A festive appeal (plea!) on behalf of Target Ovarian Cancer

By Emma Kane

Over the last ten years my family has lost two very close family members to ovarian cancer – both at exactly the same age I am now, 53; but it is not just my family, one in 50 women will get an ovarian cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. 

As Chair of Target Ovarian Cancer, the UK’s leading ovarian cancer charity, I work tirelessly to help raise much needed funds to support research, raise awareness and provide support as we believe fundamentally that every woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer should receive the right support at the right time, in the way that is right for her which is why over 30,000 people use our award-winning ovarian cancer information every month.  Much of the work focuses on early diagnosis which has become a critical issue during the pandemic. 

This year, however, like many charities, our key fundraising plans were all decimated and I have set about to try and do my bit to help raise much needed funds…

At the same time, I have witnessed at first hand, the devasting impact of the closure of theatres, concert venues and opera houses around the world.  Over lockdown my husband and I sat down to work out how we could do our bit to help.

I would be really grateful if you would consider supporting the product of our efforts!  We have put our heart and soul into this project and every singer and their pianist, together with the whole production team, was paid by us to perform.

This is our initiative:

Twenty years after the launch of Rosenblatt Recitals and three years after the final concert, the series has returned in digital form to present a season of eight programmes - Rosenblatt Recitals at Home, in aid of Target Ovarian Cancer. 

Life for singers and musicians has been extremely challenging as most of the world’s opera houses have been silenced and stages left empty.  To help raise the spirits, Rosenblatt Recitals has brought together 30 of the greatest voices in opera performing arias and duets under eight themes.  The singers, all former Rosenblatt Recitalists, perform the music that they love, from the intimate setting of their homes, many during the harshest of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

Rosenblatt Recitals at Home is presented by Suzy Klein and Petroc Trelawny – two of the UK’s leading classical music presenters.  The concept is simple – a series of eight programmes, each around 30 to 45 minutes long.  Proceeds will be donated directly to Target Ovarian Cancer.

The singers are:  Celso Albelo, Richard Berkeley Steele, Angel Blue, Susan Bullock, Eleonora Burrato, Joseph Calleja, Chares Castronovo, Stephen Costello, Tara Erraught, Rosa Feola, Serena Gamberoni, Bryan Hymel, Ben Johnson, Irini Kyriakidou, Ivan Magri, Matthew Rose, Serena Malfi, Ailyn Perez, Michele Pertusi, Simone Piazzola, Antonio Poli, Jessica Pratt, Artur Rucinski, Luca Salsi, Ekaterina Siurina, Antonino Siragusa, Vladimr Stoyanov, Gianluca Terranova, and Ailish Tynan.

Full details are available at http://www.rrsah.com

If opera isn’t your thing there is another way you can support this initiative:

Text TOCRR to 70085 to donate £10 to Target Ovarian Cancer

Text to donate

Texts cost £10 plus one standard rate message and you’ll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS. If you’d like to give £10 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text TOCRRNOINFO to 70085.

Every £1 is gratefully received.  Thank you so much for your support.

And for those who want a little Christmas cheer, here is a social media post by one of the singers to promote the initiative.