Hampstead Garden Opera celebrated Mozart’s 250th birthday and its own 15th anniversary with a sparkling new production of The Marriage of Figaro.
Reviews of this production included:
“...If ticket sales are any indication of its success, then this production is a hit, with all tickets sold virtually before the opening night on Thursday. Such a triumph was, I suppose, only to be expected... In fact, even by professional standards, today's production is outstanding... The soloists... sang and acted as if their lives depended on it, and were beautifully co-ordinated in Mozart's magical ensembles” – Camden New Journal, 6 April 2006.
“[4 out of 5 stars] ...This is an impressive production, neatly directed by Racky Plews” – Ham & High, 7 April 2006.
“...Congratulations to Racky Plews on great staging... and to Belle Mundi on the fantastic set... lovely costumes... lighting excellent. The Dionysus Ensemble... played the... score to perfection, complementing the singers by sounding as if one voice. As always MD Michael Newton and AMD Alastair Macgeorge had done their work marvellously as all of the singing was fabulous too” - NODA.
Poster (opens in new window)
Why is Mozart so satisfying? Because he was not a Victorian moralist; because in music, above all in music as ambiguous as his, animal spirits do not have to be justified because his instinct, as a human being and as a dramatist, is for reconciliation and renewal. The final scene does not negate the pain and jealousy that have gone before. It becomes a springboard to fresh life, like the psalmist’s “Who, going through the vale of misery, use it for a well”. (Adapted from David Cairns ‘A composer for our time’ - The Independent 20.1.06).
Venue and Bookings: See the Venue page.
Tickets:
£16 (concessions £13); all seats unreserved.
Time:
7.30 pm on Thursday 30 March, Friday 31 March, Saturday 1 April,
Thursday 6 April, Friday 7 April, Saturday 8 April 2006; matinees 4pm
Sunday 2 April and Sunday 9 April 2006.
Chorus of
Villagers:
Valentina Bishop, Olga Cannon-Brookes, Gabriella Galgani,
David Harvey, Paul Ives, Antonia Leach, Catherine Minns,
Martin Musgrave and Jill Noakes.
Principals:
| Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 matinee | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday
9 matinee |
|
| Countess
Almaviva |
Claire Marsden | Angela da Silva | Claire Marsden | Angela da Silva | Angela da Silva | Claire Marsden | Angela da Silva | Claire Marsden |
| Count
Almaviva |
David Rose | Benedict Nelson |
David Rose | Benedict Nelson |
David Rose | Benedict Nelson |
Benedict Nelson |
David Rose |
| Susanna, servant to the Countess | Lorena Stipani | Alice Woodbridge | Lorena Stipani | Alice Woodbridge | Alice Woodbridge | Lorena Stipani | Alice Woodbridge | Lorena Stipani |
| Figaro, servant to the Count | Jonathan Saunders | Aidan Smith | Jonathan Saunders | Aidan Smith | Aidan Smith | Jonathan Saunders | Aidan Smith | Jonathan Saunders |
| Cherubino,
page to the
Countess |
Jenny Fisher | Emma Rothman | Jenny Fisher | Emma Rothman | Emma Rothman | Jenny Fisher | Emma Rothman | Jenny Fisher |
| Dr Bartolo | Bernhard Crede | Colin Jaque | Bernhard Crede | Colin Jaque | Colin Jaque | Bernhard Crede | Colin Jaque | Bernhard Crede |
| Marcellina, his housekeeper | Mary-Jane de Havas | Holly Clark | Mary-Jane de Havas | Holly Clark | Holly Clark | Mary-Jane de Havas | Holly Clark | Mary-Jane de Havas |
| Don Basilio, organist and music-master | Simon Iorio | Andrew Buchanan | Simon Iorio | Andrew Buchanan | Andrew Buchanan | Simon Iorio | Andrew Buchanan | Simon Iorio |
| Don Curzio, a lawyer | Andrew Buchanan | Simon Iorio | Andrew Buchanan | Simon Iorio | Simon Iorio | Andrew Buchanan | Simon Iorio | Andrew Buchanan |
| Antonio, gardener and Susanna’s uncle | Colin Jaque | Ross Penglase | Colin Jaque | Ross Penglase | Ross Penglase | Colin Jaque | Ross Penglase | Colin Jaque |
| Barbarina, Antonio’s daughter |
Fionnuala de Búrca | Clarissa Dunn | Fionnuala de Búrca | Clarissa Dunn | Clarissa Dunn | Fionnuala de Búrca | Clarissa Dunn | Fionnuala de Búrca |
| Bridesmaid I | Asuka Kurogi | Asuka Kurogi | Asuka Kurogi | Asuka Kurogi | Asuka Kurogi | Asuka Kurogi | Asuka Kurogi | Asuka Kurogi |
| Bridesmaid II | Kuan Hon | Kuan Hon | Kuan Hon | Kuan Hon | Kuan Hon | Kuan Hon | Kuan Hon | Kuan Hon |
| (Catherine Minns may be absent) |
Producer and director: Racky
Plews
Choreography: Racky
Plews and Catherine Minns
Set design: Belle
Mundi
Costumes: Stewart Charlesworth
Stage Manager: Louisa Davis
Conductor and music director: Michael Newton
Assistant music director: Alastair Macgeorge
Orchestra: The
Dionysus Ensemble.