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CAST: PRODUCTION: : Mark Wilde Musical Director: Nicholas Jenkins Idamante: Sam Furness Director: James Hurley Ilia: Rebecca Bottone Designer: Rachel Szmukler Electra: Kirstin Sharpin Lighting Designer: Ben Pickersgill Arbace: Will Davies Assistant Director: Laura Attridge Voice of Neptune: Pauls Putnins Assistant Musical Director: Jeremy Cooke Production Manager: Isolde Nash Blackheath Halls Chorus Costume Supervisor: Laura Rushton Blackheath Halls Orchestra Costume Assistant: Evelien Coleman Pupils from Greenvale School Community Costume Assistant: Rita Craft Pupils from Charlton Park Academy Senior Stage Manager: Sasja Ekenberg Pupils from Year 5 at Beecroft Garden Deputy Stage Manager: Jean Hally Primary School Assistant Stage Managers: Matthew Carlisle Pupils from Year 5 at Mulgrave and Emily May Sions Primary School Community Stage Manager: Sarah Southerton Project Manager: Rose Ballantyne BLACKHEATH HALLS TEAM: Assistant Project Manager: Isabel Jeakins General Manager: Keith Murray Community Engagement Manager: Publicity and Programme Designer: Rose Ballantyne Colin Dunlop Operations Manager: Hannah Benton Technical Manager: Malcom Richards TRINITY LABAN PROJECT TEAM: Marketing and Box Office Co-ordinator: Project Manager: Heather Stephenson Elizabeth Green Project Leader: Development Officer:Fiona Sanderson Joe Townsend Bookkeeper: Debra Skeet Running Time: Administrator: Caroline Foulkes 2hrs and 50mins Communications Consultant: Clare Fisher Welcome to Blackheath Halls Opera’s production of Mozart’s Idomeneo. Welcome to Blackheath Halls! It is the ninth year of our Community Opera programme and I am thrilled This year’s community opera performances of Mozart’s Idomeneo, bring to a that it continues to grow and develop year on year offering people close another wide-ranging and lively season here at Blackheath Halls. We offer of all ages from the local community and neighbouring boroughs, audiences a chance to hear world class performers alongside up and coming including primary school children and students, a rare opportunity to talent in a programme of recitals, concerts and events. In addition to this we rehearse and perform in a full stage opera. We are very proud of what showcase many successful comedy and family events throughout the year; there we have achieved so far and are so grateful for the unstinting efforts and really is something for everyone! We have exciting plans for our 2015/16 season and beyond, working with a range of new and existing artistic partners. commitment of all who have been involved in any way. The Community Engagement team run a thriving programme of events which embraces musical Blackheath Halls Opera aims to be inclusive, creative, challenging and fun. It nurtures styles from Gospel to Broadway and Classical. Our aim is to engage people of all ages from the an interest in opera and offers wider opportunities in terms of learning about the diverse local community and beyond, in high quality music making and performance at this skills required to perform and sing and the importance of working as part of a cross- wonderful historic venue. I would like to thank Rose Ballantyne, our Community Engagement generational community. Each year we consciously try to extend the reach of our Manager, and indeed all of the Blackheath Halls’ staff, for their hard work and enthusiasm, and we all engagement with neighboring boroughs. This year we are joined by pupils from Beecroft look forward to celebrating the community opera programme’s 10th birthday in 2016. Garden, Lewisham and Mulgrave Primary School, . It has been a delight to We could not put on a project of this scale without financial support. We are very grateful to Arts continue working with students from two special schools with whom we have a long- Council England for their very generous support for our year round “Opera for All” Programme. We standing relationship, Charlton Park Academy and Greenvale School. would also like to thank The Royal Borough of , The Borough of Lewisham, The Hearn Foundation, The Samuel Gardner Memorial Trust, The Ingles Charitable Trust and The Fischer Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance support our efforts too through their Fund for their support. We would also like to offer special thanks to the many individuals who talented vocal students who perform in the opera and Blackheath Halls Orchestra and donate to the opera, and a variety of other projects within the Halls. through this year’s special composition project led by Joe Townsend which offers another We enormously appreciate the fundraising efforts of The Friends of Blackheath Halls. They have opportuntity for students to creatively engage with the opera. generously supported the installation of fans in the Great Hall which will enhance the audience Blackheath Halls Opera started in 2007. Our first production was arguably one of the most experience. We have ambitious plans for the future development of the facilities at the Hall and as part of this we are collaborating with the Friends to refurbish and redecorate the Café Bar. popular of all time, Bizet’s Carmen. We have a small number of participants who have been part of Blackheath Halls Opera since the beginning so congratulations to those Thank you for coming to watch the remarkable achievements of all those involved in Idomeneo. We for returning year after year. hope you enjoy the performance and look forward to welcoming you back to Blackheath Halls soon. Next year, it will be our 10th Birthday! Plans are already being made so watch this space. Keith Murray General Manager We invite all of you to join us for the celebrations and, if you’ve been an enthusiastic member of the audience then why not consider joining the cast for what we hope will be another wonderful production from Blackheath Halls Opera.

Thank you for coming to tonight’s performance. All at Blackheath Halls Opera, hope you have a wonderful evening enjoying this magical opera and this special production; the result of so many people’s hard work and dedication.

Curtain up!

Community Engagement Manager

2 IDOMENEO IDOMENEO 3 A selection of wonderful design and costume images from Idomeneo. This year’s production marks the ninth year of Mozartian myths – Blackheath Halls Opera! Idomeneo comes to Blackheath By Nicholas Jenkins

2015 marks the 9th Blackheath Halls Community Opera project, and we are delighted to be presenting a Mozart opera for the first time in this series.Idomeneo is based on a Greek myth that tells of two nations at war, and a father who has to sacrifice his own son to the god Poseidon. Idomeneo was apparently Mozart’s own favourite among his operas, and years after his death his widow Constanze said that he was never happier than when he was writing it. Of all the Mozart operas it is the one with the greatest involvement of the Chorus, a vital part of the Blackheath Halls operatic experience. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was an Austrian composer who is widely considered to be one of the greatest geniuses that ever walked this earth. Born in Salzburg, he was a child prodigy who learnt to play the harpsichord aged 3, and started composing aged 5. In the 36 years of his life he wrote more than 600 pieces of music, of which a good number are masterpieces that are regularly performed to this day. Towards the end of his life Mozart had a run of bad luck and was in debt. He became ill in late 1791, died 2 months before his 36th birthday, and was buried in a common grave outside Vienna. But Mozart is still with us 250 years after he lived because of great tunes we can never forget, and harmonies that surprise and touch the soul. Mozart could imitate any musical style he had heard, from popular songs of his day to the most spiritual masterpieces of Baroque composer J.S. Bach, yet in a voice that is always inimitably his own. In his operas he creates characters whose music is so striking and varied that listeners believe they are hearing the drama and emotions of the story in sound, in a way that goes beyond words. Mozart achieved celebrity during his own lifetime in a way that had not been possible for any composer before him. He gave concert tours as both composer and performer, where symphonies and concertos were heard. He composed to order for noble employers, wrote religious music for the Church, as well as chamber music and sonatas which were published largely for the benefit of bourgeois amateurs to play at home. In the late 18th Century most composers lived like servants and were dependant on a wealthy patron or the Church. J.S. Bach (1685-1750) was a Church organist and composer in Leipzig all his life, working a punishing schedule; the successful career of George Frederic Handel (1685-1759) had a lot to do with the support of the English Royal Family. Mozart had an important patron in Archbishop Collaredo of Salzburg (1732-1812) but annoyed the Archbishop with his frequent absences freelancing in Vienna and lost his job in Salzburg in May 1781 - incidentally just a few months after the first performance ofIdomeneo in Munich. Had Mozart lived slightly later, or been better at getting on with his employers, he might have had a more stable existence. Even the older composer (1732-1809) - who worked much of his career at the court of Count Esterházy in Eisenstadt, a remote part of Austria - outlived Mozart, and had some big freelance successes at the end of his life with big concert tours that yielded up the famous “Paris” and “London” Symphonies. If Mozart could come back from the dead and claim royalties on Blackheath Halls Opera can be followed on Twitter @OperaBH all of the music that has been performed and recorded since, he would be a billionaire.

4 IDOMENEO IDOMENEO 5 Mozart’s achievements have given A vital decision for today’s performers concerns the casting of Prince Idamante. In 1781 Idamante rise to many legends, not least Peter was sung by a castrato (an adult singer who had been castrated before puberty to preserve his Schaffer’s 1979 play and 1984 film treble voice); in 1786 Mozart re-worked the role for a and made other changes and cuts to Amadeus, about a largely-imagined the score. Modern performers can choose the 1781 version with a either a high mezzo-soprano or rivalry between Mozart and the more counter-tenor Idamante (though counter-tenor is rare as the role sits high in the voice); or one can old-school composer Antonio Salieri opt for a tenor Idamante as in Mozart’s 1786 version, though it is quite usual to combine elements (1750-1825), court composer to Holy of his 1781 score with the 1786 reworkings. Here in Blackheath we have gone for a tenor Idamante Roman Emperor Joseph II. The movie but kept to the structure of the 1781 original. An epically long Idomeneo in Blackheath would not be is still well-worth watching even if appropriate, but James Hurley and I have made a few bold textual choices, and like King Idomeneo the historical facts are very much himself have wielded the knife only when we felt it was really necessary to do so. elaborated upon. In recent weeks I have been bowled over by the reactions of our Blackheath performers to Mozart’s Mozart wrote some 22 operas of which 7 are mature masterpieces that are frequently performed music. And I wish that the critics who once dismissed Idomeneo as old-fashioned could have today. Idomeneo is the first of these mature operas, composed by the 24-year-old Mozart for court been present at the rehearsals at Charlton Park Academy and Greenvale Schools, where Mozart’s performance in Munich in early 1781. It was commissioned by the Elector of Bavaria, who had brought power to thrill, shock and inspire seemed very real. It is worth noting that a fair number of the to Munich the famous Mannheim Court Orchestra, described by Mozart’s father Leopold as being children performers involved said that they had never heard of Mozart before this project began – a the finest orchestra he had ever heard. For them Mozart wrote orchestral music inIdomeneo that humbling fact for those of us who are lucky enough to take his genius for granted. The Blackheath is astonishing in its drama and detail. The libretto (words) of the opera are by Giambattista Varesco Halls Community Opera is all about getting people involved in opera who might have never seen or (1735-1805), who adapted an early 18th-Century French play Idomenée by Antoine Danchet (1671- performed in one before. We seek to break down the notion that opera is for the privileged, yet to 1748). Mozart drove Varesco to distraction by repeatedly asking for the operatic customs of the time work on Idomeneo with all of these wonderful and talented people I think that I must be among the to be overturned, so that certain scenes took place not as arias or duets but as recitatives (sung most privileged individuals on the planet! speech with harpichord accompaniment). Scholars and performers admire in Idomeneo the way in which musical numbers and recitatives blend into one another, and the extensive use of orchestrally accompanied recitative. The crucial scene of the sacrifice between Idomeneo and Idamante in the Temple of Poseidon Act 3 takes place in an orchestral recitative that is more dramatic than any duet could have been in 1781. Mozart’s blending of styles, breathtaking orchestration, and his ever- changing musical fabric paves the way for the arch-Romantic (1813-1883), creator of Following their remarkable Oberon, NSO

through-composed “music-dramas”. nso reunites director Harry Fehr and conductor

Idomeneo was given just four times during Mozart’s lifetime – a big disappointment to him: there Nicholas Jenkins for one of the most- performed operas of the late 19th Century, were three performances in Munich in 1781 with a stellar cast, and then one concert performance in Mignon by Ambroise Thomas. This Vienna in 1786 performed by aristocratic amateurs. Even in 1781 Idomeneo was considered to be an delectable 1866 opéra-comique, inspired old-fashioned opera, in the “opera seria” (literally “serious opera”) style of Italian librettist Metastasio by Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister, tells the story (1698-1782) - an operatic genre defined by strict conventions; butIdomeneo owes just as much of the enigmatic and waif-like Mignon, in form and style to the very dramatic and theatrical French operas of Christoph Willibald Gluck tormented in captivity and longing for (1714-1787), most notably his 1779 masterpiece Iphigénie en Tauride (a ‘must-hear’ piece if you have freedom, peace, and love. Thomas’ music, enjoyed Idomeneo). After 1786 Idomeneo seems to have languished unperformed for much of the composed at the high noon of romanticism, abounds in radiant melody, and paraphrases 19th Century, but in 1931 there were notable revivals in Munich and Vienna, though in both of these OPÉRA-COMIQUE by AMBROISE THOMAS a great Goethe poem in the celebrated aria cases Mozart’s music was partially re-written by composers Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari and Richard Sung in English “Connais-tu le pays?” Strauss respectively. The 1951 Glyndebourne Festival production of Idomeneo was a crucial turning point in the opera’s fortunes, causing a substantial re-appraisal of Mozart’s great score, and giving One of the UK’s most touching and eloquent Lewes Town Hall operatic artists, mezzo Victoria Simmonds rise to a wave of productions throughout the world. But it still took some people time to get to grips Wednesday 11 November 7.30pm plays Mignon. Dazzling young coloratura with it – the Metropolitan Opera in New York only performed Idomeneo for the first time in 1982, in a Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne soprano Ruth Jenkins-Róbertsson plays production starring Luciano Pavarotti that can now be seen on DVD. Sunday 22 November 3pm her feisty rival Philine. Don’t miss it! Creating a performing version for a production of Idomeneo is both a joy and a challenge. Mozart Cadogan Hall, London SW1 Tuesday 24 November 7pm lavished huge care on its composition, and wrote far more music for the piece than it is ever possible NSO Chorus, St Paul’s Sinfonia conductor Nicholas Jenkins to include a single performance, not least as certain numbers exist in more than one version. Mozart director Harry Fehr himself was obliged to make extensive cuts to the monumental Act 3 before the first performance. designer Eleanor Wdowski www.NewSussexOpera.org New Sussex Opera is a registered charity no. 279800 6 IDOMENEO Biographies

James Hurley Director Rebecca Bottone Ilia

James is a stage director working in both opera and theatre. He read English at Originally from Derbyshire, Rebecca Bottone is a graduate of the Royal Cambridge University before completing an MPhil in American Literature, specialising Academy of Music. Recent and future engagements include Peter Pan and in dramatist David Mamet. Directing includes l’Ospedale (Aldeburgh Music); Pelléas et Mélisande (Welsh National Opera)‚ Yum Yum The Mikado‚ Clorinda Brundibar, The Little Sweep, Noye’s Fludde (Blackheath Halls); La Rondine (Factory 7/ La Cenerentola, and Mabel The Pirates of Penzance (Scottish Opera). Bristol Paintworks); Aida (Epsom Playhouse); (Upstairs at the Gatehouse). Further appearances include First Niece and the world premiere of He has directed revivals for and , and worked on Birtwistle’s Minotaur (‚ Covent Garden)‚ Cricket and Parrott the directing staff at the Royal National Theatre, Edinburgh International Festival, in the world premiere and subsequently the USA premiere of ’s The Adventures of , and Glyndebourne, assisting directors including , Tom Cairns, Pinocchio (Opera North and Minnesota Opera)‚ the world premiere of Rufus Wainwright’s Prima Jonathan Kent, Martin Duncan, David Alden, and Tim Albery. Recent highlights include Between Worlds Donna (Manchester International Festival) Blonde Die Entfürung aus dem Serail (Aix-en-Provence, (ENO/Barbican), La Traviata (GFO & GOT), Minetti (EIF), Scenes from an Execution (NT), and Death in France)‚ Tytania A Midsummer Night’s Dream ( Opera)‚ Amanda in Ligeti’s Le Grand Venice (ENO/Amsterdam). He has also directed opera scenes for the Royal College of Music and Trinity Macabre (English National Opera)‚ Anne Egerman A Little Night Music‚ Johanna Sweeney Todd‚ Laban Conservatoire, as well as workshop rehearsals on David Mamet’s rarely performed play, The Liesl The Sound of Music and Carrie Carousel (Théâtre du Châtelet‚ Paris)‚ Rosmene Imeneo Woods, at the National Theatre Studio. (Barbican)‚ Semira Artaxerxes and the Maid in Ades’ Powder Her Face at the Linbury Studio.

James is passionate about bringing opera to new audiences. In 2012-13 he was creative director of Rebecca has worked with many of the world’s leading orchestras‚ and her recordings include Cis Opera di Peroni, a year-long touring performance campaign which brought site-specific operatic with Richard Hickox and EMI and two Rossini roles for Opera Rara‚ Eurice Adelaide performances to unconventional locations in London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, di Borgognia and Cleone Ermione. She has made appearances in BBC2’s Television documentary and Glasgow. This summer he created the premiere staging of a new children’s opera, based on The Genius of Beethoven with the English Chamber Orchestra‚ David Starkey’s Music and Monarchy music by Handel and Oscar Wilde’s The Selfish Giant, for the Opera North Children’s Chorus (Leeds & and the role of a singer in Steven Poliakoffs acclaimed filmCapturing Mary. Aldborough). His production of L’Italiana in Algiers is currently touring to venues of all shapes-and-sizes across the UK with Pop-Up Opera. William Davies Arbace

Nicholas Jenkins Musical Director William Johnston Davies studied at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance with Neil Baker, generously supported by the Kathleen Creed Scholarship Nicholas Jenkins studied at Merton College, Oxford, Trinity College of Music, and the Savile Club Scholarship. Before beginning his professional training he read and the GSMD. He is Music Director to New Sussex Opera and the University of Geography at Hatfield College, Durham University, where he was a choral scholar. Greenwich, and was recently Interim Chorus Master to Dutch National Opera, Recent highlights include Pedrillo Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Pop-up Opera); Amsterdam (Die Zauberflöte, La traviata, Armide, L’Étoile). He began his career Albert Albert Herring (Hampstead Garden Opera); and the title role in a new as a singer and chorus master, and has trained choirs including Choral staging of Handel’s Belshazzar under Nicholas Kraemer (Trinity Laban Opera). Society, ENO Chorus (Benvenuto Cellini), Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Other roles include Don Ottavio (Holbourne Opera); Don Basilio Le nozze di Figaro; Mr Chorus, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Netherlands Radio Choir, Rushworth (both Hampstead Garden Opera); Orphée Orphée aux enfers (Trinity Laban and Philharmonia Chorus. He has regularly assisted conductor Marc Minkowski at Paris Opera, Opera); Aeneas ; Damon Acis and Galatea; Eisenstein Die Fledermaus; The Mayor Théâtre du Châtelet, La Monnaie, Aix-en-Provence Festival and elsewhere, and has also assisted Albert Herring (all Durham Opera Ensemble); and Monsieur The Dancing Master (Malcolm Arnold Sir Mark Elder, David Parry and Sir Simon Rattle. Festival, world premiere). He has conducted many operas including Cendrillon, Count Ory, Elixir of Love, Eugene Onegin, Future engagements include Remendado Carmen for Young Opera Venture; Ruggiero La liberazione Macbeth, Noye’s Fludde (Blackheath Halls), (La Monnaie), L’Ile de Tulipatan, Der di Ruggiero dall’isola di for Ursula’s Arrow; and recitals of chamber music by Schumann, Jasager (Opéra de Lyon), Turn of the Screw (Dartington Festival), Edgar, L’Étoile, Hugh the Drover, Brahms and Françaix with the Peacock Ensemble. Idomeneo, Mireille, Oberon, Poisoned Kiss, Die Rheinnixen (New Sussex Opera), as well as a staged Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle (Berlin, Bregenz Festival, Paris Opéra-Comique). William is delighted to return to Blackheath after shoving innocent children up chimneys as Clem in 2014’s The Little Sweep! Current and upcoming projects include conducting Mesdames de la Halle (Opéra de Lyon), Mignon (New Sussex Opera); Chorus Master for Aïda (Opera Holland Park), Platée (Paris Opera); Assistant Conductor to Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic for Der Rosenkavalier and (Baden-Baden).

8 IDOMENEO IDOMENEO 9 Biographies

Sam Furness Idamante Kirstin Sharpin Electra

Welsh tenor Sam Furness first started singing as a chorister in Llandaff Kirstin read English in New Zealand before returning to her Scottish roots Cathedral at the age of 8. at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, graduating Master of Opera with Distinction. Further study followed at the Cardiff International Academy of He went on to be a choral scholar at St John’s College Cambridge and then to Voice with Dennis O’Neill, as an Independent Opera Fellow and Samling Artist. the Royal Academy of Music where he studied on the opera course with his fellow Welshman Ryland Davies. Recent engagements include the title role in Weber’s Euryanthe and Ada Die Feen (Wagner) in concert (Chelsea Opera Group), and Mutter Hänsel und Gretel Since graduating from college two years ago Sam has sung major operatic (Garsington Young Artists). Other operatic performances include Samaritana roles for English National Opera, , Toulouse Opera, National Opera of Chile Francesca da Rimini (Opera Holland Park), Helmwige Die Walküre (St Endellion Festival), Donna Anna and Scottish Opera as well as singing many concerts and recitals around the world. Highlights Don Giovanni (Regents Opera), Vitellia La Clemenza di Tito (Opus Opera), Angelica Suor Angelica this year so far have included Steva (Jenufa) for Scottish Opera, Baron Lummer () (Beethoven Ensemble), Magda (cover) La Rondine (British Youth Opera). For the RCS Kirstin sang for Garsington Festival Opera and a recital at the Wigmore Hall. Future projects for Sam include Tatyana Eugene Onegin, Fiordiligi Cosí fan Tutte, Nella Gianni Schicchi, and covered . major roles with English Touring Opera and in Finland and Madrid. Concert and oratorio work ranges from Vivaldi to Poulenc, and includes Vier Letzte Lieder, When he is not singing Sam enjoys playing golf, walking his dog Poppy and living in . As Ravel’s Shéhérazade (cond. Denève), Nuits d’été in St Petersburg, and several appearances with well as classical music he is a big fan of 70s disco and Drum and Bass. the RSNO, including excerpts from La Voix Humaine.

Kirstin is the Wagner Society of Great Britain’s nominee for the Richard Wagner Stimme International Competition, and a semi-finalist in the Elizabeth Connell Prize. A childhood career plan to be the first opera-singing astronaut was scuppered when it dawned that getting an Pauls Putnins The Voice of Neptune orchestra into a spaceship would be tricky, and the acoustic could be problematic! After studying conducting in Riga and Jerusalem, Latvian-born Pauls subsequently studied singing at Trinity College of Music where he was awarded the 1998 Opera Prize. His international opera appearances include La Bohème (ENO, Opéra de Nancy), Lucia di Lammermoor (Opera Colorado, Mark Wilde Idomeneo Denver and Russian National Orchestra, Moscow), Carmen (New Zealand Born in Scotland, Mark Wilde was a chorister at Dundee Cathedral before Opera), Don Giovanni (Latvian National Opera), Boulevard Solitude (Teatro studying at the University of East Anglia and the Royal College of Music. Carlo Felice, Genoa and Gran Teatr del Liceu, Barcelona), (St Petersburg and Riga), Tannhäuser (Barcelona), In opera, he has established a particularly close relationship with English Touring (Moscow Philharmonic). Opera appearances in UK include Idomeneo and Die Zauberflöte Opera, and has also appeared with the Netherlands Opera, English National (Glyndebourne Festival Opera), Fidelio (Garsington), and Aida (Royal Albert Opera, Garsington Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Opera North and Welsh Hall), (Early Opera Company), Ariadne and La Traviata (Birmingham Opera Company). National Opera.

Pauls also has an international concert and recording career and has sung with orchestras Mark Wilde sings regularly in concert, his engagements including performances with the Aalborg including the Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel, Moscow and Bucharest Symphony Orchestra, the Academy of Ancient Music, the Britten Sinfonia, the City of Birmingham Philharmonics and Russian National Orchestra. Symphony Orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia, the Finnish Baroque Orchestra, the Hanover Band, the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, the Odense Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Most recent engagements include Le nozze di Figaro (Riga), Petite Messe Solennelle (Germany, Orchestra, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, the Russian National Orchestra, the Tokyo Symphony France and Bregenz Festival), Tosca and Idomeneo (ENO), Puccini Edgar (New Sussex Opera), Orchestra and the Ural Philharmonic. Eugene Onegin (Barbican) and Die Schöpfung (Kanazawa, Japan). His recordings include Britten Complete Scottish Songs, Corp Country Matters and Handel Ode for St Cecilia’s Day (Naxos), Pia de’Tolomei, Alesandro nell’Indie, Corrado d’Altamura, Adelaide di Borgogna, and Rossini Songs (Opera Rara), The Adventures of Pinocchio (Opus Arte Blu Ray / DVD), Elgar Songs (Avie), Sullivan The Golden Legend and The Prodigal Son (Hyperion), Ancient Melodies (Docker Records) and Fame’s Great Trumpet – Songs by Britten and Norris (EM Records).

He lives on Lincoln with his wife and family.

10 IDOMENEO IDOMENEO 11 Biographies

Laura Attridge Assistant Director Laura Rushton Costume Supervisor Laura Attridge is a young director and writer of opera and theatre. Since obtaining Laura graduated in 2004 with a BA (hons) in Costume for the Performing Arts from a Graduate Diploma in Vocal Performance from the Royal College of Music (RCM) in London College of Fashion. Since then she has worked extensively at Shakespeare’s 2014, following First Class Honours in English Literature from Newcastle University, Globe Theatre, on touring productions such as King John, Hamlet, As You Like Laura has been an Assistant Director for Opera Holland Park, British Youth Opera and It, King Lear and The Taming of the Shrew, as well as productions including Blue the Royal Academy of Music. She has also directed for a variety of theatre companies Stockings on the main stage, and Knight of the Burning Pestle and Thomas Tallis in which champion new writing, joining Theatre Renegade for Courting Drama (Southwark Playhouse), the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Further Shakespeare productions include A Midsummer Night’s Paperback Pictures for A Foot In The Door (The Arts Theatre) and The Pensive Federation for their Dream, A Comedy of Errors, The Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night for the all-male Propeller Collective Project (Camden People’s Theatre) and Significant Other Festival (Tristan Bates Theatre). Theatre Company. This summer Laura will be directing La Boheme for Opera Loki’s France/UK tour. Laura’s highlights from the last year include working on a tour of Saturday Night Fever (Bath As a writer, Laura collaborates frequently with emerging composers. Her first opera,Now , written with Theatre Royal), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Royal and Derngate), and The Roof, a dance production for Glyndebourne Young Composer in Residence, Lewis Murphy, premiered in 2014, in association with Fuel Theatre. Most recently she has been working on the live shows for Britain’s Got Talent. Tête-à-Tête Festival. May 2015 saw a site-specific song cycle of Laura’s,The Avian Eye, performed at Laura’s opera credits include Werther (Les Azuriales Opera Festival), Barber of Seville and the National Gallery. Laura is also founder and Artistic Director of And So Forth, a new opera and (Diva Opera). theatre company dedicated to interdisciplinary collaboration, which launched recently to great acclaim.

Ben Pickersgill Lighting Designer Ben is a lighting designer, programmer and technician for theatre and opera. When not Jeremy Cooke Assistant Musical Director working, he likes to enjoy the great outdoors and, if it’s raining, play the ! Jeremy Cooke was born in Colchester, Essex. Educated at Oxford University and the He is currently based in the lighting department at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Guildhall School of Music and Drama, he has subsequently worked extensively in Stratford-upon-Avon. Recent projects with the RSC include programming the lighting the world of opera and vocal music generally. He had a wonderful time working on for a new play, Oppenheimer, which tells the story of the atomic bomb. The production Count Ory last year and is looking forward to seeing old friends again and getting to was a hit with critics and audiences alike and came to the West End for a limited run in early 2015. He know this marvellous work. has also worked with Chichester Festival Theatre on shows such as Singin’ in the Rain, Sweeney Todd and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. Ben thoroughly enjoys the Blackheath Halls’ community projects. Idomeneo marks his fourth Sasja Ekenberg Stage Manager production, having lit the Children’s Operas for the past three years; Brundibar (2015), The Little Sweep (2014) and Noye’s Fludde (2013). Originally from Denmark, Sasja trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 2013. Since then she has been riding her pink motorbike to work on all Other recent lighting designs include the musicals Into the Woods and Legally Blonde at the Bridewell kinds of productions including the Alan Titchmarsh Show, and the 2013 Royal Variety Theatre and Footloose at Watford Palace Theatre. As well as pursuing his own projects, Ben often Performance, as well as spending the past 8 months with Royal Danish Opera. works with technical theatre students at Mountview Academy of Performing Arts, mentoring the next generation of theatre practitioners. After working on The Adventures of Count Ory last year Sasja has been really looking forward to returning to Blackheath Halls for Idomeneo! Rachel Szmukler Designer Rachel has designed all three of the children’s operas here at Blackheath Halls (Brundibar, The Little Sweep and Noye’s Fludde), and has been looking forward Deputy Stage Manager Jean Hally to the even bigger challenge of the community opera; i.e. how do you fit over 100 Jean comes from Dublin where she undertook a BA Degree in Philosophy, followed people on stage?! by a Masters in Directing both at University College Dublin. Intending to pursue Rachel trained at the Motley Theatre Design Course in London, and has a first class a career in directing, she fell into stage management by accident after moving to degree in Fine Art from the Glasgow School of Art. Opera productions include set and costume London and hasn’t looked back since! design for L’Ospedale (Aldeburgh Music), Semele and Orfeo (Hampstead Garden Opera), The She is now based primarily in Dublin, often working at venues such as the Abbey Cunning Little Vixen (Co-Opera Co), and set design for La Rondine (Go Opera). Design for theatre Theatre. Jean particularly enjoys contemporary opera and is about to set off on tour with a includes The Lost Martini (Accidental Theatre), The Kitchen, the Bedroom and the Grave (Baby production of The Last Hotel, an exciting new opera presented by Wide Open Opera, and Grand, Belfast), Limbo (Citizens, Glasgow), Saturday Night Fever (Old Vic Tunnels/Everyman Landmark Productions. Cinema), Oklahoma! (A&O at Opera Holland Park), and costume design for FOG and Blue Surge (Finborough Theatre).

12 IDOMENEO IDOMENEO 13 SYNOPSIS SYNOPSIS

14 IDOMENEO IDOMENEO 15 Greenvale Beecroft Mulgrave School Garden Primary School Teachers Teachers Liz Smith Alison Carter Teacher Carol Murrell Carla Crosbie Rob Evans Sophie Lanfear

Pupils Year 5 pupils Tiffany Martin Year 5 pupils Adrian Amegavie Becky Simpson Victoria Abiodun Daniel Ibironke Alvarez Jack Clow Karine Agbodji Adam Orlov Tiffany Farley Nasradin Ahmed Danielle Corr Samantha Farley Kasifat Akadi Amalia Ewonkem Charlie Kebell Ayomide Akinade Albasit Folawiyo Abigail Ayoola Mudiaga Alawuru Juste Sadaunikaite Samuel Amadi Terri Mitchell Arena Antonenko Jerome Mccormack-Mills Al-Matin Arolwolo Charlton Park Simon Da Silva Eloghosa Asemota Dylan Igbinoba-Boisot Academy Samantha Butler Stephanie Okeke Gemar Donaldson-Mbolokele Jessica Nguyen Teachers and Wintana Gebre-Hannes Charisma Gurung Support Staff Lucy Grund Jennifer Iwunze Rachel Dunlop Jamal Haibe Joshua Nyaku Ben Peters Brooke Humpherey Sherif Karatu Katie Toal Jessyca Ibalet Keren-Happuch Agyemang

Miguel Jardim Nazeem Mohamed Pupils Vladimira John Tharmithan Tharmarasa Ketlin Namaganda Stella Kaerger Katie Morris Osio Orororo Lauretta Lawrence-Ehiemua Alix McGuiness Lindsey Tchangoun Queenette Merenini Romeysa Rruci Charlie Torrison Joseph Ojo Emilie Homes Hope Torrison Emerine Omoyi Wanya Whitney Nnamani Ella Williams Ricardo Pereira Abdullahi Ahmed Angel Powell Connor Pearce Shari Smith Phi Nguyen Stanley Smith Amy Hoang Nathan Spaulding Priya Thavarasa

16 IDOMENEO French Leslee Dryland Orchestra Hannah Key Liz King First Violin Lucy Gray Lucy Bray* Lyndsay Thwaites Aisling Manning Maggie Ellis Sarah Fraser Trumpet Milda Fontanetti* Amy Smith Pete Athans Nina Angelova Valeria Riso Deb Browne Pauline Shimell Rosie Judge Rae Broom Elizabeth Marsen Timpani Nico Metten Susan Howe Katherine Savage Suzi Clements Miriam Carrera Tenor Second Violin Chorus Adam Higgs Lucia D’Avanzo-Lewis Soprano Alix Adams Alex Coupe Alice Robinson Alun Butler Philip Smith Amabel Barlow Cherry Potts Peter Dempsey Caroline Foster Henriette Raison Nahum Courona Carolyn Williamson Richard Whitfield Sarah Mansfield Doreen Grandon Susanne Albert Doris Negrier Tom Holland* Viola Fiona Gardiner Tony Valsamides Virginia Slater Fiona Sanderson Malcolm Sentance Georgi Thorburn* Bass John Strange Gillian Smith Ben Ellis* Nim de Ricci Helen Warner David Culpan Gemma Edwards Jess Thayer* James Lomas* Jo Keogh John Baldwin Cello Kirsty Mclean* John Bell Steffan Rees Lara Bullford Martin McHugh Jim Urpeth Maggie Mullarkey Nicholas Simpson Meg Dinkeldein Marie Stella Polloni-Watson Robert McKinnon Marco Russo Patty Kostkova Simon Phillips Paul Meins Phillippa Keogh Terence Cowling Rebecca Swann Stand Out Soloists Double Bass Rebekah Smith* Kirsty Mclean* Katy Furmanski Rosie Taylor Rebeka Smith* Keith Pinnock Ruth Devine Sarah Bulford Suzi Clements Terry Heard Sheila Twitchett Milda Fontanetti* Valerie Grant Alun Butler Flute Vicky Smith Tom Holland* Pauline Savage David Culpan Penny Gunstone Alto Ben Ellis* Anna Baily Beatrice Jackson Costume Support Lydia Brookes Elizabeth Goldman Robin Brewer Anne Sykes Gill Grant Rita Craft Helen Rotchell* Jane Ferguson Jackie Rice Sara Morris Jane Cooke Set Support Liz Glasser Jane Ferguson David Culpan Jay Hassan Judith Stephenson *Vocal Student at Trinity Dan Andrei Bosinceanu Kate Bone Laban Conservatoire of Sue Rayner Kate Lomas Music and Dance Laura Sparkes

18 IDOMENEO Idomeneo – Schools Composition Project

A ‘modern take’ on the opera by pupils from Bonus Pastor Catholic College and Manor School.

Inspired by the Blackheath Halls Community Opera’s performance of Mozart’s Idomeneo, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance has been working closely with Plumstead Manor School and Bonus Pastor Catholic College to create a new composition. Led by Creative Director Joe Townsend and Trinity Laban students Kristin Sofroniou, Aisha Meade, Tom Holland and Kirsty McLean, talented musicians in years 7-9 from both schools have been exploring the narrative and musical themes of the opera.

During the 5 week project, comprised of 2 full group sessions and 3 sessions in each school, participants have responded to the opera through music, drama, song, poetry and spoken word and have also explored visual techniques involved in Japanese theatre. Themes drawn from the opera that have inspired their ideas have included the sea and storms, the Greek Iliad and the impossible love triangle between Ilia, Electra and Idomante.

Bonus Pastor Catholic College Plumstead Manor School

Name Instrument Name Instrument Aloka Simpson Trumpet Ashmita Ale Violin Alyse Appassamy-Brown Guitar Emily Hudson Saxophone Anthony Noble Violin Jaylene Kunaoye Bass Guitar Ciaran Kelly Trumpet/Guitar Rihanna Njoteh Flute Clarissa Mae Ragrag Guitar/Voice Rita Niemba Piano Daisy Crisp Sax Rosie Sawyers Flute Darren Oppong Drums Rosie Wood Bass Guitar Edgar Bell Guitar Ruby Safa Piano James Onyema-Matthews Piano Scarlett Callaghan Flute Jasmine Currie Trumpet/Guitar Sophia Rana Drum Kit Joel Mawejje Drums Justice Ezi Guitar/Voice Kate Obla Piano Kurell Jean Trumpet Nathan Williams-Lewis Cello Nelson Illori Voice/Piano Neoma Okoli Voice Olivia Assaindey Piano Patrycja Bordurka French Horn/ Piano Tyrese Quintyne Piano

20 IDOMENEO Blackheath Halls is grateful to the following people and organisations who through their generous support have made the ninth Blackheath Halls Opera possible.

Organisations who are supporting the 2015 Blackheath Halls Opera: Arts Council England: Lewisham Main Grants Fund; The Greenwich Community Arts Fund; The Hearn Foundation; The Samuel Gardner Memorial Trust: The Ingles Charitable Trust and the Fischer Fund

Sponsors of Blackheath Halls Opera: In memory of Patrick Orpen; John Baldwin and Barbara Kolator; Geoffrey and Gillian Chipperfield; Geoffrey Collins; Alex Coupe and William Phillips; Stuart and Laura Fraser, Alasdair Neil, Anne Storm and Andrew Webster and Krzysztof Drutel.

Benefactors of Blackheath Halls Opera: Rachel and Ray Adams, Anthony Bevan; David and Georgina Bowers; Anne Burton; Stephen and Tina Challacombe; Peter and Maureen Cottrell; Richard and Meg Dinkeldein; Joanna Embling; Gillian Etherton QC; Fiona and Derek Gardiner; Valerie Gordon-Walker; John and Mary Harman; Jonathan and Yvonne Horsfall Turner; Patricia Jordan Evans; Tim and Hilary Morgan; Sandra Orpen; Jonathan and Marjorie Ouvry; Nicolas and Alison Palmer; Mark and Cate Roundtree; Dr Phillip and Jean Smith, Dr Deborah Stinson, Susan and Roger Taylor.

Patrons of Blackheath Halls Opera: Tim and Jaqueline Abbott; Helena Bayliss, Hugh and Cathy Bohling; Lydia Brookes; Tom and Gill Butler; Sonia Ennals, Emil and Jay Hassan; Ian and Mary Nisse; Adam Pollock; Donal and Diana Quigley, Brian and Jane Sullivan; Robin and Clodagh Woodall.

Supporters of Blackheath Halls Opera: Harriet Baldwin MP, Cilla Bartlett; Marilla Bartrip; Tony and Robin Brewer; Mike and Jane Cooke, Margaret Drummond, Janet Dutton; Elizabeth Glasser, Anne Groom; Dr Linda Hirst; Jocelyn Lewis; Richard Perks, Jennifer Ramsey; Dame Joan Ruddock; David and Fiona Sanderson; Muriel Seltman; Gerry and Virginia Shoppe; Marrianne Town Smith; Major P H Williamson MBE and many anonymous donors.

020 8318 3434 1 Cresswell Park Blackheath SE3 9RD www.jotownshend.com

IDOMENEO 23 Grateful thanks to: • Arts Council England for their continued and generous support of Blackheath Halls Community Opera. • The London Borough of Lewisham for their continued support of Blackheath Halls Community Opera. • The Hearn Foundation, The Samuel Gardner Memorial Trust, The Ingles Charitable Trust and The Fischer Fund for their grants to the project. • , Charlotte Baptie, Ruby Hughes, Anthony Roth Constanzo, Nicky Spence, Ashley Riches and Anna Tilbrook for launching the 2015 Blackheath Halls Community Opera with a fantastic Gala Night on 8th March 2015 which raised considerable funds for the opera. • Our Blackheath Halls Community Opera Ambassadors: Helena Bayliss, Geoffrey Collens, and Matthew Rose. • James Hurley and Nicholas Jenkins for their commitment and hard work. • Mark Wilde, Sam Furness, Rebecca Bottone, Kirstin Sharpin, William Johnston Davies and Pauls Putnins our wonderful professional opera singers, for their generosity and commitment. • The design team for creating this set, costume designs and lighting with such vision and attention to detail. • The many enthusiastic members of the local community for taking part in this project: the community chorus, the Blackheath Halls orchestra, and all the participating students from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance who have given so much time and talent to the project. • Rob Evans, Sanjiv Chapman, Alison Carter, Sophie Lanfear, Carla Crosbie, Rachel Dunlop and Elizabeth Smith for all their efforts and hard work. • The children, students, staff and parents from Beecroft Garden Primary School and Mulgrave Primary School. • The students, staff and parents from Charlton Park Academy and Greenvale School. • All the other members of the team for all their support and hard work. • Joe Townsend and the students of Bonus Pastor Catholic College and Plumstead Manor School for their work on the composition project. • All the local businesses mentioned in the programme for their financial contributions. • Thanks to the Refugee Council for their kind loan of t-shirts for the aid workers in our production. www.refugeecouncil.org.uk • Blackheath Halls staff with special mention of Rose Ballantyne the Project Manager. • To the Friends of Blackheath Halls and other individual donors for supporting the installation of the fans for this performance. • Colin Dunlop for designing all the posters, flyers and this programme to support the project. • All of you for coming to watch!

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