Tenors Unlimited offer the Rat Pack of Opera in Eastbourne

Spokeswoman Jackie Mitchell said: “This is part of the guys’ new UK tour as they enter a new era as a duo starring Jem Sharples and Paul Martin. Tenors Unlimited has performed alongside such notables as Sting, Lionel Richie, Katherine Jenkins, Beyoncé, Hayley Westenra, Simply Red and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to name a few. For 20 years, Tenors Unlimited has been entertaining audiences world-wide. They bring their own blend of wit, humour, charm and vocal arrangements to their performances.

“For the last 20 years, the group has been a trio. Following the retirement of the third member last year, Jem and Paul started performing as a duo. The performances were so well received with such excitement by fans, the seed was sown to continue this way.

“Their show will take you on a wonderful musical journey through some of the best-loved songs made famous by other icons of song such as Pavarotti, Lanza, Sting and Bublé. The group’s wide-ranging repertoire will be mixed with crooner and pop favourites. These include Everything, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, You Raise Me Up, Some Enchanted Evening and Love Changes Everything as well as songs written by the guys themselves.”

Born in Sutton Coldfield, Paul Martin, the bass baritone of the group, first discovered his love of music when singing in his local church choir and joined National Youth Choir of Great Britain. He studied voice at the Birmingham Conservatoire and embarked on a career in opera performing the role of Sarastro in Mozart’s Magic Flute on a tour of the USA after graduating.

Jem Sharples trained privately and at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His roles in theatre include Alex Dillingham in Aspects of Love (national tour), creating the role of Jesus/The Man in Whistle Down The Wind (Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham), PT Barnum in Barnum (Guinness Theatre, Dublin) and Young Scrooge in Scrooge opposite the late Anthony Newley (national tour). TV credits include Nature Boy (BBC). He co-wrote, produced and played the lead in a new musical Nelson based on the life and loves of Horatio Nelson.

Joining them for the concert will be the Little Common Primary School Choir.

“As the shield holders of the Rotary Club’s Let’s Sing Youth Choir Competition, the choir from Little Common primary school in Bexhill-on-Sea, has been invited to join Tenors Unlimited once again. The school choir comprises the whole of Year 5 – 90 pupils aged eight and nine, although each year a new choir is formed. The choir annually performs at the Bexhill Music Festival at the De La Warr Pavilion, the Bexhill summer fete, as well as the church and community centre. The choir enjoys singing songs from musicals, pop songs, as well as choral pieces.”

Kate Laver, music teacher at the school, added: “The pupils are over the moon at joining Tenors Unlimited on stage.”