Tag: classical-music

Wiltshire Music Centre Announces First New Season Under New Leadership

Wiltshire Music announces a new season for Autumn Winter: and the first under the new leadership of Daniel Clark, Artistic Director and Sarah Robertson, Executive Director….

Since first opening in 1997, Wiltshire Music Centre has been a musical hub, bringing the best in live performances to the area as well as providing a home for local orchestras, choirs and music groups. The upcoming season will feature returning WMC favourites while also spotlighting exciting new artists and expanding the programme, signalling a fresh direction and commitment to musical discovery.

Audiences can look forward to internationally recognised artists including a first visit to WMC by King’s Place resident ensemble and Southbank Resident Orchestra, Aurora Orchestra (21 Nov) a rare UK appearance by the phenomenal Bill Frisell Trio (22 Nov), classical season opener by Roderick Williams, one of the UK’s most sought after baritones, alongside the Carducci Quartet, (28 Sep) and experimental folk singer-poet Richard Dawson (9 Nov), among others.

Other classical season highlights include celebrated Baroque violinist Rachel Podger performing with Brecon Baroque (8 Oct) and returns to the WMC stage by virtuosic pianist, Jeneba Kanneh-Mason (Sun 26 Oct) and I Fagiolini, who bring their musical storytelling back to the stage with leading local choir, Bath Camerata (13 Dec). The Young Artist Programme supporting the brightest young stars is back with Classic FM 2024 Rising Star and violinist Nathan Amaral (17 Dec) and Syrian-British pianist, Riyad Nicolas (12 Nov), exploring piano works from Bach, Beethoven and the Arab World.

A season of sensational jazz kicks off with Giacomo Smith and an all-star line-up celebrating 100 years of Louis Armstrong (27 Sep), a tribute to Nina Simone by Lady Nade, contemporary jazz and inventive improv from Danish Jazz Awards winners Jasper Hoiby’s 3Elements, and much more. 

Alongside traditional folk offerings of Gypsy, folk inspired music by Budapest Cafe Orchestra (15 Nov) and “world-folk” by Dallahan (31 Oct), the line-up also features contemporary sounds, including spellbinding Welsh triple harpist and vocalist Cerys Hafana (18 Oct), the critically acclaimed duo The Breath (2 Nov), and London folktronica band Tunng (19 Nov). 

Families can look forward to CBeebies Musical superhero and Podcast host, Nick Cope and his festive themed show (7 Dec) while earlier in the year, there’s a Halloween special for all the family with The Paper Cinema (1 Nov) and their immersive puppetry and visuals.

Referring to the Centre’s rich history, Daniel Clark says “With these concerts, we have aimed to honour the spirit of musical curiosity so present in those early days, with a diverse programme spanning past, present and future. In our next season, you will find a collection of extraordinary musical experiences, handpicked for our wonderful auditorium and marking the start of our own journeys as stewards of this special venue.” 

Daniel Clark joined in January this year, alongside Sarah Robertson. Sarah was previously Director of Communications and Special Projects at Bristol Beacon, leading the marketing and rebranding of the venue’s £132 million transformation. Daniel, with over 25 years in the arts as a Creative Director, composer, and musician, formerly led the Creative Programme at the Story Museum in Oxford.

Highlights:

Aurora Orchestra: one of the most innovative and boundary-breaking ensembles in classical music make their WMC debut performing Mendelssohn’s much-loved “Italian Symphony”, and Prokofiev’s expressive Violin Concerto No 2 with Chloe Hanslip – all performed from memory. (21 Nov 2025) 

Bill Frisell Trio: Wiltshire Music Centre welcomes legendary jazz guitarist and composer and his acclaimed trio featuring Thomas Moran on bass and Rudy Royston on drums. This will be just one of a handful of UK performances, that includes the London Jazz Festival. (22 Nov 2025) 

Artist Residency: Groundbreaking clarinettist, active educator and composer Giacomo Smith performs a series of concerts: “The 1925” (27 Sep) celebrating 100 years of Louis Armstrong featuring UK’s jazz talents, Joe Webb and Laura Hurd; Giacomo Smith + Wiltshire Youth Jazz Orchestra (12 Oct), a special afternoon of brilliant big band magic with talented young musicians; Giacomo Smith & Mozes Rosenberg “Manouche” (14 Nov), a special quartet project paying homage to Djanjo Reinhardt’s musical legacy.

Penguin Cafe Plays Music from Penguin Cafe Orchestra: The sounds of Music from the cult avant-pop band of the 80s & 90s is played by group founded by Arthur Jeffes, son of the original creator, Simon (18 Nov)

Little Rituals presents Heliocentrics: Special event presented by Bradford on Avon’s coolest coffee shop, Little Rituals: an evening of psychedelic-funk-jazz, audio-visuals, pop- up vinyl shop run by Melksham’s indie record shop, Doubles and cocktails. (29 Nov)

Tickets are now on sale from HERE. 

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Rooks; New Single From M3G

Chippenham folk singer-songwriter, M3G (because she likes a backward “E”) has a new single out tomorrow, Friday 19th December. Put your jingly bell cheesy tunes…

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REVIEW – White Horse Opera’s Cosi Fan Tutte @ Assembly Rooms – Saturday 21st June 2025

Another Triumph for WHO

Andy Fawthrop

Following the excellent recent production of La Belle Helene at Devizes’ Wharf Theatre back in March (see here), White Horse Opera (WHO) have triumphed yet again by bringing their production of Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte to D-Town.  

Così fan tutte is an opera buffa in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It was first performed on 26 January 1790 at the Burgtheater in Vienna, Austria. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte (who also wrote Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni).  Così fan tutte, literally means “So do they all”, using the feminine plural (tutte) to indicate women. It is usually translated into English as “women are like that”.  We’ll get to that in a minute.

Mozart and Da Ponte used the idea of “fiancée swapping”, which is a recurring theme dating back to at least the 13th century; notable earlier versions are found in Boccaccio’s Decameron, and Shakespeare’s play Cymbeline. Elements from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and The Taming of the Shrew are also present.  Whilst it’s likely that nowadays we’d see such an idea as somewhat “problematical”, in opera terms such unacceptable behaviour is seen merely as a comic problem to be resolved with a neat and happy ending.

So it was that White Horse Opera (WHO) brought this sparkling jewel to life last night in the elegant surroundings of the Assembly Room in the Town Hall.  Unlike many operas requiring a large cast, chorus and orchestra, Cosi Fan Tutte can be played with only six singers and a pianist, and this made it a perfect piece to transport into a smaller, intimate atmosphere.  Using a simple backdrop, a few screens and virtually no props, the production was allowed to breathe.  The spoken dialog and the songs (all in English) were straightforward and easy to follow, allowing the comedy to shine through (although there was a helpful synopsis in the programme too).  This minimalist approach, thanks to Lewis Cowen’s staging, and Roland Melia’s musical direction, kept it all as light as a feather.

All six singers excelled in their roles, and it would be invidious to single any one of them out.  Seriously – they were all on cracking form. The solos, duets and ensemble pieces were all well-delivered, glittering like jewels in a crown.  And the “seventh” member of the cast, pianist Tony James, who was on-stage throughout every scene in this two-act production, provided exactly the right supportive, yet under-stated, musical platform for the singers to really shine.

I loved this production – it was a chance to get up close to the stage and the mechanics of the performances, and to chat with the performers during the interval and afterwards.  It was as far as it was possible to be from the “grand idea” of opera – i.e. a big cast production in a large gilded opera house with all the social trimmings and conventions.  It proved, if proof be needed, that such a stripped-back delivery can provide all of the good things about opera, but without the concomitant fripperies.

To take such themes as love, trust, fidelity, deception, betrayal, forgiveness and reconciliation, to say nothing of the supposed “weakness of women”, and the cynical view of Don Alfonso that (to quote someone more contemporary) “if you can’t be with the one you love, then love the one you’re with”, and to deliver all this up in less than two and a quarter hours, was no mean feat.  Leaving aside the dubious morality of testing fidelity by swapping girl-friends, using (deliberately risible) disguises, the manipulation if others by the main character, and the portrayal of women as weak characters who simply can’t help themselves, sits uncomfortably with a modern audience.  But, hey, this is comic opera, and you need to join in with the joke.  Yes, it’s all very contrived and very silly, but that’s how comic opera works.  And you can see exactly where Gilbert & Sullivan were coming from when they unleashed their satirical take on many of these devices.

So – an absolutely spiffing and hats-off production by WHO.  Sparkling staging and singing, and all completely accessible.  Do go and see them whenever you get chance.  We’re so lucky to have such a talented outfit working in and around our town.

Bravo!

CAST

Fiordiligi– Barbara Gompels

Dorabella– Paula Boyagis

Guglielmo – Jon Paget

Ferrando – Robert Felstead

Despina –Toni Johnstone

Don Alfonso – Robin Jukes

Musical Director Roland Melia, Stage Director Lewis Cowen, Pianist Tony James

White Horse Opera are based in Devizes and regularly perform operas around Wiltshire and beyond.

Find  out more HERE

“Cosi Fan Tutte” at Easterton Village Hall, October 11th 2024.

by Ian Diddams
photos by Gail Foster

Devizes based White Horse Opera has a fine and longstanding tradition of a touring opera – a show taken the length and breadth of Wiltshire (and even further!) performed at various village halls, theatres and churches as venues. Recent past operas have included “Die Fledermaus”, “The Mikado” and Ruddigore” and their latest offering is Mozart’s slightly bonkers “Cosi Fan Tutte”. On Friday last the dress rehearsal was produced for the “Friends of W.H.O.” another of their traditions where the great and the good gather to indulge in swathes of cheesy comestibles and stunning music.

Mozart penned his Italian language piece in the 1780s when he was in his thirties. It’s a comedy, albeit arguably somewhat a chauvinist one leaning heavily as it does on the alleged capriciousness of women – the title loosely translated as “Women are like that”.  The basic daft premise – like all the best highbrow theatre of course – revolves around the unlikely disguising beyond recognition of two men (Guglielmo and Ferrando) such that their betrothed (Fiordiligi and Dorabella) will not recognise them, and so the farcical consequences may then ensue. Naturally there has to be some ne’re do wells that first set up this unlikely scenario (Don Alfonso) and abet it (Despina).

The flirtatious and easily swayed girls are played by Barbara Gompels and Paula Boyagis, who in the duets in particular sweetly complement each other. Regular watchers of W.H.O.’s performances will need no further introduction to this talented pair, as indeed they will need no further introduction to Jon Paget who played Guglielmo, more than ably twinned by Robert Felstead as Ferrando as the pair of soldiers tasked by Don Alfonso played by the evergreen Lewis Cohen to trick their girlfriends in being unfaithful as part of a wager. Toni Johnstone completed the cast as the superbly independent and uncowed maid Despina. Jon and Robert proved an excellent comedy double act throughout their shenanigans, culminating in the wonderful disguises as what appeared to be two 1980s Australian cricketers off to the disco!

As a dress rehearsal as expected the show was ready to roll – a couple of small hiccoughs for sure but nothing to distract from the hilarious mayhem on stage. It’s a modern setting costume wise, and the set as befits a touring opera where complex arrangements are problematical, is simple …  a lovely backdrop setting the countryside setting by the inimitable Chrissie Higgs, who is also set to share the role of Despina when on tour.

For those concerned that an Italian language opera will be incomprehensible to their Anglo-Saxon ears, fear ye not… as ever W.H.O.s operas are sung in English, this translation by the much missed Graham Billing who having translated the opera once, then lost it, and had to redo it. The entire translation was full of clearly identified Billingisms in the jokes whether sung or spoken. His legacy lives on and aren’t we all lucky that it does.

No opera of course is complete without its orchestra, and as so often for W.H.O. the orchestra of twenty as writ by Mozart is manfully represented by Tony James on the piano, and all pulled together by Roland Melia as M.D. par excellence. Stage Direction by Lewis Cohen completes the crew.

The tour begins soon in November in Market Lavington, but is also due to visit Bremhill, Hilperton, Winsley and Devizes in 2025, with other dates being announced all the while.  And if you would wish W.H.O. to visit your local venue, maybe as a fund raiser for a local cause etc, feel free to contact them on who-enquiries@hotmail.co.uk

Meanwhile, tickets for ALL White Horse Opera events can be found at
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whitehorseopera





Watermark: Fulltone Orchestra Brings Enya’s Iconic Album to Life…

Our very own illustrious orchestra, The Fulltone Orchestra, are staging live performances of Enya’s 1988 breakthrough album, Watermark in Basingstoke, Bath and Cheltenham later this month. They promise to be symphonic celebrations of the bestselling artists’ sublime and distinctive sound…..

The Fulltone Orchestra, accompanied by the magnificent female voices of The Cantiamo Choir, revive Enya’s iconic and pioneering album in a series of live performances, culminating at The Anvil, Basingstoke on the 7th of November, beginning with Cheltenham Town Hall on 31st October, and with a date at Bath Forum in the middle, and that being the 5th November.

This is the unique opportunity music-lovers will cherish. To experience the prevalent and admired blend of Celtic, classical, and ambient soundscapes of Enya’s ethereal and timeless sound, accomplished with the magnificence of a sixty-five-piece orchestra and the finest singers.

Watermark was not only Enya’s breakthrough album but debatably her magnum opus. Its commercial success was renowned through its exclusivity, was honoured with glowing reviews and sold over eight million copies.

Now, obviously I’m far too young to remember Enya’s Watermark. With the geographic knowledge of an American box turtle, I only ever knew Orinoco as a Womble, and the single concerned me as to what his “flow” might have referred to!

Arranged by noted pianist and composer, Dominic Irving, this spectacular piece has been specifically written for orchestra and choir, and will transport audiences back to the late 1980s, alongside other hits by Riverdance, Enigma, Clannad and Karl Jenkins.

Conductor Anthony Brown at Fulltone 24. Image: Gail Foster

The evenings will also include the smash hit Lily Was Here, made famous by eighties saxophonist Candy Dulfer, and will be played by legendary sax player, Vicki Watson.

The Cantiamo Choir features Welsh-born vocalist Amelia Jones, recognised for her lucid tone and expressive vocal delivery. The Fulltone Orchestra is a sixty-five-piece orchestra with a variety of acclaimed musicians from the Southwest and is led by Musical Director Anthony Brown. They have past praised performances in venues such as Bath Abbey, Wells Cathedral, Marlborough College and Cheltenham Town Hall, and organise an annual festival, Fulltone, in Devizes; yay, I said Devizes! Editor’s note, the orchestra spawned here; get in, you moonrakers!

Jemma Brown, Fulltone Orchestra Artistic Director said, “We’re absolutely delighted to be able to bring this much-loved music to audiences across the South this autumn. Watermark catapulted Enya to international fame, with the number one hit, ‘Orinoco Flow.’ It’s sure to be a highlight of our performance. There’s something incredibly special about the sound created by a full orchestra alongside the voices of Cantiamo, and audiences can expect an exciting evening of music on a magnificent scale.”

Tickets: www.fto.org.uk/enya or from venues.

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REVIEW – Devizes Arts Festival – Duo Tutti @ Assembly Room 13th June 2024

A Lunchtime Amuse-Bouche

by Andy Fawthrop

Devizes Arts Festival’s programme continued on Thursday afternoon with a lunchtime classical concert in the beautiful surroundings of the Assembly Hall in the Town Hall.  Coming on a market day, it was no surprise that town was busy, and plenty of people used the opportunity to make their way to this splendid venue.

Duo Tutti is made up of Ruth Molins (flutes) and Alex Wilson (piano).  They are inspired by old and new music, creating sound worlds you might not expect to hear from a flute/ piano duo. Ruth plays a standard flute, alto flute, bass flute and the piccolo, accompanied by Alex’s piano.

Their programme was an interesting and eclectic mix of items, much of it from composers I’d not heard of before, but no the less enjoyable for that.

We started with the Sonata in F from Anna Amalia of Prussia (1723 -87).  This lady I was surprised to discover was the sister of Frederick The Great.  This piece in three movements, although simple in sound and structure, was bright, bouncy and just the thing to get started with.  There followed three very contrasting pieces from contemporary composers: John Rutter’s Suite Antique (in six short movements), Ruth’s own piece (Fuse for Bass Flute & Piano) and Elena Kats-Chernin’s Eliza’s Aria for Piccolo.  Each piece was delivered with freshness and confidence by the duo.

Keeping with the contemporary theme, we moved on to Arthur Butterworth’s Ukko, featuring the alto flute, and a piece that was slightly deeper and fuller, offering a darker, slower and slightly more discordant feeling throughout.  Then on to two “miniatures” from Constance Warren, the first being slow and thoughtful, and the second very short piece being much livelier.

Finally, slightly back in time to Jules Mouquet (1867 – 1946) for La Flute De Pan, a work in three short movements.  The first piece was sparkling, with many flourishes.  And, following the slower, quieter middle passage, the final section moved from a gentle fade-out, to another frothy champagne ending.

Throughout the concert the flutes were always to the fore, carrying the main themes, with the piano playing more of a supportive, sympathetic accompanying role.  But the combination worked splendidly, and provided a diverse and entertaining lunchtime concert.  Bravo!

You can find out more about Duo Tutti at www.duotutti.com/   

The Devizes Arts Festival is moving towards its end now, but there are still several events with tickets available, until Sunday 16th June at various venues around the town.  Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk

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REVIEW – Devizes Arts Festival – Ida Pelliccioli @ Assembly Room  10th June 2024 

World Class Piano

by Andy Fawthrop


And, following a lively few days of varied events over this last weekend, we’re now into Devizes Arts Festival’s second week.  And at last it was time for some serious classical music, and we were certainly treated to something special when Ida Pelliccioli played the Leslie Taylor Memorial Concert in the Assembly Room last night.  Once again the setting of the beautiful Assembly Hall perfectly matched the style and the quality of the entertainment.  Indeed this very room was constructed in the very early years of the 19th century, immediately after the deaths of three of the night’s composers.

Ida Pelliccioli is a world-renowned concert pianist who has performed throughout Europe, Canada and South Africa. She was born in Italy and studied in Nice and Paris and, since 2021, she has taught at the Paris Conservatoire.

Her selected programme last night, which was accompanied by extensive notes and a short introduction, was inspired by the forgotten music of ‘the Spanish Scarlatti’, composer Manuel Blasco de Nebra. 

We began with three short sonatas by the Italian composer Domenico Scarlatti (1685 – 1757).  The first and third of which were at a sparkling, lively tempo, whilst the second was slower and calmer.  However all three were played by Ida with plenty of gusto and attack.  All of them were very short, and this part of the programme was completed in only ten minutes.

The next section featured two fantasias by the Austrian Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791).  These two pieces seemed (to me at least) to possess a little more depth and substance.  And again we had the contrast between the dramatic and exciting first piece, set against the more romantic and portentous second piece.

There then followed two pieces by a Spanish composer I’d not previously heard of – Manuel Blasco de Nebra (1750 – 1784), whom Ida described as “the Spanish Scarlatti” and very much a composer that time seems to have forgotten.  These two sonatas were each in two movements: an adagio, followed by a more lively allegro.  I found them interesting and entertaining, but not as good as what had gone before.

And finally we came to another Austrian composer Franz Schubert (1797 – 1828).  Ida played his Drei Klavierstucke (three piano pieces) and, again, we had the structure of one piece that was thoughtful, melancholy, plangent and poignant sandwiched in between two pieces that were far more lively and exuberant.


The whole performance was both intense and mesmerising, played and presented by a world-class pianist who was clearly absolutely dedicated to her work, and completely on top of her game.  Entirely justifiably there was sustained applause at the end from a very appreciative audience, provoking not one, but two, short encores, the latter of which was an “impromptu” by the more modern Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865 – 1957).

Another fabulous night at the Arts Festival, and thanks (yet again) to DAF for bringing such top-notch entertainment to our little town.  I only wish we had a lot more opportunities in D-Town to hear such wonderful classical music, played by a world-class musician.

The Devizes Arts Festival continues until Sunday 16th June at various venues around the town. 

Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk 

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Snow White Delight: Panto at The Wharf

Treated to a sneaky dress rehearsal of this year’s pantomime at Devizes’ one and only Wharf Theatre last night, if forced to sum it up…

Chatting With Burn The Midnight Oil

It’s nice to hear when our features attract attention. Salisbury’s Radio Odstock  picked up on our interview with Devizes band Burn the Midnight Oil and…

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FullTone Festival’s Youth-Supporting Extra Day Announced

As if the FullTone Festival isn’t exciting enough for Devizes, the Town Council has allowed them an extra day, on the Friday 26th July…..

Seeing as everything should be set up and ready to roll for Saturday morning, it seemed a shame not to make use of this iconic stage and tech, so an extension to the festival has been added, with live music from 6pm, and it supports local youth talent.

Six: Teen Edition by Devizes Music Academy

Though FullTone stresses it does all depend on advance ticket sales, for both events. Tickets for the Friday on its own are £20, or £10 for under 18. If you buy your festival tickets together with the Friday you will receive a discount code for 20%, if you have already bought tickets for The Fulltone Festival, email jemma@fto.org.uk who will send you the code. The cut off date for this additional Friday is the 30th June, so make sure you’ve booked it by then.

Fulltone Festival 2023 Day Two

You should note, this fifth year of the Fulltone Music Festival will be the last one in its current form. I’ve personally had this contemplation for a while; as the FullTone Orchestra branches out, playing the cities and big towns, as it has been, surely it’s inevitable that the magic will rub-off with audiences further afield and they’ll come to Devizes for the festival if there are to be ones in the future; fingers, toes crossed. Spending their cash here on hotels, restaurants and shops is a great thing for the town, and reason enough to support it.

Talk in Code

But if my humble reasoning, and two days already sussed with guests like opera legend Carly Paoli, We Will Rock You star Kerry Ellis and Ricardo Afonso, indie popsters Talk in Code, a Beatles tribute and more orchestral concerts than Anthony can shake his shaky baton at, isn’t enough to entice you, note the Friday has local punker heroes Nothing Rhymes With Orange from 7pm, followed by Devizes Music Academy’s inaugural showcase Six: Teen Edition, replayed from sell-out dates at the Corn Exchange back in April.

Nothing Rhymes With Orange

I’m told the historical Gen Z party play performance, of which you can read about HERE, will have the same young cast as last time, Ruby Phipps, Amelie Smith, Jess Self, Kelsey Husband, Mia Jepson and Lisa Grime. Alongside Southampton Youth Orchestra opening the festival on the Sunday, we love that FullTone are giving young people a massive platform to perform at this, what could sadly be, the final Fulltone as it currently stands.

Six: Teen Edition by Devizes Music Academy

Obviously I think they should give me the last encore of the Sunday so I can perform my interpretation of Nessun Dorma in the style of Luciano Pavarotti, as I regularly do in the shower. But as its competence and calibre is largely debatable, usually by my kids trying to study in the next room and the neighbour’s howling dog, I will understand if they decline the offer. Imagine, if you will, as I can see it now, me on that colossal stage….. “Tramontate, stelle! Tramontate, stelle! All’alba vincerò, vincerò, vincerò!” Then, mic-drop, bath towel drop, whatever you think the ticket price is worth…..maybe, or no, perhaps just leave it to the professionals and keep this exclusively as a shower performance? It will, after all, be an amazing weekend without it, really!

Fulltone Festival 2023 – Day One

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PREVIEW – White Horse Opera’s Puccini’s “La Boheme”@ Lavington School, Devizes – Wednesday 10th, Friday 12th, and Saturday 13th April 2024

by Andy Fawthrop

A Sparkling Production

Last night I was privileged to sit in on the Dress Rehearsal for this wonderful production.  It was like having a private viewing of a great work of art, with a chance to see how it all came together, and to figure out what made the whole thing tick.  It was also a chance for cast and crew, together with Musical Director Roland Melia, and Stage Director Matt Dauncey to iron out any last-minute wrinkles.  There were a few but, as the song goes, too few to mention.  This show is absolutely ready to go live for the rest of the week!

Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème is one of the most famous operas ever written, following the unforgettable story of two young bohemian lovers in Paris at the end of the 19th century. When young poet Rodolfo meets seamstress Mimì, it’s love at first sight. But, faced by the cruel realities of poverty and ill health, will the flame that burns between them flicker and die? Or will the timeless strength of their youthful passion withstand every trial and tribulation that life can throw at them? With a great love story comes a beautiful score, including arias like Musetta’s Waltz and ‘Yes, they call me Mimì’ (Si, mi chiamano Mimì).

A classic tale of tragic romance, La Bohème is a great opera for beginners and regulars alike. Director Matt had updated the setting to the 1960s, with fashion to match but, to me at least, it made little real difference to the superb quality of musical operatic delivery.  Using WHO’s trade-mark stripped back lines in terms of scenery backdrops, props, costumes and musical accompaniment, this was nevertheless a production that felt rich and full.

The four principals absolutely shone.  Guest tenor Robert Felstead (Rodolfo), and WHO stalwarts soprano Lisa House (Mimi), baritone Jon Paget (Marcello) and soprano Jess Phillips (Musetta) all put in superb performances.  And that’s not to diminish the quality of the rest of the cast in any way.  Contributions all round were spot on, and the staging was confident and upbeat.  The rapid interplay of dialogue singing during certain scenes meant that everyone had to be completely on their game and if there were any slip-ups I certainly didn’t spot them.

The whole production is sung in English in four acts, with a half-time interval. The programme provides excellent notes and a synopsis of the plot for each act, and the whole thing wraps up in about two hours.  These factors make the production accessible to all and easy to digest.  If you’ve not tried opera before, this is the sort of production that should change your mind, and I’d encourage anyone to give it a shot.  Equally those who are perhaps more familiar with the opera will not be disappointed, as what’s on offer here is a truly sparkling version of a classic.

Tickets are still available (both online and at Devizes Books) for performances tonight (Wednesday), and for Friday and Saturday.

Future WHO events:

Sat 18th May                       Top Of The Ops                                Seagrey, nr Chippenham

Fri 6th December              Christmas Concert                           St. Andrew’s Church, Devizes

2025 – La Belle Helene

More information on WHO is available HERE