama. I was in lots of plays at school and I realised that I had a louder voice than anyone else, so it became a natural choice," he said.

"We did drama exercises and games where we made crazy noises. When my voice broke and I started going on choir tours, I realised singing could be very fun and I thought that I may not have to work so hard - I was very wrong!" he added.

Preparation and training

Becoming a lead soloist took years of dedication and commitment to singing, but developing as a person has also been key to Ronan's success.

Eternal Light showcases dance and music

"I sang in St. John's College Choir in Cambridge for three years, which was the best possible preparation for being a professional singer," he said.

"But a lot of training and preparation is outside of the music environment. You just need to grow as an individual, otherwise you don't have anything to sing about," he added.

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ New Generation Artists Scheme

The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ scheme aimed at developing Britain's best young musical talent provided a great platform for Ronan to be where he is today.

"It taught me to never be afraid of the flashing red light. All the guys there were tremendously helpful. It was a huge privilege to be chosen and suddenly I was alongside the best young musicians and orchestras in the world," he stated.

However, performing in prestigious venues in Australia really helped catapult his success and the shows in Sydney and Perth stand as the defining moments in his short career so far.

"It was an amazing experience. Performing Benjamin Britten's work was particularly special because he was also from Norfolk and I was at the same house he went to at Gresham's," he said.

The Eternal Light Tour 2008

Performing with the Rambert Dance Company and the local amateur Keswick Hall Choir from Norwich is a huge privilege for Ronan.

The Rambert Dance Company

"It's so exciting. It's a big collaborative effort and it should be an amazing experience, seeing all the dancers doing their thing. I've never worked with dancers on a tour like this - it's going to be a real spectacle," said Ronan.

"I'm also looking forward to working with the Keswick Hall Choir, as they are also from Norfolk, but it's great that they've chosen an amateur choir to be used for the tour. That's what music is all about - involving everybody in the whole process," he added.

Even though Ronan's singing abilities are well documented, he still finds it hard to decide upon one piece of music that brings a tear to his eye.

"That's a really tough question. As a leader singer I'd have to go back to Shubert or Debussy or Britten, but Shubert has over 700 songs. Picking just one would be very difficult," he laughed.

The Eternal Light Tour 2008 with the Rambert Dance Company will waltz into the Theatre Royal in Norwich between Thursday, 16 October and Saturday, 18 October, 2008 at 7.30pm. For more information call 01603 630000.