n e Issue 64, Summer 2020 w s www.newchamberopera.co.uk

AN 18TH CENTURY SEASON ... POSTPON’D

MICHAEL BURDEN, NEW CHAMBER ’S DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTIONS WRITES

ewsletter 64 has been written and compiled under circumstances which six months ago would - if even Ncontemplated - have seemed fantasy. The lockdown brought New Chamber Opera to a halt for the first time in 30 years, cutting short ‘An 18th Century Season’ with our concert version of Aci, Galatea e Polifemo just squeaking under the wire on 8 March. Two weeks later, there were no performances to attend; the Summer Oratorio, Camilla de Rossi’s St. Alessio conducted by Toby Stanford had had to be cancelled, and the Summer Opera deferred until 2021. ike all opera and theatre companies, we initially thought - or at least hoped - that our programme might survive, Lbut it quickly became apparent that wishful thinking was dangerous and misleading, and when I returned from Australia, we set about the business of cancelling the Summer Opera for this year. As it happens, I am writing this message on the day that would have been the Preview performance of La Diavolessa by the two men who were responsible for creating mid-century opera buffa. ut also today came the annoucement that the Teatro Real in Madrid was preparing to re-open with a ‘socially Bdistanced’ version of La Traviata, the world’s first opera house to do so. From the illustrations, it seems that the cast members will stand on platforms in front of the chorus, who will be masked; the orchestra has been laid out with the correct distancing between the players; and the brass section has been placed behind screens. So, something is stirring. We early on took the decision not to attempt ‘lockdown’ opera; it certainly The frontispiece to the libretto of Galuppi’s La Diavolessa, worked for some companies, but not for us. But things are afoot; which shows the scene in which Gianino and Dorina (The can I encourage those of you are not currently on the electronic ‘She-Devil’) pose as Turkish mystics to search for the mailing list to join it in the coming weeks lettung us know on: treasure in Don Poppone’s basement ... join us in 2021 for [email protected] the resolution of this unlikely piece of action!

The Summer Opera: Galuppi, La Diavolessa (The She-Devil) 30 June (Preview), 3, 6, 7, 9, 10 July 2021, The Warden’s Garden, New College

New Chamber Opera - New Chamber Opera Ensemble - The Band of Instruments - Phoenix - Cutting Edge

Singing Patron James Bowman Director of Productions Michael Burden Director, the Summer Opera Steven Devine Director, The Band of Instruments Roger Hamilton . Director, Opera Studio Joseph Beesley Repetiteurs Joseph Beesley, Toby Stanford . Company Secretary Clare Atkinson Comptroller Graham Midgley . Wardrobe Diana Lintott, Fiona Hodges

New Chamber Opera . 4 Mansfield Road . Oxford OX1 3TA Tel: 01865 281 966 . Fax: 01865 279 590 . Email: [email protected] Web pages: http://www.newchamberopera.co.uk Company No 3402769 . Charity No 1095069 n The New Chamber Opera e Newsletter w Issue 64, Summer 2020 s www.newchamberopera.com

Reviewed:Reviewed: LaLa VeraVera CostanzaCostanza by Curtis Rogers, originally for BSECS Criticks - https://www.bsecs.org.uk/criticks-reviews/

s a composer of opera in the ago by Bampton Classical Opera. older female relative, whilst Richard second half of the eighteenth New Chamber Opera also drew upon Douglas interpreted Errico with Acentury, (1732- previous experience of mounting considerable tenderness and warmth, 1809) still languishes far too much in the Haydn’s comedies with performances of perhaps dow nplaying the s uggestion of shadow of his younger Austrian and in the character’s previous dishonourable contemporary, Wolfgang Amadeus recent years, the latter also featuring behaviour. Mozart (1765-1791). Whilst the latter’s amorous intrigues in an improbable ilippo Turkheimer s ang and acted masterpieces in the genre set the bar setting. Michael Burden’s production in the part of Villotto, the vain fop almost impossibly high, Haydn’s the ante-chapel of New College in the Fwho also pursues Rosina, with attempts remain estimable in matching University of Oxford, places La vera raffis h good humour, bringing out a nature attractive, idiomatic music to the costanza in the context of the fisherman that is essentially feckless rather than constantly shifting situations of the Masino’s wharf-side café, such as might viciously cunning. D ominic S pencer J olly dramas. Indeed, if the twists and turns of be encountered in an English seaside w as a s olicitous M asino, the café ow ner, the plot of The Marriage of Figaro are an town or village to provide comparatively and in this production turned into the enthralling challenge to keep up with – more local colour, but the character types brother of Ros ina instead of her father, particularly in its Act Two finale, and remained recognisably intact in the express ing keen anxiety and concern for throughout Act Four – that is almost convincing and astute performances by her. J ames G ant’s Ernesto w as diffident straightforward by comparison with the the cast of young students. and genial, and if he could have imparted endless reshuffling of love interests and he fisher girl Rosina is the figure more ardour to the performance, his identities, sometimes seemingly on a whose true constancy gives rise to cooler affection for Irene did at least s erve whim, in such a work as Haydn’s La Tthe opera’s title and which runs as as a point of contrast than the more hot- fedeltà premiata and L’infedeltà delusa. a steady point throughout the plot, around headed purs uit of Ros ina by the other two a vera costanza is relatively more which the other characters hatch their men, as w ell as the s oubrettish fl irtations straightforward than that, although schemes and ploys as they seek to satisfy of M aryam Wocial as Lisetta, w ho makes Lit still calls forth from Haydn an their own ends. In the principal role Aine advances to Masino. Joseph Beesley impressively symphonic finale in Act Smith was calmly confident, projecting directed the company’s instrumental Two.This is surely the equal of anything the heroine’s vulnerable innocence ensemble in a performance of enthusiastic by Mozart up to the point of Idomeneo, winningly, and rightly not protesting her vigour, complementing the wit and and taking into account the fact that the virtue too much. Count Errico had bubbling pace of the narrative. D ynamic latter is a serious drama whereas Haydn’s married, but later abandoned, Rosina; and textural contrast was necessarily work is a comedy – if, admittedly, now that he finds himself washed ashore restrained w ith one performer to a part, ‘sentimental’ in some elements perhaps, in her place of residence, he falls in love but they came together well in the in the eighteenth century sense of that with her again, even though his aunt, the extended scenes of more symphonic term. This version by New Chamber Baroness Irene, desires that he look grandeur, and Toby S tanford’s s upport on Opera also preserved its buffa elements elsewhere for a spouse. Laura Coppinger the harpsichord drove the recitatives w ith in employing a witty translation by Gilly was suitably haughty and ideal tension and s peed s o as to advance French and Murray Hipkin as ‘High uncompromising in that role, a typical the opera’s natural comic momentum Fidelity’, originally presented some years instance of the meddling and indomitable rather than hold it up.

Mailing Lists. Each hard copy and electronic mailing returns out of date addresses; it would be helpful if members of both mailing lists could keep their address up to date. Anyone who would like Mailing List to join the electronic mailing list - used for reminders of forthcoming events - please let us know. n e I s s ue 64, S ummer 2020 w s www. newch a mb ero p era . c o. uk

L awre nc e Cum m i ng

Anhad Aurora, who was muscial director on New Chamber Opera’s performance of Handel’s Aci, Galatea e Polifemo writes on the masterclasses given by Lawrence Cummings as Visiting Professor of Opera

a st i ng m y m i nd ba c k t o ha ppi e r he 1708 Aci, however, has it all: pre c e de s m usi c . T hi s ‘t e xt ua l ’ st ra t e gy i s t i m e s of fa c e -t o-fa c e m usi c a l fast-paced action; ensemble a l so t he c l ose st we c oul d c onc e i va bl y Cinteraction only deepens the Tnumbers; virtuosic recitative; c om e t o a c om posi t i ona l re t ra c i ng of pain of isolation and musical and the full gamut of eighteenth- steps. Handel examined text. Why i na c t i vi t y’. I wa s unsure whe t he r t o century aria types. For producers and shoul dn’t we ? open a retrospective on Lawrence directors, its distinct advantage is its o this end, chunks of the Cummings’s visit to New Chamber length, with the running-time falling m a st e rc l a ss we re a pport i one d t o Ope ra i n Ma rc h wi t h t hi s a dm i t t e dl y just short of 70 minutes – in other Tt he di sc ussi on of t he rhym e s a nd self-indulgent phrase. I ultimately words, long enough for a short m e t re s of t he spoke n t e xt , but form a l t a l k de c i de d i n i t s fa vour, i f onl y t o a ddre ss evening’s musical entertainment, but swiftly spilled over into psychology: t he e l e pha nt i n t he room . How e l se t o also sufficiently wieldy to occupy the What was Polifemus thinking? How be gi n? In t he t wo a nd a ha l f m ont hs first half of a longer programme. Yet m i ght Ga l a t e a ha ve re a c t e d he re ? How since Lawrence coached us on Aci’s most alluring features – the fast- woul d you fe e l i f t hi s ha ppe ne d? We Handel’s Aci, Galatea e Polifemo paced action and recitative – are those we re e nc oura ge d t o ge t i nt o t he bodi e s of (Na pl e s, 1708), t ha t vi rus ha s t a ke n that render interpretation difficult, and our c ha ra c t e rs, t o fe e l how t he y fe l t , t o root, uprooting millions of cultural it was around these matters of si t ua t e ourse l ve s wi t hi n t he i r na rra t i ve workers in the process. Quotation interpretation that Lawrence’s pl a c e . I, t oo, nom i na l l y c ha ra c t e rl e ss, wa s m a rks se e m s a n a de qua t e c om prom i se . masterclass was centred. pushed to perform the role of solo andel’s Aci, Galatea e rior to any interpretation of harpsichordist for which Lawrence is Polifemo has been unduly texted music, Lawrence fa m e d. Hove rsha dowe d by i t s younge r Pcounselled, must come an s soon a s t he t e xt wa s re m a rri e d sibling, Acis and Galatea (London, interpretation of text. This with the music, everything 1718), which has held sway with interpretative strategy does not suggest Achanged. Understanding the Bri t i sh a udi e nc e s si nc e i t s i nc e pt i on. considering the text within the music. poe t i c func t i on of i ndi vi dua l words a nd Pe rha ps t hi s i s be c a use of t he a t t ra c t i ve That much is a given in sung their dependence on spoken stress figure of Pol i fe m us, whose ‘Ruddi e r performance. Rather, Lawrence allowed once-clunky recitatives to than the Cherry’ provides an suggested that before tackling the braid broa c h t he sm oot hne ss a nd flue nc y of infectiously – no, eminently – of aria or recitative, performers should spe e c h. T he a ri a s si m i l a rl y a t t a i ne d a grum bl i ng Ohrwurm ; or t ha t Ha nde l ’s divorce the text from the music; they rhythmical freshness after their texts L ondon Acis gua ra nt e e d i t s wi de spre a d should declaim, analyse and unfold its we re sc rut i ni se d. Aft e r e i ght hours wi t h dissemination in its setting of an shapes, inflections and modulations as L a wre nc e , Ha nde l ’s first -born Aci, ne a rl y E ngl i sh-l a ngua ge t e xt . It m i ght si m pl y poetry independent of musical content. 300 after its composition, started to be t ha t t he L ondon Acis i s c ut e r, i n Text is and always remains a vital entity regain some of its youth, and our whi c h c a se i t re a l l y woul d a ssum e t he in the musical whole; it is one of pe rform a nc e a we e k l a t e r, re fle c t e d t he chief characteristic of the younger music’s ‘shaping organs’, to misquote l e ssons l e a rne d i n t he m a st e rc l a ss. si bl i ng. Wagner, regardless of whether it n I s s ue 64, S ummer 2020 e w www. newch a mb ero p era . c o. uk s

James Conlon

Indyana Schneider, who has sung a number of roles with New Chamber Opera and is now at the Wiener Staatsoper Akademie, writes on the masterclasses given by James Conlon as Humanitas Professor of Classical Music and Voice

onductor James Conlon is served to humanise Conlon in a nd m usi c a l l y e xpre ssi ve a ri a t o si ng! Director of Music of Los anticipation of the following day’s You ne ve r know wha t t he ‘m a st e r of t he CAngeles Opera and Principal masterclass, a treat often presented by c l a ss’ i s goi ng t o c hoose t o work on Conductor of the Italian RAI National New Chamber Opera – to meet the during your time together. One Symphony orchestra. He is one of ‘masters’ of the masterclasses before they c ha l l e nge t hi s a ri a pre se nt s i s re pe t i t i on today’s most esteemed conductors, with publically examine your singing. of t e xt a nd m e l ody. We a sk ourse l ve s: a career history spanning from guest inging in a masterclass is a why i s m y c ha ra c t e r re pe a t i ng hi m se l f? conductor at the Metropolitan Opera, to daunting experience. Your How c a n I m usi c a l l y di ffe re nt i a t e e a c h Principal Conductor of the Paris Opera. Simperfections are showcased; your i t e ra t i on? I t hought I m i ght work on He has also conducted at the leading faults are examined, picked apart, in front t he se que st i ons wi t h Ja m e s Conl on. I opera houses of Milan, , St. of an audience. The trade-off is half an wa s ve ry wrong. Conl on ha d a ve ry Petersburg, London, Rome, and hour 1-to-1 with the very best in the technical approach to my aria. We Florence. So, when Michael asked me business, a deal most singers will happily worked together on perfecting my whether I happened to be in London the make. I decided to work on ‘Il Padre Italian pronunciation, and singing week James Conlon was giving a New Adorato’ (‘My Beloved Father’) from through the passaggio (the difficult Chamber Opera masterclass, I swiftly Mozart’s Idomeneo, which I’ve been t ra nsi t i on a re a be t we e n voc a l re gi st e rs). booked a ticket from Vienna and told using to audition at some of the big Conl on de sc ri be d si nge rs a s ‘pe rsona l l y him yes. Absolutely. European opera houses with some pe rse c ut e d by t he i r pa ssa gi os’, whi c h y days in Oxford began with a successes, some failures. In the aria, m a de m e a nd t he a udi e nc e l a ugh. He lecture at Merton College’s TS Idamante has just seen his long lost sugge st e d t hi nki ng a bove t he not e , a nd MEliot Theatre. Conlon led his father. However, instead of expressing e ve n bri ght e ni ng t he vowe l t o e a se t he audience on a tour through recent joy at their reunion, his father orders him t ra nsi t i on, whi c h he l pe d i m m e nse l y. history; introducing us to composers and away, never to speak to him again. verall, it was an excellent music suppressed by the Third Reich. Unbeknownst to Idamante, his father has learning and performing (More information here - recently made a deal with Neptune – he Oexperience. The masterclass http://jamesconlon.com/writing/recoveri can live only if he sacrifices the first c onc l ude d wi t h a c orona vi rus ‘e l bow ng-a-musical-heritage-the-music- living creature he meets, which happens t a p’ – e ve n t he n we we re a voi di ng suppressed-by-the-third-reich/). The to be his son, Idamante. The dramatic sha ki ng ha nds. It ’s now be e n a fe w lecture was not only academically irony is cruel, and Idamante is m ont hs si nc e I’ve sung i n front of a n interesting, but very moving. As a Jewish completely overwhelmed and grief- a udi e nc e , a nd I’m l ooki ng forwa rd t o Music graduate, I felt like the perfect stricken at his father’s rejection. Despite ge t t i ng ba c k on t he st a ge soon a nd audience member. The lecture also this distressing content, it’s quite a fun i m pl e m e nt i ng m y l e a rni ngs i nt o a c t i on!

Whilst in Lockdown, Indyana has created a podcast with fellow British opera singer, Sophie Kidwell. ‘Diva Download’ is a new podcast series interviewing stars of the opera world. Discussions topics range from the influence of choral backgrounds on opera careers, to singing with Pavarotti, to near death experiences on stage! Their first series includes guests such as: Dame Sarah Connolly, Sir Thomas Allen, Roderick Williams, Nuccia Focile, and more. You can find the trailer at: https://anchor.fm/diva-download. The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other listening platforms in June. Just search ‘Diva Download’ in your favourite listening platform.