Spring Opera Scenes

Please note this production features depictions of coercion and mild content of a sexual nature. Strobe lighting and haze effects will be used, and there may be loud noises.

 

The performance will last approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, including one 15-minute interval.

 

Due to the technical nature of this performance, the interval is closed to the public. Please make your way out of the auditorium.

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Due to illness, Caroline Bourg will sing the role of Die Marschallin (Der Rosenkavalier) and Hannah McKay will sing the role of Gioconda (La Gioconda) for performances on 24 & 25 March.

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Monteverdi L'incoronazione di Poppea

Prologue and Scene 1

Nero’s Rome c. AD 57

 

Fortuna

Hannah McKay

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Virtu

Lowri Probert

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Amor

Manon Ogwen Parry

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Ottone

Gabriella Noble

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Primo Soldato

Harry Jacques

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Secondo Soldato

Tobias Campos Santiñaque

 

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Repetiteurs

Henry Reavey

Jonathon Cole-Swinard

 

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The Gods – Fortune, Virtue and Love argue over which of them has the most power to influence humans.

 

Late at night, Ottone returns after months overseas, he stands outside the palace of his love, Poppea, desperate to be reunited and willing her to wake up.

 

Ottone recognises two of Nero’s soldiers standing guard outside and realises to his horror that his wife has been unfaithful to him. Inside, Poppea lies in the arms of Nero.  Ottone laments the promises that Poppea has made to him and leaves fuelled by bitter rage.

 

The soldiers wake up and bemoan their night shift; they gossip about Nero, Poppea and the state of the nation.

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Donizetti Don Pasquale

Scene from Act 1

A garden in Rome, 18th Century 

 

Norina

Seohyun Go

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Malatesta

Sonny Fielding

 

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Repetiteur

Jack Stone

 

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Don Pasquale does not approve of Norina, the girl his nephew Ernesto wants to marry. Don Pasquale doesn’t think she is good enough for Ernesto and has forced him to give her up. When Ernesto refuses, Don Pasquale who previously swore he would never marry, decides he will take a wife and will disinherit Ernesto as punishment.

 

Norina is waiting for Doctor Malatesta, who is hatching a plan to get revenge on Don Pasquale and to see Ernesto back in his rightful place.  Together, Norina and Malatesta vow to meddle with Don Pasquale – Norina will pretend to be Malatesta’s sister from the convent in order to woo Don Pasquale, then when he is committed to her, Norina will take her revenge.

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Prokofiev War and Peace

Scene 1

Rostov estate at Otrodnoye, Russia. A moonlit night in May 1809

 

Natasha

Hannah McKay

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Sonya

Gabriella Noble

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Prince Andrei

Redmond Sanders

 

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Repetiteur

Jack Stone

 

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Prince Andrei cannot sleep, recently widowed and back from military service, he is depressed. He recalls a path taken earlier in the day, when, surrounded by lush, verdant nature he felt empty. In the midst of his grief, Andrei feels that hope and happiness no longer exist.

 

Upstairs in their bedroom, Natasha Rostov and her cousin Sonya are also struggling to sleep, they look out over the garden and discuss how full of promise it is. Overhearing them, Prince Andrei is captured by the girls’ energy and is especially intrigued by Natasha. His spirit is lifted, and he feels transformed by her youthful optimism.

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Massenet Manon

Scene from Act 2

A small flat on the outskirts of Paris, 1930

 

Manon

Seohyun Go

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Des Grieux

Tobias Campos Santiñaque

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Lescaut

Oliver Williams

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De Brétigny

Sonny Fielding

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Maid

Julia Solomon

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Repetiteur

Henry Reavey

 

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One week earlier, Manon arrived via coach to the outskirts of Paris where she was due to join a convent. Met at the coach stop by her cousin Lescaut, Manon caused quite a stir with her beauty and lust for life. She met a nobleman, De Brétigny who sought her attention, while her cousin entertained himself in the gambling house. A young chevalier, Des Grieux also fell for Manon and in an attempt to free her from the confines of the convent, whisked her away to Paris.

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One week later, Des Grieux and Manon have set up a makeshift home together. Des Grieux writes a letter to his father to state his intention to marry Manon. 

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Lescaut and De Brétigny track down Manon and Des Grieux. Lescaut wants to clear the family name of this dishonour, and De Brétigny wants to win Manon’s favour himself. De Brétigny warns Manon that Des Grieux’s father has sent a group of men to collect him and bring him home. 

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Manon is torn, she loves Des Grieux but knows that a life with him, without his father’s blessing would be a challenging one. De Brétigny on the other hand, offers a life of plenty and security. 
 

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Ponchielli La Gioconda

Scene from Act 2

Nightime, a small grotto on an uninhabited island in Venice, 1970

 

Gioconda

Avery Lafrentz

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Laura

Lowri Probert

 

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Repetiteur

Yongqiu Yuan

 

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Laura’s first love was Enzo, but for political reasons their match was not allowed and instead Laura was married to Alvise. She has lived trapped in her unhappy marriage ever since.  Enzo married Gioconda, a famous diva, but Enzo has never been able to forget his love for Laura.

 

Laura and Enzo meet and re-kindle their love, they agree to escape together and meet in an uninhabited island in the lagoon of Venice, from where they will take Enzo’s ship and leave the city. Gioconda has been informed of the plan and has followed Enzo and Laura to try and put a stop to it.

 

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Interval (15 minutes)

 

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Poulenc Dialogues des Carmélites

Act 1 Scene 1

The home of The Marquis de la Force, outside Paris 1789

 

Blanche

Manon Ogwen Parry

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Chevalier

Harry Jacques

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Marquis

Redmond Sanders

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Thierry

Tobias Campos Santiñaque

 

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Repetiteur

Henry Reavey

 

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The Marquis de la Force is rudely awakened from his nap by the clamour of his son the Chevalier, who is looking for his sister Blanche. He has heard that Blanche’s coach has been stopped by an angry mob at a nearby crossroads.

 

The Marquis is reminded of the circumstances of his dear wife’s death, a public commotion and stampede at a fireworks display led to the premature birth of Blanche and his wife’s death in childbirth.

 

The Chevalier is concerned for Blanche who seems to be consumed by a sickness. The Marquis quietens his son, saying that what Blanche needs is to be married off and to have children.

 

Blanche arrives and describes the scene at the crossroads, in the melee she felt strangely unafraid. Blanche resolves that everything that happens is the will of God and requests her father’s permission to enter the Carmelite order.

 

 

 

Britten Gloriana

Scene from Act 1

The Gardens of the Earl of Essex, The Strand, late 16th Century, the Reign of Elizabeth I

 

Lady Penelope Rich

Lowri Probert

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Lady Essex

Julia Solomon

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Earl of Essex

Harry Jacques

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Lord Mountjoy

Sonny Fielding

 

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Repetiteurs

Yongqiu Yuan

Henry Reavey

 

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Lord Mountjoy is waiting in the garden of the Earl of Essex for a stolen hour with his forbidden love – the sister of Essex, Lady Penelope Rich.

 

Meanwhile the Earl of Essex expresses his frustration to his wife that he continues to be overlooked by Queen Elizabeth I. Lady Essex is concerned about her husband’s dangerous comments that could be considered treason should Elizabeth’s spies be listening.

 

Penelope and Lord Mountjoy overhear Essex griping and warn him to take care in case he is overheard. Despite Lady Essex’s warnings, they too enter into the treacherous imagining of a day when Elizabeth will no longer hold the throne.

 

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Mozart Don Giovanni

Scene from Act 1

Hollywood, Late 1960s

 

Donna Anna

Seohyun Go

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Donna Elvira

Hannah McKay

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Zerlina

Gabriella Noble

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Don Ottavio

Tobias Campos Santiñaque

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Don Giovanni

Oliver Williams

 

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Repetiteur

Henry Reavey

 

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Don Giovanni detains Zerlina alone in his studio for a casting; Don Giovanni charms Zerlina with promises of the life she would have if they were married and the lure of a glamorous job.

 

Elvira, a past lover of Don Giovanni, recently spurned by him, arrives and witnesses Giovanni using the same lines on Zerlina as he used on her, she is disgusted by his audacity. Elvira arrives in time to save Zerlina, and drags her away.

 

Donna Anna, who is grieving for her father, arrives with her partner Don Ottavio. They are looking for the help of Don Giovanni to find the murderer of Donna Anna’s father, little do they realise, he died at Don Giovanni’s hand.

 

Elvira returns and again thwarts Don Giovanni’s plan to lie and cheat his way out of the situation. Donna Anna and Don Ottavio are at first dumbfounded that Don Giovanni could be anything other than an honourable man, but Elvira makes a strong case against him.

 

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R. Strauss Der Rosenkavalier

Scene from Act 3

Vienna, 1740

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Sophie

Manon Ogwen Parry

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Die Marschallin

Avery Lafrentz

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Oktavian

Julia Solomon

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Faninal

Redmond Sanders

 

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Repetiteur

Henry Reavey

 

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Oktavian is the young and handsome lover of a married Marschallin, Marie Therese. Oktavian has vowed he will love her forever, but Marie Therese knows that at some point in the future she will have to let her young lover go.

 

Sophie and Oktavian meet and fall head over heels for each other instantaneously. Oktavian is torn by the promises sworn to Marie Therese that very morning. Since meeting Sophie, Oktavian’s heart has been transformed in a single day.

 

Marie Therese appraises Sophie and while her tongue-tied young lover dithers, the Marschallin agrees to help the pair secure their future by talking to Sophie’s father.

 

Oktavian and Sophie are united and see only each other. Marie Therese knew that this day would come but did not expect it so soon. Quietly she leaves.

 

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Synopses by Lucy Bradley