Programme In the autumn NSO is staging The Travelling Companion, a Romantic masterpiece by Charles Villiers Stanford. We need a strong chorus to tackle the ambitious score. There will be five touring performances, the last of which will be recorded for release on the SOMM label, a first for NSO, in this its fortieth anniversary year. If you love singing, here is a chance to join in this exciting project. Chorus rehearsals are in Lewes, beginning on July 11, 12 and 22 to get to know the music, before the summer break. Operatic or stage experience is not essential, but enthusiasm is! There will be some step-out roles for chorus members too - after auditions. Whether you’re a keen singer or would like to help backstage, or just want to find out more, email us: [email protected]. New Sussex Opera Chorus presents the elixir of love Comic opera in 2 acts by (1797-1848) Libretto by Felice Romani, after Scribe’s text for Auber’s Le Philtre

First performance: 12 May 1832, Teatro Canobbiana,

First performance of this production: Portrait of Donizetti 26 May 2018, All Saints Centre, Lewes attributed to Girolamo Induno Then at The Capitol Theatre, Horsham; St George’s Kemp Town; Birley Centre, Eastbourne; Chequer Mead, East Grinstead

NSO is supported by The John Lewis Partnership, The Behrens Foundation, Lewes Town Council A vintage anniversary year In 1978 a fledgling opera group moved from its initial home at Breaky Bottom vineyard to a redundant church in Lewes, and New Sussex Opera was born. The first production of the new company was of Fidelio at what is now All Saints Centre, and that production also toured to Worthing and to the Capitol Theatre in Horsham (the previous Capitol of course, not the present one which this production visits forty years on). Fidelio 1979 Over the next forty years NSO has built up “one heck of a tradition”, locally based but nationally acclaimed. It is one of the few companies to concentrate on giving audiences the chance to discover neglected or lesser-known works, always with high musical standards and in imaginative but not bizarre productions. In the early years there was the memorable Peter Grimes, directed by the young Nicholas Hytner, and later an epic Tannhäuser, and UK premières of works by Weill, Tchaikovsky, von Einem, Offenbach and Puccini. Peter Grimes 1981 The heart of this community-based company has always been its chorus and the expert but unpaid team who do the administration and behind-the- scenes work. In recent years, in parallel with an annual major production, we have launched “New Sussex Opera Chorus presents...” smaller scale productions such as the current one, which give the chorus a chance to shine and also to take on some of the solo roles. These projects have included The Indian Queen and King Arthur by Purcell, Gluck’s Orfeo and Euridice, Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera and Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury in the ideal setting Tannhäuser 1990 of the Crown Court in Lewes. Watch our website for news, follow us on social media, and please do sign up to receive news by email. This is especially important as we use a variety of venues and we would like to keep in touch and send you our latest news. Opera is the most expensive of art forms and for forty years NSO has survived without subsidy. If you like what we do, and would like to see more of it, please help us to achieve even more. Please see the information about the Easyfundraising scheme on the next page. Current special projects include The Beggar’s Opera 2014 a bursary scheme to support young singers and musicians, our educational workshops and an appeal to purchase our own lighting equipment. We do need your help, and never more so than in the current financial and political climate. To keep in touch with our plans via email, to become a supporter, or to become actively involved, please email us. We promise not to pass on you details to any other organisation or to bombard you with too frequent emails: we would simply like to keep you informed of our forthcoming events and productions. The Indian Queen 2015 Our next major production is Easyfundraising scheduled for a tour in the autumn (see back cover of this programme). A great way of supporting NSO which New venues include the De La Warr costs you absolutely nothing. Pavilion in Bexhill and the fine new Please join, and support our fund-raising Saffron Hall in Saffron Walden. efforts. The Travelling Companion is the Every time you shop online with last of Charles Villiers Stanford’s thousands of retailers, they pay a small nine operas: the story is a fairytale percentage of your purchase price to by Hans Christian Andersen and the NSO. It couldn’t be simpler. excellent libretto by Henry Newbolt. The system is supported by most of the Those who have started work on this big names (John Lewis, M & S, Amazon, fine opera in recent months are very eBay, Tesco, Argos, Boots, Currys and excited at the prospect of reviving many more) as well as travel agents, and recording it for the first time. airlines, rail ticket sites, stationery suppliers – pretty well every sort of Our new Music Director is Toby company from which you can buy online. Purser, Mackerras Conducting Fellow at ENO, and founder of The The instructions are extremely easy to Orion Orchestra; our director is Paul follow: see www.easyfundraising.org.uk and if you download the Easyfundraising Higgins, who has worked at the Donation Reminder too, it will remind you RSC, Chichester Festival Theatre, every time you shop online to click the Glyndebourne, ROH and ENO as well EF option.There are also apps for Apple as on films such as The Madness of and Android. King George and Star Wars. It is safe and you will not receive a flood An outstanding team of soloists of advertising. includes Daniel Norman as John So please, help us by going online and (NSO’s Hugh the Drover), Julien van registering now. Mellaerts in the title role - he has recently been awarded the Tagore Gold Medal at RCM, Kate Valentine www.NewSussexOpera.org as The Princess (Armgard in NSO’s [email protected] The Rhine Fairies) and Simon Thorpe as The King (John the Butcher in NSO’s Hugh the Drover) and Joseph Padfield as the Wizard, who recently The Old Stables, sang Golaud for Garsington Opera. 5 De Warrenne Road, NSO is very grateful for the support Lewes BN7 1BP of The Stanford Society on this phone +44 (0)1273 471851 exciting project. The recipe for love if not for happiness

The background to the musical scene Bellini, were born within nine years charitable institution to found a free in Italy at the time when Donizetti of each other. Rossini outlived the music school. Donizetti continued achieved his earliest successes can other two, but all of them wrote to to love and respect Mayr all his life. be detected through the rather please audiences intrigued by the Apprentice works poured out of sententious descriptions of Michael new fashion for romantic melodrama him, but his first notable success Balfe’s biographer. The cherubic while still attuned to opera buffa. was an opera for Rome at the age of Balfe, aged seventeen, was being twenty-five after Mayr had assigned They were served, too, by a group introduced to the country in 1825 the contract to him. The result of that of singers whose names and voices by his patron at a time when Rossini success was an invitation to Naples are fabled because those operas were was still writing ‘in the zenith of his where Rossini’s seven-year reign was written with their special qualities fame and power’, his works ‘executed ending. in mind: brilliance and clarity with a perfection and a reverence for of coloratura for the soprano in After some twenty works with their integrity’ that was ‘deliciously particular; range and agility for the indifferent libretti he wrote Anna appreciated’. Pacini was ‘in command ‘patter song’ and the buffo/comic Bolena for Milan in 1830 and, some of the stage’, and Bellini’s ‘sweet, arias. Oh, for the days of Grisi (‘bless six operas and two years later, he tender and unapproachably…graceful her beautiful face!’, exclaimed one composed The Elixir of Love also for vein of melody was filling all Italy admiring critic), Tamburini and Milan, at the Teatro della Canobbiana. with the intoxication of…delicately Lablache, and for Mario, Malibran His librettist was Felice Romani. sublimated pathos – moving without and Pasta, was the lament of older Between them they worked, laughed laceration, dramatic without depth.’ contemporaries by the middle of the and wrangled their way through the At the same time, according to this nineteenth century. So essential were book and then Donizetti dashed off near-contemporary view, ‘Donizetti’s these names to the genres that the the music in less than a month. They imaginative vigour, comprehensive singers would travel the Continent to only wrangled over the composer’s range of fancy, light and stirring perform those operas that were all the wish to include ‘Una furtiva lagrima’ (‘A variety of invention, versatility of style rage, newly composed for the most furtive tear’) in the second act. This and copiousness of melodic ideas part but with occasional revivals. became an instant favourite in spite of were beginning to draw attention to a slowing the dramatic action, although Donizetti’s life had begun in extreme genius whose upward flight towards it could be argued that it serves to poverty, as he was one of six fatherless regions of dazzling and ethereal characterise Nemorino as more than a children living in a basement in splendour was so soon to be hidden peasant simpleton. Bergamo. Music was not part of for ever in the dark and tempestuous his heredity, but the talent and Anna Bolena spread Donizetti’s fame clouds of mental derangement.’ More exuberance of the boy were noticed to Paris and London, so he decided of that anon. and his education was provided by to break his restrictive contract with The three major bel canto opera the Bavarian composer and local Naples and, at Bellini’s invitation, composers of the early nineteenth maestro di capella Johannes Mayr, who went to Paris. It paved the way for century, Rossini, Donizetti and had recently persuaded a local streams of works from the lightest farce to the most serious of opera to the Viennese court. This post he Unlike Verdi, he never became seria. Paris introduced him to grand achieved in 1842 after the success in involved in politics or in the growing opera. Not all his works were equally Vienna of Linda di Chamounix. nationalistic fervour of his country. good or successful but a well-crafted He was not one of the pale-cheeked, The six-month annual leave of libretto, his fluent melodic ease and melancholy romantics, nursed on absence from Vienna allowed time deft if usually simple orchestration led Byron. Stylistically, too, he was not for Donizetti to create another Paris to operas such as , revolutionary, but he contributed success in 1843, the delightful Don one of the first results and, for him, a to the mainstream traditions, Pasquale, one of his very best works, landmark. It set him among the gods while adding personal touches which he was writing as he became in the operatic pantheon and it still here and there, such as beguiling increasingly mentally and physically keeps its place in the repertory and chromaticisms in his melodies and ill. Kind and loyal friends sought the public esteem woodwind accompaniments around help of his uncle, while Grisi, Mario, the vocal lines. Contemporaries noted Tamburini and Lablache sang and The display of versatility was a his instrumentation, which ‘became popularised it everywhere. During a pleasure for Donizetti and his work in richer and more fanciful with each visit to the city, the poet Heine wrote, the realm of opera buffa kept the form successive effort’. Taut structures keep ‘while his magical tunes bring joy alive. It elicited his most characteristic his romantic dramas from too much to the world, while everyone sings inventiveness, arguably more so than sentimentality: arias that could have them and trills them, he himself sits, in his serious works, which owed developed to Bellinian lengths, for a terrible picture of insanity, in a something to Bellini. Undoubtedly example, are curtailed. Such features sanatorium near Paris’. Soon he was the two best of the former are L’Elisir look forward to Puccini towards the paralysed and unable to speak, and he d’amore and . Yet he was end of the century, and certainly to died shortly after he was taken back to becoming restless and unhappy, Verdi, who at the time of The Elixir Bergamo. wishing only, like Rossini, to earn was just starting to write and whose enough to retire. The diagnosis had been of cerebro- ‘violence’ was soon to shock the Donizetti’s unhappiness was spinal degeneration of syphilitic English critic H.F. Chorley. origin and the outcome was a sad compounded by the deaths not only Neither composer could escape change from the delightfully funny, of all three of his children in infancy the influence of Rossini, but they warm, effervescent individual who but also of his much-loved wife from were not overwhelmed. Rossini was would communicate almost as well in cholera in 1837. His success in Paris, everywhere: Pacini (little heard these verse and in the drawings in his letters Rome and Milan continued but the days) admitted that there was ‘no as in his own libretti contributions melancholia deepened and he became other way to make a living’. They all and, ultimately, in his music. He obsessive about achieving further made use of the same forms: serious, was practical, deft and speedy in goals, refusing important offers placed semi-serious and comic operas, and providing what was needed to satisfy in his way by Rossini because he was all were able to write tunes which, as the demands of various theatres and hoping to be appointed Kapellmeister Charles Rosen identified, ‘seemed long contracts. Donizetti on the beach familiar at first hearing’, and could Re-staging a classic opera in a of the beautiful, if vain, Adina and the be whistled on leaving the theatre. In contemporary setting is always going simple, gullible Nemorino and the the works of Donizetti, tunes from to be a risky business. Some operas, strutting, pompous Belcore remains. Lucia (especially the sextet) and ‘Una originally set at a particular point in As does the comic deviousness of furtiva lagrima’ certainly come into history, don’t lend themselves to a Dulcamara, and the playful innocence the handful of his contributions to 21st-century reimagining. Particularly of the chorus of villagers. They are just this category. is this so when they are sung in their headed for a day at the beach rather original language, where to amend than the Italian countryside! Mendelssohn, among a group of the poetry of the librettist would London ‘connoisseurs’ who were The devious doctor be frowned upon. By choosing to discussing its first hearings in London, perform with an English translation, Pivotal to the story is the character of was heard to declare that he thought we are in the fortunate position Dr Dulcamara. This travelling conman it ‘very pretty – it is so merry’, and he of being able unashamedly to is a familiar figure in musical theatre admitted that he ‘should like to have update certain references to suit the - arriving with the intention of written it himself!’ production. tricking the locals out of their well- earned cash, but invariably ending Janet Lovegrove Even then, many operas simply up resolving much more pressing struggle to work in a modern setting, issues. Harold Hill in The Music Man where anachronistic devices are key and Professor Marvel/Oscar Diggs in to the plot. This is not, I believe, the the Wizard of Oz come to mind, but the case with L’elisir d’amore. At its core it closest example is John Wellington is a simple tale of love, jealousy and Wells in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The gullibility – just as relevant today as Sorcerer, who, like Dulcamara, uses an it was when first performed in 1832. ‘elixir of love’ to attempt to achieve By moving the action to a present- notoriety. Gilbert was a great fan of day beach on the Sussex coastline, the Donizetti opera. One of his earliest I haven’t taken away any of the plays was Dulcamara, or the Little Duck ingredients which are at the heart of and the Great Quack which is a faithful this delightful opera. The love triangle retelling of L’elisir d’amore. Indeed, both Gilbert and Sullivan theatre space into a Sussex seaside, were clearly influenced by the early entertain the ‘villagers’ and pack ‘On arriving in Milan, out of a 19th-century Italian operas. Their up and leave – all before bedtime! sense of duty I made myself go to trademark patter songs can find their As tempting as it was to cover the hear the latest opera. Donizetti’s roots in the works of Rossini and stage with sand and pebbles, a more L’Elisir d’amore was being given Donizetti. The Sorcerer’s song ‘My practical solution to conveying the name is John Wellington Wells’ has illusion of a holiday beach scene at the Cannobiana. I found the similarities to Dulcamara’s opening was required. We have opted for a theatre full of people talking in cavatina ‘Udite, udite, o rustici’ both symbolic approach, with minimalist normal voices, with their backs to musically and in its unrealistic boasts representations. So… there is sand, the stage. The singers, undeterred, and claims. And it’s quite possible that there are rocks, and deck chairs and gesticulated and yelled their lungs Sullivan ‘borrowed’ Belcore’s entrance suntan lotion and ice creams… there’s out in the strictest spirit of rivalry. march for his parody trio ‘It’s clear even a seagull! And most importantly At least I presumed they did, that medieval art’ in Patience. there is a happy band of holiday- from their wide-open mouths; makers ready to perform Donizetti’s but the noise of the audience was Staging condundrums charming comedy. such that no sound penetrated The action takes place over the except the bass drum. People duration of a day. Dulcamara bowls David Foster, director were gambling, eating supper in in, intent on selling his potions, their boxes, etcetera, etcetera’. inadvertently causes a marriage Consequently, Berlioz perceived engagement, empowers a shy young that it was useless to expect to man to take action, and succeeds in hear anything of the new score, so getting a loving couple together. And he left. all before bedtime. From The Memoirs of Hector Berlioz, Performing this production in five edited by David Cairns (1969). different venues for ‘one night only’ has rather the same feel. We need to arrive in the morning, transform the Synopsis Act 2 Act 1 The same evening, A typical Sussex beach, during an at the pre-wedding drinks uncharacteristic heatwave. reception at the end of the pier. We discover Nemorino, a poor everyone with his various lotions Adina is regretting being so hasty young lad hopelessly in love with and potions which will cure every in her wedding plans, particularly the wealthy and beautiful Adina, ailment. Realising that he may as Nemorino is nowhere to be who is home from university for be able to help him win Adina, seen, and her principal motive the summer. As Adina and her Nemorino asks if he has an elixir was to make him jealous! friend Giannetta enjoy the sea of love. Dulcamara produces a Meanwhile Dulcamara enlists and sun with the other holiday- bottle (which is in fact just cheap Adina to help him entertain the makers, Nemorino sings pitifully booze) and promises Nemorino crowd again. that twenty-four hours after he of his unrequited love for Adina. As the crowd disperses, Nemorino has drunk it, Adina will love him – Adina tells her friends the story approaches Dulcamara and which will give Dulcamara time to of Tristan and Isolde, and how demands another bottle of the get away! Tristan won Isolde’s heart with the elixir. But as he has no more help of an elixir of love. Throwing caution to the wind, money, Dulcamara says he can’t Nemorino consumes the whole help him. Belcore arrives to Belcore, the captain of a visiting bottle, and, being unaccustomed discover the unhappy Nemorino. surf team, appears. He has clearly to hard liquor, tipsily decides to When he hears that Nemorino is been wooing Adina during his ignore Adina when she returns. broke, he offers him some money stay and, to Nemorino’s dismay, This doesn’t have the result to join his surf team. Even though now proposes to Adina, who he had hoped for, and Adina, he will have to leave with the says she isn’t ready for marriage, annoyed that he is playing surfers in the morning, Nemorino but will think about it. Belcore hard to get, agrees to marry agrees and rushes off with the and his men retire for lunch and Belcore. When Belcore hears cash to find Dulcamara. Nemorino seizes his opportunity that his surf team is needed to confess his love for Adina, who Giannetta and her friends have for a contest in Cornwall the admits that she can’t decide on heard a rumour that Nemorino’s next day he persuades Adina to one man or the other and tells him rich uncle has died and left him a get married that very evening. to go and find someone less fickle. fortune. Nemorino is distraught as the There is much excitement as Dr elixir will not have had time to Dulcamara, an Italian travelling work. Meanwhile hasty wedding salesman, arrives. He enthrals preparations are underway. Nemorino knows nothing of this news. He returns, having drunk more of the elixir, and assumes that it must now be working, as all the girls are suddenly very attentive to him. Dulcamara is equally amazed that his potion is actually working! On learning about Nemorino’s sacrifice of freedom on her account, Adina realises that she does love him. She pays Belcore off, releasing Nemorino from the surf team, and confesses her love to Nemorino. Belcore takes her rejection in good humour and sets about finding himself another wife, whilst Dulcamara delights in telling everyone how successful his elixir of love is... just look at Nemorino and Adina! CAST Adina Nicola Said Deirdre McCabe (Sunday 3 June Eastbourne) Nemorino Oliver Brignall Belcore Edwin Dizer Dulcamara Peter Edge Giannetta Georgina Thorburn Camilla, Dulcamara’s assistant Marie Goulding

Conductor Ben Knowles Director David Foster Lighting Daniel Stevens, Chris Pugh NSO Orchestra Violin 1 Lisa Agnelli Flute Abigail Fletcher Violin 2 Leslie Brown Oboe Felicity Cliffe Viola Catherine von Coulson Clarinet Liliana Luongo Cello Jade Woodhouse Bassoon Olivia Palmer-Baker Horn Ian Stott Keyboard Callum Morton Hüseyin

David Foster Giannetta and chorus Ben Knowles NSO Chorus About NSO Registered Charity No. 279800 Sopranos Harriet Anderson, Tilda Coleman, Emmeline Henderson, President: HH Michael Kennedy QC Jackie Honey, Jane Larsen, Hannah Limbrick, Kitty Mair, Patrons: Stephen Cockburn, Peter Field, Deidre McCabe, Fran Mortimer, Angela Mottes-Rae, Professor Gavin Henderson CBE, Sir Nicholas Hytner, Mary Parker, Sarah Soutar Neil Jenkins, Lord Lloyd of Berwick, Lady Rupert Nevill, Altos Rt Hon Lord Renton DL, Andrew Stewart-Roberts, Sir John Tomlinson CBE Jo Doezema, Ruth Loughton, Isadora Quirarte, Alison Read, Anne Wycherley Chair: Ruth Loughton Artistic Director: David James Tim Locke, John Newman, Alan Soutar Music Director: Toby Purser Basses Secretary: Tim Locke Jeremy Adams, Neil Fraser-Smith, Richard Pulham, Treasurer: Mike Rollings Mike Rollings, Vincent Tacon Committee: Harriet Anderson, David Foster, Neil Fraser- Smith, Fran Mortimer, Alan Soutar, Paul Walker Children

Safina Miles, Hannah Metcalf Acknowledgements Production Team NSO gratefully acknowledges the support of The John Lewis Partnership, the Behrens Foundation and Production Managers: Fran Mortimer, Tim Locke Lewes Town Council. Repetiteurs: Susan Bain, Callum Morton Hüseyin, Tim Locke NSO thanks those who have given donations: Hon Mrs Stage Manager: Marie Goulding Gillian Fane, Simon Sargent, Mrs Valerie Rees, and those ASM: Mae Ashwell who have asked to remain anonymous or whose donations Costume Coordinator: Monica Quinn were received after the programme went to press. Costume assistant: Sue Adams Thanks also to all our front of house volunteers for their Chorus Manager: Harriet Anderson time and efforts in making the performances run smoothly; to members of the cast and chorus for the loan of various Set Builder: Vincent Tacon props; to Zirak Printer, Oscar Carraciolo, Daniel Swift, Callum Marketing Manager: Paul Walker Horton and students from The Windsor Boys’ School with Programme/Website: David James their art teacher Katy Sandoval for the loan of surf boards; Front of House Coordinators: Richard Pulham, to Declan Liddy for golf clubs. Norman Wood (Lewes) Biographies Nicola Said He joined NSO in 2015 for Purcell’s The Indian Oliver Brignall Nemorino Roles include Spirito/ Queen. In 2016 he was Assistant Director on Pastore L’orfeo Bayerische Staatsoper, Death’s Purcell’s King Arthur, and directed Trial by Jury Son/Soppy Hat (cover) Swanhunter Opera and A Voyage Around G&S later that year. In North, Chekalinsky Pikovaya Dama, Marco Zaza, 2017 he directed Gluck’s Orfeo. La anciulla del West Harry f Opera Holland Park, Working once again with the NSO chorus and Carmen Remendado Mid Wales Opera, Malcolm soloists on The Elixir of Love and he has enjoyed Iford, Tamino and Nanki-Poo Charles the challenges of updating the action and the Capuleti e i Montecchi Court Opera, Tebaldo and text to a modern setting and visualising all the L’Italiana in Algeri Lindoro Pop-Up Opera. comic opportunities that this presents. He continues to collaborate with composer Ben Knowles conductor. A former postgraduate Stephen Crowe, premièring Melvyn Bragg student at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Francis Bacon Opera, The Dirty James Joyce Music and Drama, Ben graduated from The Letters of James Joyce The and G.G Allin University of Manchester with a MusB degree Pterodactyls Of Ptexas at both the Acker and subsequently gained a PGDip on viola Staadt Palast, Berlin and Tete-à-Tete Festival. from Trinity Laban, passing with merit. He has Isabeau Forthcoming roles: Cavalier Faïdit studied conducting with Denise Ham, Kenneth Opera Holland Park, Alfredo Kings Head Theatre. Woods, Peter Stark, Rodolfo Saglimbeñi and Oliver is also a composer (PhD, Brunel Toby Purser. University). Residencies and premières include Peter Edge Dulcamara graduated from the RNCM in 2017 and now studies at the RCM with Ben continued his conducting development Britten-Pears 2013, Mahogany Opera ‘Various- under Kenneth Woods when he was invited Palace of Junk Peter Savidge and Gary Matthewman. He has Stages 2017’ (opera ), V&A arstist to work as Conducting Assistant with the Roles won the International Medal at the Llangollen in residence (opera ), LSO Soundhub English Symphony Orchestra on the first two Associate (new work; I Do Need Me). International Eisteddfod, RNCM Freckleton Prize and the Doherty Cup for Singing. performances of a new work by Deborah Edwin Dizer Belcore has enjoyed singing for Pritchard based on the paintings of Maggi Roles include Alfio, Gontran La Vie Parisiènne, as long as he can remember (and probably Hambling. The performances took place at LSO Snug A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Pooh- longer, though his parents are too traumatised St Luke’s and the National Gallery, London and Bah Mikado, Robin Ruddigore, Papageno to discuss this). He studied at the RCM’s junior the first was released on CD by Nimbus Records. and Masetto with Opera Loki, touring France department for six years, but he was only He was also appointed Assistant Conductor for and the UK. He has also performed scenes inspired to dedicate himself to operatic singing the world première of John Joubert’s opera as Tesoriere , Alidoro after playing the curmudgeonly Bartolo in Le Jane Eyre, recorded live by SOMM Records and Cenerentola, Frederic Lakmé and Guglielmo. Nozze di Figaro and the psychopathic Mikado released in March 2017. in The Mikado while a student at the University Peter was a Young Artist of Longborough Festival Opera last summer. He has sung During the 2016/17 season, Ben conducted of Manchester. He is now an emerging baritone a cycle of the complete Beethoven concerti with regular opera, oratorio and solo recital as a soloist in Bach’s Magnificat & St John engagements. When he isn’t singing, he teaches Passion, Brahm’s Requiem, Messiah and music, plays piano and composes. Vaughan William’s Dona Nobis Pacem. Future performances include Handel’s Judas Edwin Dizer and Oliver Brignall Maccabeus, Haydn’s Creation and Mozart’s Coronation Mass. Peter made his TV debut on S4C, at Llangollen, and also appeared in the BBC film Florence Foster Jenkins. He is an alumnus of Harry Christopher’s Genesis Sixteen. With Genesis he performed at the Bridgewater Hall, St Martin’s in the Field’s and Hampton Court Palace. Peter also regularly sings for Manchester Cathedral and live on Radio Four, with the BBC Daily Service Singers David Foster Director directed his first play whilst at school in Hurstpierpoint – Arnold Ridley’s The Ghost Train. He has gone on to direct, sing and act in various operas, musicals and plays in the South East, working with a number of theatre groups. Edwin Dizer and Nicola Said Oliver Brignall and Edwin Dizer Peter Edge

role in Ariane, Lucia The Rape of Lucretia and Rosaura Le Donne Curiose. Other performed roles include Barbarina, La Fée Cendrillon, and Olympia Les contes d’Hoffmann. Nicola is a Peace and Prosperity Trust Young Artist, a Drake Calleja Trust Scholar, Samling Scholar, and a BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation Scholar. She was nominated by Joseph Calleja, with whom she has performed in concerts, to attend the Salzburg Mozarteum in summer 2014 where she won Second Prize in the Strauss Competition. Nicola won First Prize and Audience Prize for the Fulham Opera Robert and symphonies, including the Barry Cooper Presley Memorial 2017. She has performed completion of the 10th Symphony. He will be in St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Barbican Hall, and assistant conductor to ENO conducting fellow at the ROH as Echo in Laurence Osborne’s Toby Purser on NSO’s production of Stanford’s Narkissus and the Reflektions. Nicola has The Travelling Companion later this year. recorded and premièred works by Paul Carroll Deirdre McCabe Adina (June 3) has performed at Abbey Road Studios with the Commonwealth throughout Ireland and the UK in concerts Youth Orchestra, has given recitals for HRH The as a guest soloist with choral societies and Earl of Wessex and at St. James’s Palace. orchestras. She holds a BA in music from Nicola will sing the lead Soprano in the first She has been chorus leader in the Blacktheath National University Ireland, Maynooth and Maltese opera cycle Belt il-Bniedem - City of Community Opera for 3 years, performed was a postgraduate student at The Royal Humanity composed and produced by Maltese with the Blacktheath Children’s Opera and Birmingham Conservatoire. Awards included composer Reuben Pace in November as part of collaborated with composition students at The Cecil Drew Oratorio Prize, The Ashleyan Valletta 2018 European Capital of Culture. Trinity Laban. She made her solo operatic debut Opera Prize, and second prize in the Edward as Papagena with Puzzle Piece Opera. Brooks English Song competition. She was a Georgina Thorburn Gianetta. a Sussex born soprano, is a recent graduate of Trinity Laban Recent engagements include, Valletto in finalist in the Birmingham Conservatoire Singing Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea, Hélène Prize (2014, 2015) and The opera prize . Conservatoire of Music and Dance, studying under the tutelage Leontine Hass. From a young de la Cerisaie in Chabrier’s Une éduation She has sung solos in Vivaldi’s Gloria, City of age she has had a passion for music whether manquée and Gossip in Britten’s Noyes Fludde. Wolverhampton Choir, Messiah Colla Voce it was bashing the family piano or singing along After performing Philidel in New Sussex Opera’s Chamber Choir and Beethoven 9, Eroica in the back of the car. She has taken advantage King Arthur, Georgina is delighted to return to Camerata. Deirdre was then invited to join of the paths available to her with enthusiasm. perform Giannetta in this truly hysterical opera. Glyndebourne Opera chorus for thei 2017 festival and tour. Recent roles include: Pamina Georgina Thorburn Deirdre McCabe Lyric Opera Weimar, Cathleen Vaughan Williams’ Riders to the Sea. Deirdre will be making her debut for St Paul’s Opera company as Fiordiligi on June 29 and 30. She is making her debut in the role of Adina for NSO. Nicola Said Adina. A Maltese Soprano, she recently made her debuts as Blondchen Die Entführung aus dem Serail Warsaw Chamber Opera, as Zerlina Teatru Manoel, and in the title role in Fulham Opera’s Lucia di Lammermoor. Last summer, she sang Queen of the Night for Charles Court Opera and at she sang Hlas in Jenufa. Nicola has sung Zerbinetta Ariadne auf Naxos at West Green House Opera. She studies with Yvonne Kenny and has recently completed the Guildhall School Opera Course where she performed the title

Rehearsal photographs David James