ROBERT Meinardi, star of the opera All the Kings Men, which this week opens the Ryedale Festival, is following in a strong family tradition.
Not only was his mother, Krystina Meinardi an opera singer, but so were his grandmother and great grandmother.
The 17-year-old tenor wants to sing at Covent Garden like his antecedents and in Verona too.
He said: "My ambition is to be famous. If I can get enough money I can help third world countries," he said.
Robert has started off well on the road to achieving what he wants. He has been performing solos and in choirs for several years. And, he remembers clearly the day he changed from a treble to a tenor.
"I was 14 and it was February 2," he said. "I was singing a mass in Sweden as a treble.
"The next day I went to a rehearsal of my choir and I couldn't sing the top notes."
Robert hopes to join the Northern College of Music in Manchester after he has completed his 'A' levels. "I will be going for a scholarship because I think I will have a lot of financial difficulties," he said.
Updated: 12:02 Thursday, July 12, 2001
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