Tag: opera

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

PREVIEW : “The Mikado” at The Mission Theatre, Bath, July 22nd-23rd 2025.

by Ian Diddams
images from Jon Lo Photography

Ask the typical man – or woman –  in the street which Gilbert & Sullivan performances they can name, and you may well receive such answers as “Top Of The Pops, 1972”, “Man about the House”, “Crucible Theatre World Snooker Final 2001” and “Who? What?”.  [ That’s a bit left field? – Ed ] . However, amongst the cognoscenti within this theoretical vox-pop, you may find some that do actually understand the question…  and amongst the more likely answers of “Pirates of Penzance” etc, you may well find somebody suggesting “The Mikado”.

The Mikado has had some troubles in recent years being staged, as the core principle of Gilbert’s satire being the send up of BRITISH society by utilising an alternative environment which was all the rage in London Society at the time, is confused with patronising that other place. You may disagree with me, which is your prerogative, of course. But whatever the reasons it has become …  uncomfortable … presenting The Mikado as how it was historically performed.

More modern adaptations however have avoided any unnecessary disquiet by setting the operetta in other situations – Devizes based White Horse Opera staged a highly successful version set in a dystopian country ruled by a despotic dictator akin to a 1970s central American military president just a few years ago …  I know because I was the Mikado! This in itself however is also I believe to be refreshing – if all such shows (including Shakespeare etc) were always performed in exactly the same manner, aside from Sullivan’s wonderful music they may quickly lose their shine – seen one, seen them all. Reimagining the background creates new ways of looking at the story, naturally.

So step forward “Forbear! Theatre”, a London-based professional theatre company known for producing innovative Gilbert and Sullivan shows, and their splendid Terry Pratchett inspired adaptation, performed at The Mission Theatre prior to their transfer to New York. Minimal changes have been made to the text in bringing this fantasy kingdom to life, with the same madcap characters, plot and iconic songs that have been loved for generations. This version of “The Mikado” aims to represent Gilbert’s original intention by being set in an other-worldly, beautiful and dangerous fictional culture; the perfect canvas onto which to paint British flaws. And of course, Sullivan’s sublime and clever – almost cheeky – music.

So come and find out for yourself how Gilbert’s characters fare in this Pratchett inspired fantasy world at The Mission Theatre, July 22nd and 23rd  2025.  After all, others have praised this production to the hilt already

“They live for their art.  And it shows in their show. You could put this production on at the London Coliseum” (*****) – London Theatre 1
“Superb singing and silly goings on in the land of Tirwudu” (****) – London Pub Theatres
“Rachel Middle has given an old story a beautiful new home” (****) – North Westend
“A real triumph from the creative team who have passionately and carefully reimagined this iconic piece of theatrical history” (****) – The Deskbound Dramatic
“Brilliantly subversive” – Everything Theatre

Tickets from https://www.missiontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/2025/the-mikado 

La Belle Hélène; White Horse Opera’s Debut at The Wharf Theatre

Seems odd the perfect combination between Devizes’ only theatre, The Wharf, and one of the longest-running performance group, White Horse Opera hasn’t linked before, but they are set to do so in March with a performance of Jacques Offenbach’s Opéra bouffe, La Belle Hélène…..

Okay, this is not exactly true. Barbara Gompels of the White Horse Opera told us many years ago there was a one night show at the Wharf with the opera’s touring show, but this will be the first main opera held at our wonderful theatre here in Devizes, so I’m not totally fibbing!

La Belle Hélène is a comic opera in three acts parodying the story of Helen of Troy’s elopement with Paris, which evoked the Trojan War. The premiere at Paris’s Théâtre des Variétés in 1864 rekindled Offenbach’s operas with his audience, after six years attempting to emulate his success with the risqué satire of Greek mythology, Orphée aux Enfers.

Having been promised the most beautiful woman in the world by Venus, Paris arrives disguised as a shepherd boy with the aim of cashing in that promise. Helene, currently married to Menelaus, wards off his advances. However, when Paris comes to her while she is sleeping she believes it all to be in her dreams so it must therefore “be all fine.” 

Do come and see the fireworks that ensue when Menelaus comes home early and discovers the lovers!

Fully staged and sung in English with an orchestra, tickets are now available, and the show runs from Tuesday 11th until Saturday 15th March.

Tickets from Devizes Books and hwww.ticketsource.co.uk/whitehorseopera

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“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





White Horse Opera Mathieson Trust Fundraiser with Anup Biswas

White Horse Opera members, Soprano Barbara Gompels, Mezzo Soprano Paula Boyagis, Tenor Carlos Alonso together with pianist Tony James join forces with international cellist Anup Biswas for a special musical concert to raise money for the Mathieson Trust in Kolkata India which celebrates its  30th Anniversary…

The evening will take place on 15th June at Market Lavington Community Hall starting at 6pm with a home cooked Indian meal followed by a range of musical delights from opera to songs from the shows.

The Mathieson Music Trust – The Mathieson Mission School was established in 1994, by Maestro Anup Kumar Biswas, it is a registered charity and was set up in memory of his guru, Father Theodore Mathieson, an Anglican priest from England. Father Mathieson of the Oxford Mission dedicated his entire life to the poor children of Bengal. After Mathieson’s death in 1994, Mr Biswas became his torchbearer, aiming to emulate his work and morals by helping children from the poorest families.

Mr Biswas wanted to give the opportunities he received through Father Mathieson’s generosity, to other children coming from impoverished backgrounds like his own. For 30 years, Mr Biswas has singlehandedly fundraised globally for the trust through concerts, classes, workshops, and other such events. Some key performances were in the presence of the late Queen Elizabeth II of England and King Charles III; the venues Mr Biswas has performed in range from the Royal Albert Hall (UK), The Carnegie Hall (USA), Commonwealth Institute (UK) and the Bayreuth Opera House (Germany) to name a few. The funds raised from these events have paid for the construction of the school buildings and their maintenance, resources, and teaching of the children. 

White Horse Opera warmly invite you to join them in celebrating the anniversary of The Mathieson Music Trust and all its accomplishments in the last 30 years .

Donations will be gratefully accepted on the night but tickets are needed for numbers for catering purposes, they are available from  Devizes Books. For more information on White Horse Opera, Here.

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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

REVIEW – White Horse Opera’s Gala Concert@ Devizes Town Hall – Saturday 7th October 2023

30 Years of The White Horse Opera

Andy Fawthrop

Such a pleasure to see White Horse Opera back in the saddle again after their illness-affected production of Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amour” at Lavington School last October had to be part-abandoned.  Tonight the cast were all dressed up in their finery and, I have to say, scrubbed up pretty well.  The opera-starved public of D-Town responded in kind, dressing up for the occasion and turning out in numbers to pack the Town Hall’s Assembly Room.

Although the concert was tinged with some sadness following the recent death of the company’s dear friend Graham Billing, who passed away in July after a brave battle against cancer, there was much to celebrate in this gala concert.  In a room festooned with posters and memorabilia of the last thirty years—worth of great productions, the company gave their all, augmented by several guest singers.  The programme, superbly curated and pulled together by soprano Jess Phillips, consisted of many highlights from those shows, and served to highlight the company’s ambition and the calibre of their achievements.

We were treated to piano overtures, arias, duets and choral pieces.  There were pieces from Puccini, Verdi, Rossini, Mozart, Bellini, Gounod, Gluck, Gilbert & Sullivan, Offenbach, Tchaikovsky, Lehar, Bizet, Donizetti, Strauss, and Saint-Saens.  Quite a line-up!  And it just goes to demonstrate the scope and the versatility of this very talented cast of amateur singers under the musical direction of Roland Melia.

The pianists – Dominic Irving and Tony James – provided perfect and flawless performances.  The stand-out singers for me were guests Carlos Alonso and Robert Felstead, together with several members of the regular company, particularly Chrissie Higgs, the dependable Lisa House, and alto Paula Boyagis.  That’s not to say that all of the soloists weren’t superb though!

This is a talented company, based in and around D-Town, so if you get the chance, go and see one of their productions – you won’t be disappointed!  The next opportunities to hear them are listed below.

Future WHO events:

Sat 9th Dec 2023                Christmas Concert                           11.30am St. Johns Church, Devizes

10th -12th April 2024         Puccini’s La Boheme                       Lavington School

More information on WHO is available at www.whitehorseopera.co.uk

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Opera Is Back! – The Elixir Of Love! – Go See This Show!

by Andy Fawthrop

We’ve said it before, and we feel no shame in saying it again, but we are incredibly lucky to have so many talented musical and dramatic companies on our doorstep.  White Horse Opera (WHO) is but one of these, a company packed with plenty of both talent and enthusiasm.  They’d previewed this week’s offering with a few early excerpts at their Spring Concert way back in March in Devizes Town Hall, which I also attended, but tonight’s dress rehearsal was a chance to see how the full operetta had panned out.…

And I have to say that it is a total and delightful success!  Regular readers will know that I’m no expert on opera, but it’s one of the musical forms that I do happen to love.  This particular 19th-century two-act comic opera production is a very accessible and easy-to-love piece, with some absolutely gorgeous music. 

The plot, as is fairly usual in any comic opera, is somewhat ludicrous and unbelievable.  Briefly – Nemorino, a poor peasant, is hopelessly in love with the beautiful Adina, a rich landowner.  Aware of his adoration, she torments him with her indifference and allows herself to be courted by the recently-arrived Captain Belcore.  Nemorino resorts to buying what he thinks is a love potion (in this case a cheap bottle of Bordeaux) from the shameless Dr. Dulcamara, but will it work to enable him to win her love?  That’s the set-up in the first act.

Will everything be resolved in the second act?…..well, you’ll have to come and see the production to find out!  Suffice to say that there are lots of twists and turns, deceptions, misunderstandings, a secret inheritance and plenty of improbabilities before everything is finally sorted out.

The opera, which essentially is about the triumph of sincerity over trickery and duplicity marks Matt Dauncey’s directorial debut, and he’s made a fine job of it.  He’s introduced some nice visual comedy into the production, but without obscuring the essential comedy of Donizetti’s plot.  It also features three big duets between the exciting lead tenor (Robert Felstead making his debut opera performance with WHO) and lead soprano (beautifully sung by the ever-reliable Lisa House).  There are other star turns too from Jon Paget as the dashing Captain Belcore and Stephen Grimshaw as the duplicitous Doctor Dulcamara.

For regular opera lovers, this show is an absolute must, and for those wondering about whether to dip their toes into the shallow waters of opera, this would be a cracking one to start with.  It’s very accessible – it’s sung in English and there are programme notes to guide you through the plot – but, more importantly it’s really well done.  To say that WHO is an amateur opera company is to somewhat undersell itself – what they deliver is an extremely polished and professional performance.  The opera itself is a delight, featuring lots of great songs and choruses, and it delivers a great night’s entertainment.

In summary the main reason you should go and see it is that it’s bloody good!

Tickets are still available for performances tonight (Wednesday), and for Friday and Saturday.

Future WHO events:

Sat 12th Nov 2022              Gilbert & Sullivan’s Ruddigore    7.30pm Hilperton Village Hall

Fri 25th Nov 2022               Top Of The Ops                                 7.30pm Holt United Reformed Church

Wed 14th Dec                     Christmas Concert                           7.30pm St. Johns Church, Devizes

More information on WHO is available at www.whitehorseopera.co.uk

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Featured image above by Gail Foster

It has been undeniably a variety music show at the Full Tone Festival this bank holiday weekend on the Green in Devizes, of tremendous proportions and matchless quality.

The stage I’ve previous dubbed “like something out of the Jetsons,” was once again erected, deckchair city assembled around it, with a bustling collection of food and drinks stalls beyond, and the sun with his hat on, shining down on all the shiny happy people.

It is a remarkable achievement and something to be truly proud of, to have here in our humble market town. The Full-Tone Orchestra taking their show to prestigious venues like Bath Abbey and Marlborough College, returned home, looking even more professional than ever. Conductor Anthony Brown waving his hands around like manual control of the world’s air traffic; it was, in a word, magical.

Highlights came thick and fast, Dominic Irving thrilled, heading a Tchaikovsky concerto on piano, for an opening of obligatory classical elements. The stage emptied as Will Foulstone took control of the keys, solo. Full Tone platforms young talent, like TikTok trumpeter Oli Parker, on Sunday, to an audience majority unlikely to know what TikTok is. Similarly, Will performed some videogame themes among Coldplay and contemporary pop, which is better in reality than it sounds to my generation bought up on ZX Spectrums or Mega Drives!

Will’s finale was an astounding cover of Elton John’s I’m Still Standing, and the orchestra realigned for a concentration of movie scores, largely dependent on the western themes of the late Ennio Morricone; liked this.

Then, BBC Introducing DJ skateboarder, James Threlfall took to digital wheels of steel and blasted the zone, and across the road to the chippy, with a set of contemporary and commercial high-energy house; lights came on blazing like the Green was the Ministry of Sound. Here is where I need to revert to my reviewing template, which resides on two major contributories. One is, did the event appease me personally, the second, more importantly is, did it do what it said “on the tin,” i.e., was it everything it posed to be. For the latter, the Full Tone Festival 2022 hit top marks, without a doubt. I watched the joy on hundreds of faces, as they danced the night away to James and the following Full-Tone Orchestra set of “nineties smash hits.”

The grand finale of Saturday night was certainly intrenched with nostalgia, perfected by an orchestra where no penny was left unexpended, no rehearsal was spent playing tiddlywinks, where the professionalism is first rate and the atmosphere was nothing short of sublime. The Full-Tone Festival was superb last year, this time around comes the typical stigma of a sequel, the “how can we ever top that” enquiry, and I’ve a duty to be honest, based upon the imperative Saturday evening, I’m not completely certain they did, on personal reflection, you understand?

Image: Gail Foster

Song choice at this conjunction was the only thing which let it down, for me. Started off okay, the Britpop beginning I can tolerate, but as it progressed to the pop hits of S Club 7, Britney Spears and Cher’s I Believe, et al, these, for me, were the excruciating pop slush of a generation below; I detested them at the time, and retain said detestation.

It was a far cry from the club anthems of last year’s, because that’s the point where creatively, electronic music technology truly challenged the orchestra. But, sigh, it’s all subjective, I told you about the hundreds of faces, didn’t I? They matter, it did what it said on the tin, with high gloss, it just wasn’t my cuppa.

Image: Gail Foster

I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to Sunday’s extension, we don’t all have bank holidays y’ know? But I can rest assured with the years of rock n roll experience of Pete Lamb’s Heartbeats, Kirsty Clinch’s angelic country vocals, and the fact Jonathan Antoine has been done BGT, it’d have been alright on the night.

Image: Gail Foster

Feedback on the orchestra’s big band showcase has been fantastic, with particular praise of vocalist Will Sexton. On opera, spellbinding local soprano who could turn even me to opera, Chloe Jordan, said, “it was my dream to sing ‘Song to the Moon ‘Resulka with an orchestra. Thank you so much to The Full Tone Orchestra for allowing that dream to come true!” And that, in a nutshell, is the kingpin to assessing this spectacular; if dreams come true there, you can’t argue how special an occasion it was.

Image: Gail Foster

Though the headcount was slightly lesser-so than last year’s, trouble to many events this, as a sad reflection on economic issues, here’s hoping this awesome weekend on the Green will be enough to convince Full Tone to make this a permanent fixture on our event calendar. Devizes loves you Full Tone, that much is certain.

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REVIEW: White Horse Opera’s Spring Concert @ The Town Hall, Devizes – Friday 18th March 2022

Opera Is Back!

by Andy Fawthrop

Friday was a beautiful, sunny day with clear blue skies, and it finally felt as if we were sloughing off the darker days of Winter.  The daffs and the snow-drops are out, which always makes it feel that Spring is well under way.  White Horse Opera couldn’t have timed things any better for their Spring Concert, and it was good of them to have ordered up such great weather.

Advertising for this event had been much better, and a virtually full room was the clear reward for that extra effort.  The audience were treated to a veritable selection box of operatic delights over a couple of hours, featuring items from Verdi, Puccini, Donizetti, Handel and Mozart in a dazzling first half.  Guest tenor Robert Felstead blended with the in-house company on several items, and was ably accompanied by solos from Paula Boyagis, Barbara Gompels, Charles Leeming and Lisa House.  The highlight for me was The Humming Chorus from Puccini’s Madame Butterfly beautifully rendered not on the stage, but from the close confines of the ante-chamber at the back of the room – very atmospheric!

The second half featured items from Donizetti and Rossini, but was mostly given over to my personal favourites – Gilbert & Sullivan.  There was one item from The Mikado, beautifully sung by Lisa House, but then several helpings of songs from Ruddigore (the operetta which will feature in WHO’s main 2022 programme).  Jon Paget and Jessica Phillips shared a charming duet, and there were strong performances from Charles Leeming and every one of the sopranos.

A delightful concert in a beautiful room.  Spring is back – and so is opera!

Future WHO events:

Spring 2022                                        Ruddigore                                           7.30pm Venues TBA

26th, 28th & 29th Oct 2022          L’elisir d’amore                                 7.30pm Lavington School

More information on WHO is available at www.whitehorseopera.co.uk

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REVIEW – White Horse Opera’s Christmas Concert, including Faure’s Requiem @ St John’s Church, Devizes – Saturday 18th December 2021

Chilly Church Concert

Andy Fawthrop

I’m not sure why White Horse Opera are so shy of publicity, but I’d seen very little on social media that this event was even taking place.  Trusting that it was still on, I rocked up at the appointed time, and sure enough there was a gathering of those in the know.  The church was only about half full, and surely would have had a much bigger turn-out if there had been more advertising?  Given all the hard work that goes into rehearsal to produce these concerts to a very high standard, could I tactfully and very gently suggest that they work a bit harder on telling people about what they are doing? (They do usually contact us with news of forthcoming events, although not on this occasion, Andy; Ed.)

St John’s is wonderful old church, built and re-modelled at several stages through the ages, and makes for a challenging concert space.  The main body of the church, housing the pews with the masked-up audience, has a very high vaulted ceiling which creates a very big space to fill.  It also makes it difficult to heat at this time of the year, and I noticed that everyone was keeping their coats on.  So something of a chilly start.

The first half of the concert was a performance of Faure’s Requiem in D minor, Op. 48, composed in the late 19th century.  It’s a choral setting of the shortened Catholic Mass for the Dead in Latin, with a focus on eternal rest and consolation.  On this occasion the choral singers were accompanied only by solo piano played by Tony James.

I have to admit that this was a piece I was not familiar with, and (being honest) not one I’d have chosen as part of a Christmas concert.  Whilst delivered beautifully, voices soaring up into those lofty rafters, you can’t get away from the fact that it’s a very sombre piece.  Given the subject matter, that’s hardly surprising.  I personally found it rather difficult to follow and to enjoy, and was glad when the applause finally signalled that we had reached the interval.  Sorry – it’s not possible to enjoy everything, and this particular work didn’t really float my boat.

Unfortunately I had to leave at that point, as I had somewhere else to be, but hopefully the carols promised in the second half would have been more cheerful and uplifting.

Future WHO events:

Sat 8th Jan 2022                               Top of the Ops                                   7.30pm West Lavington Village Hall

Spring 2022                                        Ruddigore                                           7.30pm Venues TBA

26th, 28th & 29th Oct 2022          L’elisir d’amore                                 7.30pm Lavington School

More information on WHO is available at www.whitehorseopera.co.uk

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REVIEW – White Horse Opera’s Top Of The Ops @Town Hall, Devizes – Friday 29th October 2021

Love Potions & Family Curses

by Andy Fawthrop

Another sign that things are slowly getting back to normal was the re-emergence on Friday night of the rarely-seen, but very talented, White Horse Opera with their first post-Covid presentation of the dodgily-titled show “Top Of The Ops” in the splendid surroundings of Devizes Town Hall.  I think the title was meant to be a play on words involving the word “opera”, but never mind.

The two-hour-plus show featured excerpts from two comic operas – Donizetti’s “L’Elisir D’Amore” (the Elixir of Love) and Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Ruddigore”, together with several other pieces.  The purpose in selecting these two particular operas was to highlight the fact that the company are planning to perform them both in full in 2022 – the Donizetti next October, and the G&S as a bookable touring production for local venues from Spring onwards.

But on Friday night (also reprised on Saturday night), the emphasis was on presenting a rich selection of items, and to get singing once more in front of a paying audience.  We kicked off with guest tenor Carlos Alonso leading the charge into the Donizetti, with strong support from in-house principals Lisa House and Stephen Grimshaw.  And before we reached the interval we had highlights from Mozart, Saint-Saens, Bizet, Gounod, and Borodin amongst others.  Paula Boyagis and Barbara Gompels were the stand-out performers here.

The Town Hall is a splendid venue for this sort of music, with its high ceiling, great acoustics, and plush formal decoration.  The only minor problem is the chandelier-based lighting, which makes it difficult to dim the lights in the audience whilst leaving the action on stage well-illuminated.  But this is a tiny quibble when compared to the overall glory of the historic surroundings.

On to the second half, which took more of a sideways step in its selection of items.  A particular highlight for me was Lewis Cowen’s rendition of Tom Lehrer’s “Masochism Tango”, which I discovered I was still nearly word-perfect on, but that’s just my particular perversion.  We also had pieces from Flanders & Swann, Kismet, West Side Story, and Little Shop of Horrors.  But the key pieces were from Gilbert & Sullivan’s fantastical comic opera “Ruddigore”, a particular favourite of mine.  This featured some nice solos from Chrissie Higgs and Jess Phillips, but with strong and fulsome support from the whole company.  Pianist Tony James, the sole musician, was impeccable in providing bright and upbeat accompaniment.

So by the end of the evening we were all au fait (and very well-acquainted!) with such musical technical terms as glissando (sliding from one note to another) and colatura (elaborate ornamentation).  I’m no expert, and couldn’t carry a tune if you gave me a large bucket, but I know what I like when I hear it, and I definitely liked all of tonight’s performance.  Not only did it sound good, but it was obvious that the performers were enjoying themselves, and the packed audience certainly appreciated it.  Great night out & amazingly good value for a tenner!

Future WHO events:

18th December                                 Fauré ‘s Requiem/ Christmas Concert7.30pm St John’s Church Devizes

Sat 8th Jan 2022                               Top of the Ops                                   7.30pm West Lavington Village Hall

Spring 2022                                        Ruddigore                                           7.30pm Venues TBA

26th, 28th & 29th Oct 2022          L’elisir d’amore                                 7.30pm Lavington School

More information on WHO is available at www.whitehorseopera.co.uk

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Top of the Ops; White Horse Opera are Thrilled to be Back

White Horse Opera are thrilled to be back rehearsing for their forthcoming concert. They will be singing in a wonderful Gala Concert Devizes Town Hall on Friday 29th & Saturday 30th October at 7.30pm

A blend of Operatic Favourites and well known Songs from the Shows with Guest Tenor Carlos Alonso to thrill you with his amazing arias.

Tickets only £10 from Devizes Books 01380-725944 or online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/whitehorseopera

PREVIEW: White Horse Opera’s production of Bizet’s Carmen @ Lavington School – Wednesday 30th October, Friday 1st November and Saturday 2nd November 2019

This Opera Is For You!

Andy Fawthrop

Carmen is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet, based on an original story by Prosper Merimee, first performed in 1875. It is written in the genre of opéra comique, with musical numbers separated by dialogue, and it shocked its early audiences with its breaking of social conventions. Nowadays it is one of the most popular, and frequently-performed, operas in the classical canon. And, of course, it features two very famous arias – the Habanera, and the Toreador Song.

It is set in southern Spain and tells the story of the downfall of Don José, a naïve soldier who is seduced by the wiles of the fiery gypsy Carmen. José abandons his childhood sweetheart and deserts from his military duties, yet loses Carmen’s love to the glamorous torero Escamillo, after which José kills her in a jealous rage. The depictions of proletarian life, immorality, and lawlessness, and the tragic death of the main character on stage, broke new ground in French opera and were highly controversial at the time.

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So – what have White Horse Opera done with this absolute classic of an opera? First up they’ve kept it simple. There are just four backdrops to represent the four locations of the four acts, the costumes are modern and unfussy, and there are very few props. This allows the music, the singing and the acting to speak for itself. It’s also sung in English to keep it very accessible. Even the orchestra is a stripped-back unit of only seven musicians + conductor.

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Stand-out performances came from all the leads – there are no weak links here – Paula Boyagis as Carmen, Phillip Borge as Don Jose, Jon Paget as Escamillo, Barbara Gompels as Micaela, Brian Brooks as Zuniga and Graham Billing as Morales. But the cast has strength in depth, with some fine support work from Jess Phillips, Bryony Cox, Lisa House, Stephen Grimshaw and Robin Lane. The only wooden thing on the stage (making a key contribution to Act 2) was one of the benches from The Vaults!

I enjoyed the production a lot. It had pace, passion and a great freshness. Why wouldn’t you? – the story involves love, smuggling, jealousy, seduction, and death! Definitely worth the trip out to Lavington School.

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Ticket sales have been strong, but there are still some tickets left for the three performance – tonight (Wednesday 30th Oct), Friday 1st November and Saturday 2nd November. NOTE – there is NO performance on Thursday night.

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Please seek permission from the Devizine site and any individual author, artist or photographer before using any content on this website. Unauthorised usage of any images or text is forbidden.

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Bizet’s Carmen at Lavington

White Horse Opera will be performing Bizet’s Carmen at Lavington School Wed 30th Oct, Fri 1st & Sat 2nd Nov at 7.30pm.

The secret of Carmen’s success is its excitingly exotic setting in and around magical Seville, its devastatingly passionate story charting the downfall of two people pole-axed by love, and the ravishing music whose impact is both immediate and lasting.

Paula Boyagis plays the fiery, seductive gypsy Carmen, Don José is being played by Phillip Borge who is flying in specially from Gibraltar! Barbara Gompels plays Micaela, his childhood sweetheart. The dashing bullfighter Escamillo will be played by Jon Paget.

Fully staged sung in English with an excellent professional orchestra.

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Tickets on sale now from Devizes Books and online at
www.ticketsource.co.uk/whitehorseopera

Book early to avoid disappointment.

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PREVIEW – White Horse Opera sing Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Mikado” – Saturday 15th June @ St Mary’s Church, Devizes

A Bit of Nanki-Poo in The Vize

By Andy Fawthrop

 

Do you like opera? What about “light” opera? With rather a lot of comedy thrown in? Good – because you’re really going to love this!

Last night I was privileged to attend the full dress rehearsal for “The Mikado” by the splendid White Horse Opera company. I was expecting something perhaps still a little rough round the edges, maybe the odd fluffed line, the occasional note or cue to be missed, but there was really none of that. The company had been rehearsing for months, had chosen their principals carefully, and were absolutely up for it.

Yet again – another gem in the entertainment crown of Devizes – we are so lucky to have these people doing this stuff!

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This particular bit of nonsense, a “comic opera” in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and words by W.S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaboration, opened in March 1885, in London, where it ran at the Savoy Theatre for 672 performances, the second-longest run for any work of musical theatre, and one of the longest runs of any theatre piece up to that time. Since then it’s been translated into numerous languages, and is one of the most frequently played musical theatre pieces in history. The setting is Japan, an exotic locale far away from Britain, which allowed Gilbert to satirise British politics and institutions more freely by disguising them as Japanese. And the company has done an excellent job of the now-traditional exercise in updating the lyrics of some songs to reflect politics Britain in 2019. Particularly pointed was Ko-Ko’s (The Lord High Executioner’s) song about who he’d like to execute (“I’ve got a little list, and they’ll none of them be missed”).

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It’s always difficult, and sometimes a little invidious, to pick out individual performances but I think it’s worth mentioning particularly Graham Billing, who delivered a hilariously nervous and dithering Ko-Ko, Charles Leeming as a wonderfully pompous and self-important Pooh-Bar (Lord High Everything Else), Lisa House as Yum-Yum, and the resilient Ian Diddams, playing The Mikado splendidly as a power-crazed modern dictator. But there were strong performances all round, from every member of the cast. It was so obvious that they were thoroughly enjoying what they do, delivering a top-notch production.

I’m not going to give the plot away, nor would I even attempt to summarise the complicated ins and outs leading to the hilarious denouement – suffice to say that the story is stuffed with disguises, mistaken identities, the fickleness of emotions, and the usual human drivers of fear and greed. The main characters ham it up splendidly, and deliver the songs with confidence and panache, squeezing every last drop of comedy out of the script.

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Given that it’s performed in modern dress, sung in English, and is a laugh-a-minute, it’s completely accessible and enjoyable. So, even if you thought that you didn’t like “opera”, I can assure you that you are going to love this. Thoroughly entertaining stuff!

It’s going to be performed on Saturday 15th June at St Mary’s church at 7.30pm. Tickets are an absolute bargain at only a tenner, and are available via Ticketsource or the company’s website at
https://whitehorseopera.co.uk/

mik

Future productions by WHO include:

• Wednesday 30th Oct to Saturday 2nd November @ Lavington School – Bizet’s “Carmen”
• Tuesday 17th December – venue TBA – Christmas Concert
• Friday 20th March 2020 – venue TBA – Spring Concert

And if you’re interested in getting involved yourself, whether singing, playing or behind the scenes, just head over to their website. You can also support them by becoming a “Friend” of the company for £20 p.a. Remember – they are an amateur company, supported by volunteer efforts and by voluntary contributions from their supporters.

 

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A Night At The Opera!

 

The White Horse Opera’s Magic Flute, Reviewed by Andy Fawthrop

 

No – not a night with the Marx Brothers or a Queen concert, but an actual night at the opera! And in Devizes too – well it was Lavington School actually (no passport required) – to see the wonderful White Horse Opera’s 2018 production of Mozart’s most-loved opera The Magic Flute.

 
This two-act opera is a classic tale of good and evil, of love and loss, serpents, fairies, magical queens, spirits, sorcerers, castles, magic flutes and….well, you get the picture. Just the normal, classic stuff of your average opera.

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And this production was bang on. Well sung, well acted and well (musically) played by a dedicated (and very talented) company of amateurs, this was an extremely enjoyable night. By singing in English, using modern dress and a minimalist set, the team made the story accessible and easy to follow for a non-opera buff like myself. Mozart’s music, as ever, is light and lyrical. The libretto is straight-forward, eschewing the usual long miserable and repetitive arias so favoured by some composers, so things move along quite briskly.

 
Particular shout-outs last night:

 
• to Matthew Bawden who, playing the lead role of Tamino, had only taken up and rehearsed the role within the last ten days or so when his predecessor had to drop out due to unforeseen circumstances. He sang and acted well, betraying no sign whatsoever of being short of practice;

 
• to Barbara Gompels, playing the Queen of the Night, (not for the first time in her career) for her pitch-perfect delivery of some of Mozart’s most demanding soprano parts;
• to Chrissie Higgs for not only shuffling around the stage playing a shambling old lady in one of the chorus parts (frighteningly convincing!) but for the fact that she directed the whole production;

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But, to be honest, I didn’t spot any weak links at all – either in the cast or in the orchestra. A fine all-round production.

 
White Horse Opera is based in Devizes and was founded back in 1990. It produces both static and touring versions of many classic operas. It’s supported through sponsorship, fund-raising events and by ‘Friends’ of the Company. It’s all done on a voluntary, amateur basis – which makes it worthy of everyone’s support. It’s yet another jewel in Devizes’ crown.

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This production has its last two performances tomorrow (Friday) and on Saturday, for which there are still just a few tickets left. So, if you haven’t already done so, make plans to get yourself out to Lavington and have yourself a great night out! And – reviewer’s tip here – get yourself one of the padded seats!

 

White Horse Opera Website

 

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