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Tenor Nicky Spence performing Lara's Granada | Photo: Matthew Johnson 

It’s certainly true that opera has challenged traditional gender norms for centuries. But who knew that classical music and drag could have so many crossovers? Artists bringing a musical element to the queer artform appear to be in abundance, bringing along with them lovers of drag and a new audience to classical music. Classical Pride mastermind and conductor Oliver Zeffman has allowed queer classical musicians finally to have their space, out in the open. It was the knowledge of this that gave much of Classical Drag its charm, though sadly not much else. 

Down in the precincts of Outernet’s 'Here' venue, the show began with the Prelude from Carmen - as perhaps was natural - the mic'd Classical Pride orchestra (made up of LGBTQ musicians and allies) immediately showing their prowess. It was a continued high level that was strangely not valued enough alongside some ropey-er drag musicians.

The night swung between two hosts - the campy, ‘quick drag’ of Jonny Woo and Sadie Sinner, whose role she explained as ‘being a lesbian’. Her humour and charm sometimes crossed the line into CBBC presenter, but she was nonetheless a fun, engaging presence.

We were propelled into a ‘contest’ - like what many of us are familiar with on Ru Paul’s Drag Race but the programming was lumpy. Tenor Nicky Spence started the evening with a rendition of Augustin Lara’s Granada taking some time to adjust to the mic, followed by US drag violinist Thorgy Thor, whose impressive playing and infectious presence was captivating through Jacob Glade’s Jalousie for violin and orchestra.

'More of this please': Snow White Trash and Vinegar Strokes in the operatic lip sync | Photo: Matthew Johnson

These two, alongside the evening’s headliner, operatically trained Ru Paul winner Monét X Change, made up a judging panel sat in a box to the side of the floor. Classical drag artists, taking part in ‘The Contest’ then appeared to perform for the judges.

This concept that was generally lost on me. Non-binary singer Freddie Love gave a mixed performance of Giordano’s Amor ti vieta from Fedora followed by the hysterical Barbs, dressed in almost nothing, who played her own arrangement of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, complete with jabs at the intensity of classical pianists. Her wig bobbed slowly, soulfully in time.

Drag king Beau Jangles came next with a striking treble voice through Carmen’s Habanera followed by more piano, this time from Dinah Lux who made her orchestral solo debut with Shostakovich’s iconic slow movement from Piano Concerto No. 2. This moved me like little else. The opportunity to play as a soloist with a pro orchestra came through drag. Such a moment is rarely enjoyed by even the most accomplished musicians.

This first half popped with colour in sections, and at others felt hysterically on the edge of disaster. Snow White Trash, a saxophonist with multiple instrumental abilities, stood out for her orchestral domination, the standard getting progressively compromised as she moved from saxophone to clarinet to flute. ‘Stop, stop, stop!!’ She’d exclaim. ‘That flute player is out of tune’. ‘Oliver - the Chaminade’, picking up her flute to play Chaminade's infamous Flute Concertino. Vinegar Strokes, known for a brief stint of Drag Race UK Season 1, completed the first act with a tonally shaky rendition of Somewhere from West Side Story.

At the interval I was gunning for it to get better and better, but this promise was sadly weakened. A substantially shorter second half, it began with a runway. Category is: A Night at the Opera. This was genius, but much too short and sadly glossed over the thought and talent that went into the intricate, often brilliantly ironic, operatic costumes. Commentated by a warming Jonny Woo, who gave a random performance of Weill’s Mack the Knife from The Threepenny Opera. The ensuing performances weren’t part of any continuing thread, but stood oddly alone.

Monet X Change performing La calunnia from The Barber of Seville | Photo: Matthew Johnson

Monét X Change had her moment, finally. I wasn’t sure the superstar was having such a good time. Forced to sit in a box and comment once in two hours, it can’t have been like the LA glamour she’s used to. But when her moment came, she more than rose to the occasion with her deep bass voice giving a warm and delightful La calunnia from The Barber of Seville.

If ‘almost but not quite’ was the theme of the first half, the second half descended into some embarrassment with a ‘battle of the butches’ between Beau Jangles and Freddie Love not coming close to the dance battles I know and love from Ru’s show. There was much soulful embracing, and not much else.

A brief moment of redemption came in the operatic lip sync between Vinegar Strokes and Snow White Trash, who, accompanied by Nicky Spence at the side, were completely brilliant in Nessun Dorma. I loved this idea. More operatic lip syncing please.

The delayed adjudication from ‘The Contest’ was a weird ending. No one won? Oliver Zeffman the conductor won? Who knows - it fell flat, odd and messy at the end with no music to accompany our exit from the venue. What happened to Babatunde’s 'hip hopera' beats to get us moving? Maybe it’s coming next year.

Some moments of hilarity and joy were sadly washed by an overall sense of cringe. Not quite the kind of drag cringe that we hope for, but a type that makes me think Monét X Change might not do this again.

Still, as Thorgy Thor said, the evening was ‘all about celebrating classical music’. It’s certainly true. And with an audience so receptive to the bare minimum, what could happen if musical quality and drag were treated with greater structure and celebration? Less Carmen and more clever camp? Yes please.

Classical Pride continues with concerts on 5, 6 and 7 July | classicalpride.uk