Staircase Opera "Myth & Magic & Superstition" St Michael's Chagford Saturday 3 November Rougemont Hotel Exeter Sunday 4 November 2018 Rehearsal Photographs & Review

Rebecca Smith
"Carmen"

Carolyn Harries is a spirit apparition
in Guiseppe Verdi's "Macbeth"

A year on from Staircase Opera Company's mini tour of Devon with "A Night at the Opera" a year ago, they presented a new production, "Myth & Magic & Superstition". They returned to Chagford on Saturday 3 November, and also gave an afternoon performance in the Cavendish Ballroom at Exeter's Rougemont Hotel the following afternoon, Sunday 4 November.

Paul McClure was unable to take part, and Roger Stephenson shared the responsibility for piano accompaniment with Jonathan Watts. Mezzosoprano Carolyn Harries, despite serious illness and a stint in hospital,  took charge of the proceedings.

And Ulrike in Verdi's

"Un Ballo in Maschera"

"Re dell'abisso, affrettati"

(King of the abyss, make haste)

Martin Harvey as ever provided coordination and direction throughout rehearsals, and was master of ceremonies at the two performances.

The programme featured arias and choruses from classical and romantic operas which feature the occult and mysterious.

In the opening scene Carolyn appeared with Judith Aarons and Donna-Marie Broomfield as the three witches in Shakespeare's story of General Macbeth as written for the opera adaptation by Guiseppe Verdi. As an ouverture their concoction of a magical casserole of ingredients acted as a perfect appetiser for the splendid concatenation of things spiritual and spectral which were to follow.

Donna-Marie Broomfield is Oscar

Guiseppe Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera

"Volta la terrea fronte alle stelle'?"

(Her face turns from the Earth to the Stars)

Continuing with the music of Guiseppe Verdi, Donna-Marie Broomfield appeared as Oscar in "Un Ballo in Maschera" defending Ulrike against the charge of witchcraft.

Donna is well known in Devon for her musical partnership with Matthew Wilding as the 'Belle Voci' Duo. As a solo performer Donna had a chance to show off her solo talents and entranced the audience with her delightful soprano voice.

Carolyn Harries returned to the stage as Ulrike herself to summon the powers of darkness to her aid. These darker characters tend to go to the mezzosoprano and require very special treatment. Carolyn showed exactly how expressive that lower range can be in such a sinister role.

Urlika Ilnytska is Orfeo

Cristoph Gluck: "Orfeo ed Euridice"

"Che farò senza Euridice?"

(What shat I do without Euridice?)

The scene then shifted to the underworld and Cristoph Willibald Gluck's operatic tale of Orfeo's unsuccessful attempt to retrieve his beloved Euridice from the clutches of death. The only condition he had to meet was to keep his eyes on the exit from Hades and resist Euridice's entreaties to give her even a passing backward glance. In true tragic style Orfeo fails in this simple requirement and condemns Euridice to a second and permanent death.

Ukrainian mezzosoprano Iryna Ilnytska gave a heart-rending rendition of Orfeo's subsequent remorseful lament. Too late he realises the irreversible consequence of his actions and determines to embrace death himself and join Euridice in the underworld. Iryna conveyed Orfeo's sense of desolation and despair with simple and controlled pathos. A Stellar performance indeed.

W A Mozart: "The Magic Flute"
Tamino (Tim Steiner) is confronted by
Papageno (Tim Hunt) made mute for lying

Tenors Tim Steiner and Tim Hunt took the action to the Masonic Temple Gardens in Mozart's "Magic Flute" and another tale of an imprisoned heroine. In this case Pamina is incarcerated in the temple while her potential rescuer Tamino has first to solve the problem of Papageno the bird catcher, whose mouth has been locked shut by the Queen of the Night and her entourage for taking the credit for their rescue of Tamino.

Tim Hunt is well known for playing the lead in many Saint David's Players productions of Gilbert & Sullivan operas at the Barnfield Theatre in Exeter.

The Queen of the Night (Judith Aarons)
frees Papageno to speak
2nd & 3rd Ladies:
Carolyn Harries & Iryna Ilnytska

The part of Papageno was perfect for him. Even with his mouth locked shut he was able to bring incredible expression to his strangled mutterings. Once released from bondage by the Queen of the Night he was able to give full rein to his comic operatic abilities. Judith Aarons was that queen and, being a fellow member of the St David's Players, provided a perfect foil to his delighfully confused take on his predicament.

Judith was accompanied by two loyal retainers (Carolyn Harries and Iryna Ilnytska) who echoed her admonitions and  instructions in a suitably subordinate and collaborative style.

The Magic Flute!

The flute itself was transformed by music and consummate acting from a small and insignificant prop to its true status as the central plot device of the whole opera. Judith and her two accomplices proudly present this sacred instrument, while the two Tims debate its properties and value. (It will transform sorrow to joy when played, no less.)

"Be brave!"
The Queen sends the men
on a quest to rescue her daughter

for Papageno
protective bells

Despite the forceful encouragement of the women, Papageno is still reluctant to participate in the risky venture to rescue Pamina from the temple.

To give him confidence he is presented with his own gift, a set of silver bells which will protect him from harm. Pacified, he agrees to join Tamino's quest.

Papageno: Tim Hunt

Pamina: Judith Aarons

"Bei Männern welche Liebe fühlen"

Tim had another opportunity to demonstrate his masterful handling of props in a duet with Judith Aarons, now changing roles and playing the part of Pamina. As Tim presents Judith with individual flower stems to add to her bouquet he talks of love, a charming comic interplay develops. A priceless scene between two highly talented comic actors - and a musical delight.

Sarastro: Roderick Hunt
"Nehmt sie in euren Wohnsitz auf"

Next came the stentorian bass voice of Roderick Hunt, as the supposed arch-villain Sarastro. His aria, however, was not to menacing message of an abductor, but rather a heart-felt blessing on the union of Pamina and Tamino - with a plea to the gods Isis and Osiris to prepare and admit the loving couple to their heavenly world.

Against the gentle foil of the priests' chorus Roderick plumbed the deepest notes with skill and ease.

The Bird Catcher
Tim Hunt is Papageno

Tim Hunt still had unfinished business as Papageno. He was tired of hunting birds and wanted to use his skills to attract a potential wife. Again Tim demonstrated his skillful use of props as he played part of the instrumental line on a small set of golden pan-pipes.

Papageno meets Papagena
(Pip Gasgoigne-Pees)

His song of longing is soon rewarded by the arrival of Papagena (Pip Gascoigne-Pees). Pip is a new discovery for Staircase opera, and a brilliant soprano. The interaction between Pip and Tim was perfect and it was a joy to see them revelling in their newly discovered love.

And true love blossoms

The duet is very taxing, involving the repeated stuttering of the names "Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Papageno!" and "Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Papagena!" The incredible skill with which they managed this masterpiece of comic opera was a joy to behold.

Roderick Hunt and the full company ended the first half of the concert with "The Sun's Radiant Glory" and "Hail to Thee Great Isis". A magnificent first half closer.

Mozart's "Magic Flute" has intrigued generations of opera enthusiasts. The intriguing world of the Masonic Temple, the bewildering array of characters, and the strange and unexpected twists and turns of the plot, are endlessly entertaining. Staircase Opera's mini-selection from the full story was a spectacular and intriguing introduction to that magical world.


 Part 2 - "Carmen!"

Waiting outside the Cigarette Factory
Roderick Hunt
Tim Hunt, Tim Steiner

The second half of the programme opened with a street scene where men loiter outside a cigarette factory waiting for the women to end their shift. The opera is "Carmen" by Georges Bizet and the woman they are all waiting for is Carmen herself.

Carmen: Rebecca Smith

Enter stage left, Rebecca Smith as the eponymous heroine. She leads the men on with her immortal line, "If I love you, oh - take care!". Rebecca is frighteningly convincing as the vampish Carmen, cruelly seducing the waiting men.

Carmen meets Don José
Rebecca Smith & Matthew Wilding

Particular attention is reserved for Don José (Matthew Wilding) the dragoon officer, to whom she throws a flower. Initially unfazed, Matthew is slowly drawn into Rebecca's web of control.

Michaela delivers a letter
from Don José's mother
Donna-Marie Broomfield
& Matthew Wilding

The scene then jumped to a meeting between Don José and a factory worker from his own village, Michaela (Donna-Marie Broomfield). She has a letter for him from his mother. The letter asks him to consider marrying Michaela, a suggestion to which he readily agreees.

which contains news for her

Donna-Marie Broomfield

& Matthew Wilding

A loving scene then follows, one which Donna and Matthew performed with much tenderness and emotion. The performance was such a success, they are considering including it in their regular 'Belle Voci Duo' repertoire.

Martin Harvey explained that this romantic connection is almost immediately ruined by Carmen getting arrested, persuading Don José to free her, and Don José himself ending up in prison for dereliction of duty.

Escamillo (Alex Stevens)
takes the stage

As a fugitive, Carmen then encounters a new victim, the dashing matador Escamillo. The part was played by Alex Stevens who was in Staircase Opera's very first production, Benjamin Britten's adaptation of Henry James' "Turn of the Screw" at Killerton House in 2003. Still full of youthful energy, Alex appeared at rehearsal in rugby kit, and was an equally imposing figure in a three piece suit at the concert.

"Toréador, en garde! Toréador!"

Alexander Stevens

Alex introduced himself with the familiar and memorable 'Toreador Song', a tale of danger and bravery, ending with an appeal to love. Alex's bass-baritone voice and mastery of the moving words created a very favorable impression - although perhaps not so well-received by Don José.

Carmen meets Escamillo
Rebecca Smith & Alex Stevens

Escamillo appeals to Carmen to share her intoxicating and dangerous love with him, a course of action guaranteed to inflame the passion of the jealous Don José.

"La fleur que tu m'avais jetée"
Matthew Wilding

Don José appeals to Carmen to return to him, holding up the flower she threw him - which has somehow miraculously survived. Matthew gave a particularly touching performance as the love-sick suitor.

"Carmen, I love you!"
Matthew Wilding

Back with her band of outlaws, accompanied now by Don José, Carmen crashes a tarot reading session and draws cards to predict her own future and discovers it is death that is in store for her. In keeping with the 'superstition' theme of the evening, Rebecca appeared utterly convinced of the predictive power of playing cards, and trapped by her fatal destiny.

Before that final disaster there was time for one last performance for the whole company. Martin Harvey, always keen to bring the performers close to their audience, arranged for the singers to take up positions to the left and right of the main seating area. Heads turned in all directions as they called out their wares as street vendors and invited customers to come and buy. Sadly, this joyous scene was only by way of contrast, and a brief diversion, before the tragic culmination of Carmen's disastrous career. (The most moving and shocking scene of the evening, but best left for opera lovers to find out about for themselves!)

What a magnificent and absorbing evening of opera. Staircase opera not only demonstrated their individual and combined skills as operatic singers, and introduced the listeners to famous and less familiar music, they created a compelling journey of discovery contrasting different moods and feelings in an impressively memorable way. For anyone who loves opera, and anyone interested to sample its delights, Staircase opera concerts never fail to deliver.

Following on from their shocking performance of Gian-Carlo Menotti's opera "The Medium" exactly two years ago (31 October-4 November 2016), Staircase opera will be performing another Menotti opera in April next year. "The Consul", first performed in 1950, is a very familiar tale of slow moving bureaucracy with the twist of life-threatening urgency. Set in the visa department of a consulate building, most of the action involves a woman trying to obtain an exit visa for her fugitive husband. Other characters attempt to obtain visas too, with varying degrees of success. It will be very interesting to see what Menotti, and the Staircase Opera Company, have made of this frustrating situation.

Staircase Opera

Venues TBC

Monday 22 - Saturday 27 April

THE CONSUL

Director: Martin Harvey

Gian Carlo Menotti: "The Consul"

1950 full-length opera with 11 characters