Daily Archives: 5 August, 2014

Richard Jones directs ENO’s first new production of The Girl of the Golden West for 50 years

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girl of golden

Celebrated opera director Richard Jones returns to ENO to direct the first of two productions this season, following his ‘rapturously received’ (Daily Telegraph) success with Handel’s Rodelinda in February 2014. This new production of Puccini’s ‘American’ opera set in the Wild West during the Californian gold rush will be ENO’s first for 50 years with the great British soprano Susan Bullock making her stage debut in the title role. Leading the ENO orchestra and all-male chorus, experienced opera conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson makes her British debut.

Richard Jones collaborates with designer Miriam Buether to create a stark and claustrophobic setting, highlighting the desperation and sacrifice felt by the community of miners who live there. Costume designs reflective of the period are by Nicky Gillibrand. The translation is by Kelley Rourke, whose translation for ENO’s The Elixir of Love was praised as it ‘goes all out to capture the vernacular of the time and works rather brilliantly’ (Daily Telegraph). Lighting designer Mimi Jordan Sherin and choreographer Lucy Burge complete the creative team.

Canadian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson makes her UK operatic debut. She previously conducted the opera in Montreal in 2008.

Leading the cast of outstanding singers is British soprano Susan Bullock who makes her stage debut as Minnie. She previously sang the role in concert at the 2010 Edinburgh Festival with the Daily Telegraph describing her performance as ‘tremendous’

British tenor Peter Auty makes his debut in the role of the bandit Dick Johnson. Peter’s professional musical career started at the tender age of 13, when as a choir boy at St Paul’s Cathedral he was chosen to sing ‘Walking in the Air’, the theme to the 1982 animated film of The Snowman.

American bass baritone Craig Colclough makes his European and role debut as the Sheriff Jack Rance. He started his career at LA Opera before joining Florida Grand Opera’s Young Artist Studio. In 2012 he became a Filene Young Artist at the Wolf Trap Opera company. He has also performed with Arizona Opera.

British tenor Graham Clark and Richard Roberts share the role of Nick.

Making their ENO and role debuts are young British tenor Sam Furness as the miner Joe, British bass Nicholas Crawley as the miner Larkens and Anglo French baritone Charles Rice as the miner Handsome.

The Girl of the Golden West opens at the London Coliseum on Thursday 2 October for 9 performances – 2, 10, 15, 22, 24, 27, 30 October at 7.30pm, 18 October and 1 November at 6.30pm

Pre-performance talk, 15 October 5.45-6.30pm £5/£2.50 concessions

Opening Thursday 2 October 2014, 7.30pm at London Coliseum (9 performances)

A co-production with Santa Fe Opera

 

All Saints Organ Concert

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4 August 2014

Tom Bell & Richard Brasier

A varied and original programme of music was enjoyed by a responsive audience for this, the 5th concert of the series. Both performers are excellent ambassadors for the organ. They  combine skilled playing and good understanding and command of the capabilities of the Willis together with down-to-earth, interesting explanations of the music.

The programme was made up of four duets, a piece that required one of the pair to act as assistant and solos from both performers.

The first duet was a set of 19th Century Variations by Adolf Hesse. It was presented with some contrasting registration and set the evening off to a very good start. The second duet was a complete contrast – Martyrs by Kenneth Leighton, written in 1976. This was an exciting demonstration of cross rhythm and a good showcase for the depth of texture and contrasting lines possible in an organ duet – and of virtuosic playing from both performers. A section from one of Samuel Wesley’s organ duets saw a return to a more conventional sound world (although Wesley is  not without his own quirks). The final duet was John Rutter’s Variations on an Easter Theme which treats “O Filii et Filiae” in a number of ways including some jazz-inspired moments.

Solo items were two contrasting pieces from Richard originally written for mechanical clock. The first, a beautifully mellow registered but at times very involved Adagio by Beethoven. The second was the well-known grand Fantasia by Mozart, in an arrangement by W.T.Best. I wonder if the clock played this piece on the hour, every hour! Both pieces were very well executed.

Tom’s pieces were both contemporary offerings. Tom’s passion for contemporary organ music is infectious and it is so good to be able to hear this music live as part of the Hastings organ series. I personally would love to hear much more included in these programmes. Martin Bussey’s Three Border Studies paint a musical picture of 3 ancient abbeys – Jedburgh, Dryburgh & Melrose, with their own character represented in the structure, texture, rhythm and melody of each piece. The most contemporary piece was a world premiere performance, given in the presence of the composer. Inspired by Ligeti’s organ work it is described as “a very gradual transformation of timbre”. It is entitled (organ piece) by John Aulich. It involves very light touch playing as well as skilful manipulation of the drawstops and placing of chopsticks (!) on the keys to allow sounds to be sustained for long periods but allowing the performer to carry out further manipulation. The piece ends with the blower being switched off allowing the sound to die away as the various harmonics become more audible.

This was a well crafted programme, designed to entertain and inform. Both performers had a natural rapport with the audience and demonstrated an excellent understanding and control of the Willis. This was their first joint performance and it is to be hoped that they will develop their repertoire of duets. I also hope that we will see more of them together in Hastings in the future.  SP

Prom 24

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Prom 24

Monday 4 August 2014

It is difficult for us today to realise that Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis was found as confusingly modernist as its contemporary masterpiece, Mahler’s 9th Symphony. Bringing the two works together for a Prom without an interval was a challenging but highly successful piece of programme planning.

Donald Runnicles’ approach to both works was deceptively subtle. The Vaughan Williams had great clarity and distance, but retained a coolness throughout, resisting any gush of romanticism. The separate placement of the ensemble above the rest of the orchestra, and the clarity of the quartet within it, both ensured that we were constantly aware of the dynamic tensions the composer creates. It was a fitting preparation for the Mahler.

Donald Runnicles’ created a seamless inevitability in the opening movement, not so much pessimistic as fated – at times almost heroic – with a lovingly spun out final section. The Landler was slower than usual and somehow more refined. No smell of the countryside and cow-pats, though the waltz section had a diabolic edge to it. There was fire in the third movement but no raw edges which can galvanise this score in other hands. It was not until the last movement that we could fully realise the way he was shaping the whole. The glowing, almost lush, string unfolding of the finale was breath-taking, bringing a quite but positive sense of hope to the whole. The final bars, combining resignation and yearning, were as beautiful as one could imagine. If the audience had been rather noisy at the start – the coughing around me nearly drowned out the opening bars – they were far more attentive by the end.