The Dudes are from very different backgrounds: a posh former Cambridge scholar who has teamed up with an ex-builder, both turned operatic tenors.

Neil Allen started singing in the pubs and clubs of Nottingham when he was still working

as a builder. After a lengthy period retraining as an operatic tenor, he now performs all

over the world. Neil’s concert platform work is extensive and has taken him to sixteen

countries in Europe and 72 cities in 26 States of the USA to date.

He has sung with the RPO, City of London Sinfonia and the Orchestra of Opera North as

a principal soloist. He also sang in an Opera Gala in the Nottingham Theatre Royal with

Sir Willard White and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Tim Lole first sang as a cathedral chorister before winning an Organ Scholarship to

Trinity College, Cambridge and pursuing a career as a conductor and pianist. Tim has

worked as either pianist or conductor for most of the major opera companies in the UK,

including Covent Garden, Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera, Glyndebourne Festival

and Birmingham Opera Company. In 1992 he won the Donatella Flick Conducting

Competition in London. However, he soon realised he wasn’t getting enough attention

and decided to re-train as a singer and add that to his ridiculous list of accomplishments.