Read the Directors Notes
on 'Cav & Pag' here |
'Cavalleria
Rusticana & Pagliacci'
by Pietro Mascagni & Leon Cavallo
Thursday
1st November 2007
7.30pm
Coronation Hall Ulverston
Box office: 01229 587140 |
Friday
2nd November 2007
7.30pm
Sands Centre Carlisle
Box office: 01228 625 222
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Wednesday
7th, Friday 9th, & Saturday 10th November 2007
7.30pm
Keswick Theatre by the Lake
Box office: 017687 74411 |
The two one-act operas 'Cavalleria Rusticana' (Rustic Chivalry)
and 'Pagliacci' (The Strolling Players) have been paired as
an operatic double bill practically since their premieres
over a century ago. They are about equal in length and similar
in style. They both deal with everyday people and their passions.
They are verismo operas: contemporary settings with high passions
and usually sudden violent endings. Both deal with an unfaithful
wife and are tales of the deadly results of jealousy. In both
of these, one spouse is manipulated into murdering the other
spouse. They both have thrilling scores, including two of
the most outstanding pieces of music in the whole of the opera
repertoire.
'Cavalleria Rusticana' for the most part, sets a rustic, peasant
mood on a seemingly quiet Easter Sunday with folksy choruses
and a beautiful Easter Hymn.
In 'Pagliacci' we join an Italian village celebrating the
Feast of the Assumption. Strolling players arrive to entertain
when the Church bells ring and the villagers sing the chorus,
"Ding, dong, the vespers bell". Canio, dressed in
his Pagliaccio costume, overhears his wife's plans to elope
after the play that evening. As the others leave to prepare
for the performance, Canio expresses his grief over Nedda's
betrayal in Vesti la giubba (On with the motley) one of the
most famous arias in all opera. It is the old story of the
clown who must laugh, and make others laugh, even though his
heart is breaking.
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Lakeland Opera's
production team includes the Devon-based German director and
mezzo soprano YVONNE FONTANE.
(OPERA NOW - WHO'S HOT 2004) "The year's revelation was
Yvonne Fontane, who (amazingly) both directed and sang the title
role in Stowe Opera's Carmen". Lakeland Opera are delighted
to welcome Yvonne back to direct for the second time and are
thrilled to announce that she will also sing the role of Santuzza
in 'Cavalleria Rusticana'.
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David Sutton will
conduct Lakeland Opera for the first time. Chorus Master for
Welsh National Opera (1964-69) also conducting 'La Traviata'.
Twenty years in London, mainly working as a full-time repetiteur
for English National Opera, for whom he conducted performances
of 'The Marriage of Figaro' and 'The Barber of Seville'. Five
years with Scottish Opera in Glasgow and eleven years working
for the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
Lakeland Opera are proud to work for the first time with The
SBS Camerata. An orchestra of twenty five professional musicians.
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Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni - cast
Alfio , a village teamster
- Craig Smith
Santuzza a peasant girl - Yvonne Fontane
Turiddu, a soldier, son of Lucia - Andy Morton
Lucia Mother of Turiddu - Mary Burman
Lola - Diane Southern
With The Lakeland Opera Chorus
Pagliacci by Leon Cavallo
Canio, head of a troupe of strolling players - Andy Morton
Nedda , Canio’s wife - Michaela Bloom
Tonio, a member of the Troupe - Craig Smith
Beppe a member of the troupe - Anando Mukerjee
Silvio , a villager - Douglas Nairne
With The Lakeland Opera Chorus
Directed by Yvonne
Fontane
Musical Director David Sutton
Both Operas will be sung in English in full costume accompanied
by the Skipton BS Camerata.
Funding
Lakeland
Opera’s productions which tour Cumbria rely on funding from
charities, local authorities, private donations, sponsorships etc.
without these it would be impossible to put on the Operas. As of
July 2007 we still need about £15,000 towards the cost of
the forthcoming production. For more details of funding and sponsorship
opportunites please click here.
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