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| Staircase Opera Paul McClure & Carolyn Harries |
A year on from their very successful tour with Gian Carlo Menotti's "The Medium" in October and November last year, Staircase Opera now present "A Night at the Opera", an evening of arias to suit all tastes.
At Topsham, Paul McClure and Roger Stephenson brought their pianistic genius - along with Paul's impressive skills as master of ceremonies, and raconteur. The warm alto tones of Staircase founder and mezzosoprano Carolyn Harries opened the evening - as King Xerxes professing his affection for his beloved plane tree - the affecting opening to the opera of the same name.
During an evening of delights, we were entertained by other operatic stars. Gemma Santiago sang soprano with impressive passion in tragic opera duets with Carolyn Harries. Another soprano, Héloïse West, was also scheduled to join us, but was unable to make the Topsham performance. We can look forward to her singing when Staircase Opera return to the stage in Chagford in November.
[UPDATE: Héloïse cannot make Chagford either. This is a great pity, but soprano Judith Aarons is able to bring her delightful voice to the concert on 17 November. (See revised details below.)]
Héloïse will also share the bill with Michael Graham in Elgar's "Enigma Variations" at Exeter Cathedral at the EMG Symphony Orchestra Golden Jubilee Concert on Friday 3 November.
In addition to Carolyn Harries, mezzosoprano Rebecca Smith sang beautiful character pieces ranging from the flirtatious 'Carmen' to the distraught 'Dido'. A new tenor joined the ranks - Stuart Norman, who delighted us with Handel and joined the ensemble for some rousing Gilbert and Sullivan numbers, and baritone Tim Hunt who has specialised in Gilbert and Sullivan for many years. After a long tenure as leading actor with the St David's Players in their regular G&S productions at the Exeter Barnfield Theatre, Tim will take over as Chairman in 2018.
Tim introduced a classical note with his humorous portrayals of Mozart's Papageno and Don Ferrando. He also took part in an ensemble piece, and reprised his spectacularly entertaining performance as Jack Point which so impressed audiences at the St David's Players production of Yeomen of the Guard in 2011. Tim, like Paul, puts as much energy into his introductions as his performance, making for a very lively evening's entertainment.
One last singer still has to be mentioned, the awe-inspiring bass-baritone Roderick Hunt. His speaking voice is deep, and his singing voice is arrestingly bathyscaphic. One can only watch and listen in amazement at the effortless depth, resonance and stunning emotiveness of his delivery, which would easily reach the balcony of any opera house - and has!
Roderick, whose regular employment is as Professor of Biology at Exeter Univeristy, has performed with many professional opera companies in the South West, and beyond. Recently he fulfilled his ambition to play Modest Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunov", and will soon be preparing for the part of the giant Fafner in "Das Reingold" by Richard Wagner with the newly formed 'Tarnhelm' opera company.
Tim, the G&S expert, surprised us all by introducing Roderick's performance of "When the Night Wind Howls" from "Ruddigore". This extraordinary exposition of an eerie moonlit scene by the ghost of Roderick's namesake, Sir Roderic Murgatroyd, has landed him first prize at the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival not once, but twice! A very special addition to the programme.
We mustn't forget our accompanists. Paul played flawlessly, and with great feeling and style, throughout the evening, occasionally relinquishing the keys to the equally talented Staircase stalwart Roger Stephenson. They also amused us hugely with their very clever four hand piano duet medleys (with some vocal accompaniment!) from Gilbert & Sullivan's "Mikado" and Jacques Offenbach's "Tales of Hoffman".
The final ensemble work was a prayer from "Nabucco", Verdi's story of the Hebrew exile under King Nebuchadnezzar, "Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate" (Go, prayer, on wings of gold), which was the perfect close to a very enjoyable evening of music. All this and more can be enjoyed, all over again, at Chagford on Friday 17 November (details below). Many thanks to everyone for a lovely evening.
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| Staircase Opera sing "Va Pansiero": Timothy Hunt, Stuart Norman, Roderick Hunt, Roger Stephenson Carolyn Harries, Rebecca Smith, Gemma Santiago |
Topsham Programme:
Carolyn Harries......G F Handel..............."Xerxes"........................."Ombra mai fu" (Xerxes)
Stuart Norman........G F Handel..............."Semele"........................."Where e'er you walk" (Jupiter)
Rebecca Smith........Georges Bizet.........."Carmen"........................"Habanera" (with ensemble)
Rebecca Smith........Georges Bizet.........."Carmen"..........................The Card Scene (solo)
Roderick Hunt........Giuseppe Verdi........"Simon Boccanegra"....."Il lacerato spirito"
Gemma Santiago....Vincenzo Bellini......"Norma".........................."Mira o Norma"
......................................................................(Gemma Santiago is Adalgisa, Carolyn Harries is Norma)
Timothy Hunt.........W A Mozart............."The Magic Flute"...........The Bird-Catcher's Song (Papageno)
Roderick Hunt.......W A Mozart............."The Magic Flute".........."O hear us, Isis & Osiris" (Sarastro)
Paul McClure & Roger Stephenson.......Gilbert & Sullivan.........."Mikado" medley
Carolyn/Rebecca/Stuart/Tim...................Gilbert & Sullivan.........."The Mikado"..........Madrigal
Timothy Hunt........Gilbert & Sullivan...."The Mikado".................."There is beauty in the bellow of the blast"
Carolyn/Gemma....Vincenzo Bellini......."Norma"............................"Casta Diva" (with ensemble being Druids)
Tim/Carolyn/Gemma...W A Mozart......."Cosi fan Tutte".............."Soave si il vento"
.................................................................................................................(Don Ferrando, Fiordiligi & Dorabella)
Roderick Hunt.......Gilbert & Sullivan..."Ruddigore"....................."When the night wind howls"
Tim/Carolyn/Rebecca/Stuart.................. Gilbert & Sullivan..........."Yoemen of the Guard"....."Strange Adventure"
Timothy Hunt.........Gilbert & Sullivan.."Yeomen of the Guard"..."A private buffoon" (Jack Point)
Paul McClure & Roger Stephenson.......Jacques Offenbach........"Tales of Hoffman".....Barcarole
Rebecca Smith..Camille Saint-Saëns....."Samson & Delilah"........"Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix"
Roderick Hunt......Giuseppe Verdi........"Nabucco"........................"Tu sul labbro" (Nebuchadnezzar)
Ensemble................Giuseppe Verdi........"Nabucco"........................"Va pensiero" (as captive Israelites)
[UPDATE: Héloïse West cannot make the Chagford concert. This is a great pity, but soprano Judith Aarons is able to bring her delightful voice to the concert instead. (Details below.)]
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| Carolyn Harries |
Staircase Opera
St Michael's Church Chagford
Friday 17 November 7.30pm
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
Piano: Paul McClure
..........Roger Stephonson
Soprano: Gemma Santiago
...............Judith Aarons
Mezzo: Rebecca Smith
.............Carolyn Harries
Tenor: Stuart Noble
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| Bobby Jeffrey |
Bass-Baritone: Roderick Hunt
with additional songs sung by
Chagford tenor Bobby Jeffrey
including:
George Gershwin: "Porgy & Bess"
with drinks & canapés
Tickets: £12 (advance £10)
Sallys Newsagents: 01647 432215
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