University College Opera The brainchild of the conductor Anthony Addison, (UCL's then Director of Music), University College Opera gave its first performance in 1951 with an all-student production of Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas", followed by Mozart's "Bastien und Bastienne". Even in its earliest years, the company's annual repertoire concentrated on rarely performed operas including: Nicolai's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" (1952), Bizet's "Don Procopio" (1955) and Lortzing's "Der Wildschütz" (1958). In 1961, the company staged its first UK premiere, Moniuszko's "Halka". During its first 17 years, UCOpera's performances took place in the old gymnasium at University College. With the opening of the college's
Ramón Iriarte doors opened to him in the opera world. As Claudio in Montero's "Virginia," and roles in "L'amico Fritz", "Carmen", "Aida", "Pagliacci", "Madama Butterfly", and "Bastien und Bastienne" had become part of Iriarte's wide music repertoire full of success. One of the main places where Iriarte got to show his talent in a national way was in the Teatro Municipal de Caracas. In 1967 was the first time he performed internationally in New York City where he gained fame and reputation. His baritone's life kept blooming as the years passed. For over twenty–five years he dedicated his life to opera and