Nottingham may soon have something entirely new to celebrate, its first-ever locally produced opera. Or at least, the first opera meticulously rescued from years of digital limbo and given a chance to be heard. Enter Senior Kelly’s Soufflé, the brainchild of composer Andrew Nicklin, and a story of creativity, resilience, and a little technical wizardry.
The work had been quietly languishing on Nicklin’s iMac throughout lockdown, desperately needing edit, mix, and mastering TLC. Stepping in was Robin, Director of Nottingham Studio Sirkus Records, a music professional with 35 years’ experience in commercial mixing and mastering, and a decade of private music study from the age of six. The result? Two 40-minute acts of dizzyingly intricate music, 2s, 3s, 4s, all the way up to 11s, with constantly shifting keys and rhythms that would flex muscles most pop, trap, or chill producers barely use in their day-to-day work.
“The international award-winning operatic soloists could have used a Zoom class or two on home recording,” Robin admits with a wry smile, “but part of the job was retrieving performances from all manner of ‘less than ideal’ setups.”
Tragically, Nicklin had developed prefrontal dementia, losing not only his musical ear but also the ability to speak. This left the Logic Pro X sessions he created scattered, out of time or place, and sometimes outright unusable. Robin painstakingly re-edited each performance, bar by bar, note by note, turning the raw recordings into a polished, internationally worthy production.
Nicklin, a former conductor and director with the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company, originally funded the project with £4,000 raised from a Kickstarter campaign inspired by librettist Simon Buterriss. The initial sum covered only the four professional soloists, there was no budget for a full orchestra. Enter Noteperformer 4, a plugin-based orchestral DAW that, while not a live orchestra, provides a convincing musical backdrop for this ambitious work.
The path to completion wasn’t smooth. Following the death of Nicklin’s close friend Jane Stokes in December 2024, Robin and Nicklin relaunched the Kickstarter to cover the remaining work. Supporters quickly stepped up, funding not only the completion of Act Two but also a limited edition CD pressing for loyal followers. The opera is dedicated to Jane Stokes, without whom it might never have been recorded.
Four soloists recorded individually in their home studios. Michael Kelly, sung by Jack Roberts, trained at Guildhall, debuted at Opera Holland Park, and has performed with the Royal Opera and the London Symphony Orchestra. Lorenzo da Ponte, performed by Matthew Kellett, is a London-born baritone and graduate of RNCM and Trinity College, a regular at Opera Holland Park and Charles Court Opera. Stephen Storace, performed by Thomas Chenhall, is an award-winning baritone performing internationally, including upcoming debuts at Carnegie Hall and the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence. Nancy Storace, performed by Annie Fassea, is a lyric coloratura soprano, Fulbright scholar, and winner of multiple international competitions. The chamber orchestra, synthesised from the composer’s Sibelius score, represents 15 instruments including flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion, harp, piano, and a string quintet.
Based on historical figures Michael Kelly, Nancy Storace, and Stephen Storace, the opera blends fact and fiction. The young Irish tenor Michael Kelly meets the teenage soprano Nancy Storace and her composer brother Stephen during a violent storm at sea, and the three are recruited by Da Ponte to the Imperial Opera in Vienna. Alongside Mozart, the story unfolds with music, intrigue, and a comic touch, while fictionalised events introduce mystery and drama.
The resulting work, released this September 2025, is both a triumph of musical vision and a testament to human resilience in the face of adversity. While there are no firm plans for a staged production yet, the hope remains that this opera will one day grace a Nottingham stage.
Robin also offers a note for aspiring home recordists, even world-class performers can struggle without the right setup. A good audio interface, a quality cardioid mic, a nylon pop shield, and proper room damping make all the difference. “Avoid those portable vocal booths,” he warns, “they often capture every domestic acoustic flaw and reflect it into the mic. The corner behind the vocalist, with a heavy curtain or duvet, works far better.”
For Nottingham, Senior Kelly’s Soufflé is more than just an opera, it’s a story of friendship, technical expertise, and the city’s capacity to nurture ambitious artistic projects, even in the face of adversity. If you listen closely to the Soundcloud snippet, you might just hear the city’s first operatic heartbeat.
Find out more about Robin’s work and discover how you can help this inspiring Nottingham project
Posted on 12 December 2025
