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The Top Cs & Tiaras projectProduced and transmitted between 1982 and 1985, it was a popular, viewer-requested show. No similar shows have been made on any TV channel since.
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Creating the conceptThe original treatment from the Bright Thoughts Company to Channel 4 offered innovations and a winning formula which could not be achieved logistically by staff producers at an ITV or BBC studio and therefore could only be produced by an independent production company. Channel 4 wanted us to create a popular music show that would help build ratings and therefore have the potential to run into more series as well as have a potential secondary market. From the original treatment:
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- to be recorded entirely on location, to liberate the recordings away from a proscenium arch - a theatre or concert performance - a studio recording, or other formal setting;
- all singing to be recorded live in every location;
- three types of music accompaniment in each show, one third with an eight-piece orchestra, one third with large orchestra, one third with piano only;
- by design, to be an Ensemble of the four voices (soprano, mezzo, tenor, baritone) as the foundation, with the addition of a leading artist and a guest celebrity performer;
- to inform, educate as well as entertain - each titles had an overlay with title, dates of composition, composer, title of operetta. The spoken links augmented the information on each operetta.
Neil Anthony
On demand TV -
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The transmission tapes are held in archive. With an increasing demand for original content on the pay-to-view services, there is a likelihood the main series can be remastered in HD once a distribution and licensing agreement is made.
It is also possible for for a remake with another production company and to use the original format for the production. |
We would be pleased to hear from you if there is still interest in Top Cs to gauge some sense of popularity both to the Series and also for this genre of music and performance in the 2020s.
