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Home , Bernadette Greevy, John Cameron (baritone), Millennium Forum, NI Opera, Raymond Leppard, Schwanda the Bagpiper

Orpheus in the Underworld 1 Orpheus in the Underworld 3 Welcome

The rest of our 2011-12 season is busy: not least with a concert on Sunday 30th October with Dame at the Ulster Hall the final night of the Ulster Bank Festival at Queen’s (another Oliver Mears crucial partner). Dame Kiri is performing alongside Aritstic Director, NI the winner of our inaugural vocal competition, Ben McAteer, from Newry: we’re pleased that this exciting event will be yet another collaboration, this time with Good evening and welcome to this new production the brilliant . of Offenbach’s classic comic opera, Orpheus in the Underworld, which we’re pleased to be presenting We will also be working with The Ulster with a new script by Rory Bremner, in partnership Orchestra on our first ever appearance at the Grand with Scottish Opera. in Belfast for Humperdinck’s classic fairy-tale opera, Hansel and Gretel in November. NI Opera is a year old this month: in our 2010-11 With music and story suitable for all the family, our season, our first, we produced a Christmas concert production features internationally-renowned singer HUMPERDINCK’S CLASSIC OPERA with Camerata and Barry Douglas, a touring Graham Clark as the Witch alongside a cast from production of Menotti’s The Medium, and our first and further afield - and a whole large-scale production - , in three different chorus of Gingerbread Children! The show also venues in Derry-Londonderry. All of our productions travels to the Millenium Forum on 12th January - have shown our commitment to high standards, local book soon, as tickets are selling fast. talent - and range. We are determined to produce work of the highest quality in all parts of the region, Finally, spring 2012 sees our production of Britten’s and touring is an essential part of this, especially classic ghost story, The Turn of the Screw, which tours with the combined resources offered by co-producing. Northern Ireland in March before two performances at the Buxton Festival in July. Leading Irish In times of economic contraction, opera faces Fiona Murphy stars as the haunted Governess, while particular challenges: with all its elements of set, Omagh-born Annemarie Woods designs. We do hope costumes, singers, orchestra and stage crew, opera is you can catch one or more of these events - your an expensive art form, and increasingly companies support is absolutely crucial to the future of the are having to collaborate to drive down costs, company. sustain quality - and even to survive. Collaboration also entails a sharing of expertise and experience, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the to everyone’s mutual benefit - and we are already Arts Council of Northern Ireland for their unstinting planning many more such partnerships in the months and essential support for the company and all that and years to come. we are trying to achieve. We welcome support from A DELICIOUSLY GORY TALE FOR ALL THE FAMILY individuals, and would be delighted if you felt able I would like to thank David Lan for inviting us to to support us in other ways - do take a look at our Thurs 24 – Sat 26 November 2011, 7.30pm the in for nine performances of website, www.niopera.com, to find out more. Orpheus in December this year. There can be few Grand Opera House, Belfast companies with such a progressive, creative ethos We hope you enjoy the show! Tickets from £11.75 as the Young Vic, and NI Opera are delighted to be appearing at this great venue. Oliver Mears New Co-Production with Scottish Opera Orpheus in the Underworld (Orphee aux enfers)

A comic opera in two acts First performed at the Theatredes Music by Bouffes-Parisiens, on supported by by Hector Cremieux 21 October 1858 and Ludovic Halevy The performance will last approximately Sung in a new English translation 2 hours and 5 minutes by Rory Bremner There will be an interval of 20 minutes Orchestrial reduction by Tony Burke after Act 1 Scene 2 Orpheus in the Underworld 7 Performances Season 2011/12 Unforgettable Northern Ireland The Great Hall, Downpatrick Opera Thursday 27 October 2011 The Marketplace, Armagh Friday 28 October 2011

Theatre at the Mill, Newtownabbey Monday 31 October 2011

The Millennium Forum, Derry Wednesday 2 November 2011

Strule Arts Centre, Omagh Friday 4 November 2011 Festival of Voice September 2011 NI Opera Season 11/12 London Glenarm, Belfast and Derry Young Vic Thursday, December 1 – Saturday, December 3 Orpheus in the Underworld by Offenbach Tuesday, December 6 – Saturday, December 10 New translation by Rory Bremner 27 October - 4 November 2011 NI tour, various venues

Kiri Te Kanawa at Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s 30 October 2011 Ulster Hall

Hansel & Gretel by Humperdinck 24 - 26 November 2011 Grand Opera House, Belfast 12 January 2012 Principal Millennium Forum, Derry Funder

Turn of the Screw by Britten March 2012 Tel 028 9027 7734 NI tour, various venues www.niopera.com 8 Orpheus in the Underworld Orpheus in the Underworld 9 The Company Jacques Offenbach

The Cast Born: Cologne-Deutz, 1819 Orpheus Jupiter Juno Died: Paris, 1880 Nicholas Sharratt Brendan Collins Olivia Ray Offenbach’s father was a minor German Jewish The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 wrecked Offenbach’s Eurydice Diana Mercury composer who in 1808 changed the family’s surname popularity. He was suspected of being a German spy Jane Harrington Daire Halpin Christopher Diffey to that of his birthplace. Young Jacob (later Jacques) and fled to Spain, Italy and Austria. Returning to Public Opinion Aristaeus (aka Pluto) trained at the Paris Conservatoire as a cellist but ran Paris after the fall of Napoleon III, Offenbach was Máire Flavin Gavan Ring out of money after a year. Fortunately he found a job accused of having undermined the Second Empire by Mars/John Styx Venus as cellist in the orchestra of the Opéra-Comique. Here ‘turning royalty into a farce and the army into a joke’. Ross McInroy * Marie Claire Breen † he made his name as a virtuoso, even appearing on By 1875 he was bankrupt but he remade some of his * The Robertson Scholarship Trust Scottish Opera Emerging Artist, 2011/12 the concert platform variously alongside Rubinstein, fortune touring the USA in 1876. † Scottish Opera Emerging Artist, 2011/12 Liszt and Mendelssohn. Offenbach’s last opera, Les contes d’Hoffmann, was Returning to Paris after the violence of the 1848 left unfinished when the composer died in Paris Creative Team revolution, Offenbach became conductor of the in 1880. It was premiered the following year at the Conductor Director Set and Costume Designer Théâtre Français but found it difficult to promote Opéra-Comique, an act of rehabilitation for this most Derek Clark Oliver Mears Simon Holdsworth his own compositions, so in 1855 he founded his Parisian of composers. Movement Director Staff Producer Lighting Designer own theatre on the Champs-Élysées, Les Bouffes- Anna Morrissey Danielle Urbas Kevin Treacy Parisiens. Here he developed the Offenbach style Adrian Mourby of operetta – witty and satiric with clever parodies of grand opera. Licensing laws initially limited Northern Ireland Opera Orchestra Offenbach to single-act operettas, but after these Violin Double Double Bass Clarinet restrictions were lifted in 1858 he was able to stage Alan McClure Martina Masterson Gillian McCutecheon full-length works such as the subversive Orphee aux enfers (1858), La belle Helene (1864), the hedonistic La Alys Jackson Flute Trumpet vie parisienne (1866) and La Perichole (1868). Viola Colin Irvine Hugh Carslaw Sally Butler Clarinet Percussion Cello Damian Frame Malcolm Neale Andrew Sinclair

Technical Staff Production Manager Technical Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Darren Joyce Amy Burkitt-Harrington Emma Butchart (Wardrobe) Costume Supervisor Deputy Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Gloria del Monte Hannah Boustred Kenneth Kelly (Props) Lighting Supervisors Touring Manager Assistant Stage Manager Andrew Burnside Stephanie Collier John Crawford (Technical) Stephen Powlesr 10 Orpheus in the Underworld Orpheus in the Underworld 11 The Story

PROLOGUE Public Opinion explains her role as guardian of public morality.

ACT I Scene 1 – Earth ACT I Scene 2 – Olympus ACT II Scene 1 – Hades ACT II Scene 2 – Hades

Orpheus, a famous composer, lives unhappily The gods are bored of their luxurious life on Olympus, Eurydice is being kept locked up in Hades, and is tired All the gods, together with Eurydice disguised as a with his wife, Eurydice, who has married him and long for some excitement. Venus and then Diana of it. Her dim-witted jailer, John Styx, is not helping: Bacchante, arrive at Pluto’s party and quickly get for his money and fame, but not for his music arrive, telling of their exploits, but nothing can rouse he has the hots for Eurydice,and at the slightest into the spirit of Hades. Everyone joins in the infernal (which she detests). the other gods from their torpor. They complain to provocation tells the story of how he used to be a great galop, or ‘cancan’. Jupiter seizes this moment to Jupiter, but their appeals fall on deaf ears: he cares man. Obeying Pluto’s orders to conceal Eurydice escape with his lover – but Pluto has spotted them, Eurydice sings a song to, and prepares for, her lover: only about appearances and his own power. from visitors, Styx ushers her out just as Pluto and confronts Jupiter. she is having an affair with Aristaeus. Orpheus arrives to show Jupiter that he’s concealing no one. arrives, initially mistaking Eurydice for his own lover, Juno and Jupiter argue about the latter’s infidelity Pluto thinks he has managed to hoodwink Jupiter, Public Opinion and Orpheus arrive: reluctant as ever, Maquilla. They argue, Orpheus enraging Eurydice by – infidelity which Jupiter hotly denies. Juno accuses and they leave. But Jupiter has detected Eurydice and the composer has come to claim his wife. Jupiter playing his new work for violin. Orpheus explains that him of the recent abduction of Eurydice, before quickly returns in his new guise: a giant fly. Eurydice agrees, but on one condition: Orpheus must leave while he would love to divorce Eurydice, he is afraid Mercury arrives and clarifies: it is actually Pluto who is delighted someone has arrived to rescue her from Hades first, and not look back – if he does, he loses for his reputation. is guilty of the crime. boredom. They make a plan: when Pluto throws the Eurydice forever. Orpheus agrees, monitored by depraved party he plans for later in the evening, they Public Opinion, but at the last moment Jupiter throws Before leaving, he warns that there could be a Pluto arrives from the Underworld, and Jupiter scolds will use it as a cover for their elopement. They leave, a lightning bolt which startles Orpheus and he looks fatal surprise in store for his wife’s lover. Eurydice him. However, Jupiter now has another problem on just missing Pluto, who rages that John Styx has back. Neither Jupiter nor Pluto has won, however: a leaves to warn Aristaeus, just missing her lover who his hands – bored of being bored, the other gods are managed to lose his prisoner. He determines not to let delighted Eurydice will now be a Bacchante forever. arrives and reveals that he is really Pluto, God of the finally revolting, and chastise Jupiter for both his Eurydice escape. All the gods celebrate this happy turn of events. Underworld, in disguise. Eurydice returns, having hypocrisy and his many sexual encounters. Mercury failed in warning Aristaeus: instead, she falls for announces the arrival of Orpheus and Public Opinion. Orpheus’s trap herself, and dies – all to the good for Pluto, who wants both revenge on Orpheus for trying Pressured by Public Opinion, Orpheus asks Jupiter for to trap him and have Eurydice for himself. permission to go down to Hades to retrieve Eurydice. Jupiter, nervous of Public Opinion’s judgements, Pluto takes Eurydice down to Hades, allowing agrees to this and more – he will accompany Orpheus her to write her husband a note saying she’s been to Hades himself. The gods, desperate for a change of unavoidably detained. Orpheus rejoices at the news of scene, beg Jupiter to take them too. He agrees and all Eurydice’s demise. However, Public Opinion appears the gods excitedly make off for the Underworld. and chastises him: Orpheus must be seen to be setting an example of marital responsibility to the world. She persuades a reluctant Orpheus to go to Olympus, to persuade Jupiter, King of the Gods, to release ≈ Interval ≈ Eurydice, and to return her to him. 12 Orpheus in the Underworld Orpheus in the Underworld 13 Biographies

Wedding for the Young Vic. He studied French and The Barber of Seville (Opera Brava, Garden Opera, German at King’s College London and comedy on the Dartington International Summer School); Paris London cabaret circuit and the Edinburgh Fringe. La belle Helene (Merry Opera Company); Ramiro After seven years at the BBC he moved to Channel 4, Cinderella, Rodolfo La boheme (OperaUpClose); Marie Claire Breen where his collaboration with the two Johns (Bird and Brendan Collins Borsa (Bury Court Opera); Alfredo La Venus Fortune) ran for nearly 20 years, including the specials Jupiter traviata (Garden Opera); 2nd Priest Between Iraq and a Hard Place, My Government and I (Opera Holland Park); Cyril Princess Ida, Fairfax The and Silly Money. He is therefore personally responsible Yeomen of the Guard (Buxton International Gilbert & Marie Claire Breen is a Scottish Opera Emerging for preventing the invasion of Iraq, bringing down Tony Brendan Collins trained at the Cork School of Music Sullivan Festival); Lensky Eugene Onegin (Opera By Artist. She is a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy Blair and putting off another financial meltdown for at and at the DIT Conservatory in , and in 2007 was Definition); title role Dardanus, Pane (Royal of Music and Drama Master of Opera course and was least two years. He recently moved back to Scotland. granted a scholarship to study at the opera studio of La Academy Opera). the recipient of the 2009 Governors’ Recital Prize for Monnaie in Brussels with José van Dam. In 2005 he took Singing. In 2008 she was awarded the Norma Greig part in the first Wexford Young Artists programme Prize for French Song and was the winner of the Hugh with Dennis O’Neill. S Roberton Prize for Scots Song. She made her BBC Proms debut in 2010 with the BBC Scottish Symphony Operatic engagements: Marcello La boheme, Orchestra in Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music. Escamillo , Giorgio Germont La traviata Derek Clark (Glasthule Opera); Count Almaviva Le nozze di Figaro Máire Flavin Scottish Opera appearances: A Page Rigoletto, Conductor (Taidhbhearc Opera); Masetto (Orchestra Public Opinion Opera Highlights 2011 tour, 1st Bridesmaid The St Cecilia); Notare Don Pasquale (English Touring Marriage of Figaro. Opera); Yamadori Madama Butterfly, Dottore Macbeth (Opera Ireland); Marullo Rigoletto (Anna Livia Operatic engagements: Dunyasha War and Peace, Naiad Derek Clark was born in and studied at the Festival); Fiorello The Barber of Seville, Aeneas Dido Máire Flavin, having recently completed her studies Ariadne auf Naxos, Rowan The Little Sweep, Susanna Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Durham and Aeneas (); Count Gil Susanna’s at the National Opera Studio, studying with Janice Le nozze di Figaro (RSAMD); Vixen The Cunning Little University and London Opera Centre. He joined Welsh Secret (Bijou Opera). Chapham, represented Ireland at Cardiff Singer of the Vixen (RSAMD/Scottish Opera). During the 2011/12 National Opera’s music staff in 1977 as a repetiteur and World 2011 and reached the Song Prize Final. She was Season she will also appear as Dew Fairy Hansel and staff conductor, and joined Scottish Opera as Head of previously on the Opera course at the Guildhall School Gretel and Shepherd Boy Tosca, and cover Gretel Hansel Music in 1997. Scottish Opera appearances: , of Music and Drama, and received a Masters from the and Gretel. The Magic Flute, Don Giovanni, , Royal Irish Academy of Music. She is an alumna of Cosi fan tutte, Il barbiere di Siviglia, The Italian Girl in the Opera Theatre Company Young Artist and Britten Algiers, Fidelio, La traviata, Rigoletto, Falstaff, Carmen, Pears Young Artist programmes. Manon, La boheme, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, Eugene Christopher Diffey Onegin, Hansel and Gretel, Ines de Castro, Five:15 Mercury Operatic engagements: Tisbe La Cenerentola (Clonter (2008–10), Sounds of Singing. Opera); title role Cherubin, Aurelio L’assedio di Calais, The Queen of England The King goes forth to by Rory Bremner For Scottish Opera he has re-orchestrated Hansel Sallinen, Clarina La cambiale di matrimonio (GSMD); Librettist and Gretel, , Cinderella and Carmen. Christopher Diffey was born in Melbourne, Australia. Clarice La pietra del paragone, 1st Witch Dido and He has also acted as assistant to many eminent He trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London, Aeneas (RIAM); Cathleen Riders to the Sea (Anna Livia Best known for his impressions and topical comedy in conductors, including Sir Richard Armstrong, graduating from the Opera course with a DipRAM. Fringe Festival). the long-running Channel 4 satire series Bremner, Bird Sir , and In 2010 he received the English Touring Opera Young and Fortune, this is Rory Bremner’s fourth translation, Sir Roger Norrington. Artist Prize. having previously completed Der Silbersee (Georg Kaiser/) and Carmen (Bizet) for Broomhill Operatic engagements: Fenton Falstaff (Longborough Opera, and the Bertolt Brecht comedy A Respectable Festival); Talus Icarus (Tête à Tête); Count Almaviva 14 Orpheus in the Underworld Orpheus in the Underworld 15 Biographies

Operatic engagements: Susanna The Marriage of Recent engagements: Albert Herring (Aldeburgh); My Figaro, Cupid Orpheus in the Underworld (Opera Dad’s a Birdman by David Almond (Young Vic); The Holland Park); Morgana Alcina (Opera Theatre Bear (Nationale Reisopera, Netherlands); Hansel and Company); Varvara Katya Kabanova, Belinda Dido Gretel (Opera North); Trouble in Tahiti, A Hand of Bridge, Daire Halpin and Aeneas, Figlia Jephtha by Carissimi, Jano Jenufa Ross McInroy Rothschild’s Violin, Tears of the Knife (also in Brno and Diana (English Touring Opera); Virtu/Amor L’incoronazione Mars/John Styx Prague), The Two Blind Men, The Impresario (Second di Poppea (); Musetta La boheme Movement); Sweeney Todd (Pimlico Opera); La Calisto (Santa Eulalia, Spain); Brigomedie/The Angel/Minna (Early Opera Company); National Opera Studio Showcase Daire Halpin is a graduate of . Three water plays by Detlev Glanert (Almeida Opera); Ross McInroy is The Robertson Scholarship Trust 2010; Creditors, The Lesson, Judith (King’s Head). She also studied at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Adele Die Fledermaus (Opera Project). Scottish Opera Emerging Artist, 2011/12. He was born in Drama, the Conservatorio Statale ‘Luigi Cherubini’ Arbroath, Scotland. After gaining his BMus(Hons) at the in Florence and on the Opera course at the Guildhall Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, he went on School of Music and Drama, London. She is a regular to graduate with distinction from the Royal Academy of recitalist and ambassador of contemporary music, and Music and the Royal College of Music International Opera recently gave both the British and Belgian premieres of School. Most recently he was a trainee at the National Nico Muhly’s The Adulteress. Opera Studio, studying privately with Peter Savidge. In Anna Morrissey Simon Holdsworth 2010 he was a member of English National Opera’s Opera Movement Director Operatic engagements: Adina L’elisir d’amore Set and Costume Designer Works programme, and made his BBC Proms debut the (Pavilion Opera); Julia The Duchess of Malfi (world same year with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. premiere – English National Opera); Susanna Le nozze di Figaro, Despina Cosi fan tutte (Candlelight Opera); Operatic engagements: Leporello Don Giovanni (Opera Opera and theatre engagements: Bus Stop (New Vic); title role Theodora (Yorke Trust); Belinda Dido and Simon Holdsworth has worked with Oliver Mears on della Luna); Sarastro Die Zauberflote (RCMIOS); My Dad’s a Birdman (Young Vic); Caledonia (National Aeneas (Endellion Festival); Galatea Acis and Galatea Tosca, The Medium (Northern Ireland Opera), The Bear Collatinus The Rape of Lucretia (Royal Academy Opera). Theatre of Scotland); The Comedy of Errors (Royal (Sussex Baroque); Amor , Jano (Nationale Reisopera, Netherlands), Hansel and Gretel Exchange ); Marat/Sade, Antony and Jenufa (Opera Ireland). (Opera North), Trouble in Tahiti, Fade, A Hand of Bridge, During the 2011/12 Season he will also appear as Keeper Cleopatra, Dunsinane, The Grain Store, The Drunks, The Two Blind Men, Rothschild’s Violin, Tears of the of the Madhouse The Rake’s Progress and Sciarrone Tosca. The Tragedy of Thomas Hobbes, I’ll be the Devil, Cordelia Knife, The Impresario, The Medium (Second Movement). Dream (Royal Shakespeare Company); Hansel and Other operatic engagements: Die Fledermaus, The Merry Gretel (Opera North); 101 Dalmatians (Northampton Widow (Japan); Don Giovanni (Ekaterinburg, Russia); Theatre Royal); The Barber of Seville, Manon Lescaut Gianni Schicchi, The Night of the Insomniac by Rota (Opera Holland Park); Dr Faustus (Resolution! The (Magdeburg); Der Freischutz (Salzburg Landestheater); Place); Restoration (Headlong Theatre); Mother Jane Harrington Orlando (Buxton, Opera Theatre Company, Ireland); Courage (English Touring Theatre); The Tempest, A Bluebeard (Buxton Festival). Warwickshire Testimony, As You Like It, Macbeth (Bridge Eurydice Oliver Mears Director House Theatre); Richard III (Cambridge Arts Theatre); He has designed for theatre productions in Edinburgh, Hamlet (Clifford’s Tower, York); The Arab-Israeli London ( at the Old Vic), Derby and Denmark, Cookbook (Tricycle Theatre); Human Rites (Southwark Jane Harrington initially trained as an actress, then and The Waltz King for BBC TV. Playhouse); Julius Caesar (Menier Chocolate Factory); graduated from the Opera course at the Royal Academy Oliver Mears is Artistic Director of Northern Ireland Tamburlaine the Great (Rose Theatre); The Taming of of Music with a distinction in performance.Scottish Opera, which was launched in September 2010, and the Shrew (Creation Theatre Company). Opera appearances: Susanna The Marriage of Figaro, Second Movement. He opened the first season of Little Moon A Night at the Chinese Opera. NIO with a production of Menotti’s The Medium and followed this with a site-specific production of Tosca in Derry, in which each Act played in a different venue. 16 Orpheus in the Underworld Orpheus in the Underworld 17 Biographies

by Bach, Mahler, Vaughan Williams and Fleischmann, with orchestras such as the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the Irish Baroque Orchestra. An alumnus Young Associate Olivia Ray Artist with Opera Theatre Company, he has performed Kevin Treacy Juno with , Opera Ireland, Lyric Lighting Designer Opera Productions, Loughcrew Opera, Lismore Music Festival and Banff Opera Festival Canada. Olivia Ray studied at the Royal Northern College of Kevin Treacy has worked with Oliver Mears on Music, with English National Opera’s The Knack and at Tosca and The Turn of the Screw. Other operatic the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She received engagements: Flavio, The Fairy Queen, Xerxes (English a scholarship to Aspen, Colorado to study with Susanne Touring Opera), Certain Circles by Mentzer. She currently studies with Robert Dean. She is (Dartington); Rodelinda (Royal College of Music); The a winner of the Clare Croiza Prize for French Song and Nose (The Performance Corporation); Il barbiere di John Cameron Special Lieder Prize at the RNCM. Nicholas Sharratt Siviglia, Don Giovanni, Rigoletto, Hansel und Gretel, Orpheus Les contes d’Hoffmann, Il viaggio a Reims, I pagliacci, Scottish Opera appearances: Olga Eugene Onegin. The Medium, Suor Angelica (Wexford Festival Opera); La tragedie de Carmen (WFO, ETO); The Little Magic Operatic engagements: Rosina The Barber of Seville Flute (ETO, Opera Theatre Company, Ireland); The (Stanley Hall Opera); Curra La forza del destino, Mrs Nicholas Sharratt was born in Nottingham and studied Kiss, Hansel and Gretel, The Barber of Seville, Xerxes Fox Fantastic Mr Fox, Suzy/Lolette La Rondine (Opera Commerce at Birmingham University, then singing at (OTC). Holland Park); Irene Theodora, Pulcheria Riccardo the Royal Northern College of Music and the National Primo (Opéra de Baugé); Mother The Tales of Hoffmann, Opera Studio. He has lit theatre productions at Dublin’s Esmeralda The Bartered Bride (Mid Wales Opera); title and Nottingham Playhouse, as well as The George role (Pavilion Opera, Opera Brava, Mananan Arts Operatic engagements: Rudolph Euryanthe Best Story in Belfast and on tour, and The Shawshank Festival). (Glyndebourne, BBC Proms); 1st Prisoner Fidelio Redemption in London’s West End. (Glyndebourne); Ernesto Don Pasquale (English Touring Opera); Nemorino The Elixir of Love (Grange Park Opera); Brighella Ariadne auf Naxos (Garsington); Lippman Of Thee I Sing (Bregenz); Ferrando Cosi fan tutte (Tokyo); Nero The Coronation of Poppea (Early Opera Company); Tamino Die Zauberflote (Tel Gavan Ring Aviv); Camille The Merry Widow, Lamplighter/Noble Gentleman in the British premiere of The Portrait by Aristaeus (aka Pluto) Weinberg, Pedrillo Seraglio (Opera North).

His recordings include Prince Dominic The Sofa Gavan Ring read Music at St Patrick’s College, Dublin (Independent Opera at Sadler’s Wells) for Chandos, and and later at the Royal Irish Academy of Music where Judge Schwanda the Bagpiper for Naxos. he is currently undertaking doctoral studies. He was the winner of the inaugural National Concert Hall Bursary and the Cuisine de France John McCormack Bursary 2011 at the ESB Electric Ireland Feis Ceoil. Concert repertory includes works 18 Orpheus in the Underworld Orpheus in the Underworld 19 NI Opera Supporting NI Opera

As Northern Ireland’s national opera company, Generously supported by the Arts Council of NI Opera is committed to making opera more accessible. Legacies Northern Ireland, NI Opera is a dynamic organisation a remarkable achievement A crucial part of our remit is to tour the province and Remember NI Opera in your will and leave a lasting dedicated to the highest possible standards of operatic through a wide range of outreach activities, we will legacy for future generations – your solicitor can excellence, Northern Ireland-wide. (Neil Fisher, The Times) enhance these tours with school workshops and local advise you on how you can support us in this way. community engagement. Through an ambitious and imaginative programme We are a registered charity and there are a number of Trusts and Foundations of productions and performances, NI Opera provides We are seeking support from trusts and foundations a triumphant debut ways that you can get involved and support future tours: high-quality opera, promotes young Northern Irish for specific projects as well as core funding. We are talent, and aims to broaden the audience for the total (Anna Picard, The Independent) also pleased to receive guidance and ideas for new art form that famously combines exciting stories, big Personal Donors areas of support. spectacle, and great music. Make a personal contribution to NI Opera and if you a coup de theatre use Gift Aid, your donation will go further at no extra For more details and to discuss how you can help Reviews for Tosca which was performed in cost to you. NI Opera, contact Clíona Donnelly on 028 9027 7734 or (Michael Dervan, Irish Times) Derry~Londonderry in March 2011: Corporate Sponsorship email [email protected]. and Involvement NI Opera is a registered charity - XT27668 If your company is interested in supporting young NI Opera talent and opera throughout Northern Ireland, we can Grand Opera House Staff Board Acknowledgements offer a range of benefits including tickets, hospitality Great Victoria Street packages for client entertaining and staff outings, Oliver Mears Roy Bailie Arts Council of Northern Ireland Belfast BT2 7HR exclusive access to the cast and creative team for Artistic Director Chairman Grand Opera House events, and brand exposure. Tel. 028 9027 7734 Clíona Donnelly James Hunt Richard McBride Email. [email protected] General Manager Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle Support in Kind www.niopera.com Assist in providing accommodation for artists, venues Stephen Kingon Kate Guelke and Spark Opera Jennifer Thornton for our performances or travel arrangements. Ken Lindsay Company Manager Alice O’Rawe Maeve Lewis/Aideen Corr Marketing “…a dazzling Onegin ” Guardian

English Touring Opera returns to the Grand Opera House with a season of two of the most popular in the repertoire – a revival of ETO’s 2007 production of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin and a new production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville.

The Barber of Seville - ROSSINI (NEW production) Tuesday 13 March 2012 7.30pm: £16.00 - £36.50 Sung in English Translation

Eugene Onegin - TCHAIKOVSKY (revival of ETO’s 2007 production) Principal Principal Wednesday 14 March 2012 7.30pm: £16.00 - £36.50 Funder Sponsor Sung in English Translation

Combined ticket offer – Book both operas and receive £5 Discount!