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What they had to say about Macbeth:

19/9/2019

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from one of our soloists: "I had an absolutely wonderful experience with Duchy Opera. It was indeed one of the most amazing experiences I ever had on stage. And everything contributed to that, the production itself, the venue, the whole cast (principal and chorus), the directors, the atmosphere, the accommodation, the hosts. Communication was also great, all the time, and I'm amazed how you managed the logistics of all that. "
from members of the audience: "Wednesday night's performance was magnificent and thoroughly enjoyed"
"A brilliant show"
"We brought three friends to the matinee performance of Macbeth at The Minack, yesterday afternoon, and WE LOVED IT!
 
Right from the word “Go”, the witches were superb, with their cackling gyrations and impeccable diction, to say nothing of the precise percussion of their beating sticks (I know that took some practice!). The men did so well too, despite their relatively few numbers. I loved the solution to the disposal of the branches from Birnam Wood: heave them over the rampart: so simple, yet so practical. The potential problem that concerned me most was how convincing would it be to have Macduff on crutches killing a fit and healthy Macbeth, but, in fact, it didn’t appear to be a problem at all – we just accepted that Macduff was crippled and his stabbing of Macbeth on stage was fast and efficient, without the difficulty of a protracted duel.
 
 All the principals were excellent, including those from the Company, again with clear diction and voices which rose easily to the very top row of the audience, where we were sitting. The orchestra was very good and there was never a moment when it drowned the singers. I thought the costumes were very effective, particularly the hooded apparitions and the parade of kings.
 
 In short, this is a production of which Duchy Opera can feel justly proud and a great tribute to all your hard work.
 
Well done!"
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Fantastic review of our current production

10/7/2019

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from the Minack website: https://www.minack.com/review-13-copy-2/
Verdi’s Macbeth – Review
​DUCHY OPERA
REVIEWED BY JENNI BALOW

"What folly! If only Macbeth had shrugged aside the dubious prediction made by a cackling group of witch-hags that he could be King of Scotland, a tragedy might have been averted, but Shakespeare didn’t see it that way.

Neither did Giuseppe Verdi, the Italian composer who had heard the tale, and reckoned “this tragedy is one of the greatest creations of man”, as he set about expressing the dark horror of a murderous pursuit for power, through music.
He proudly premiered his work in Florence in 1847, where it was well received and later adapted, before being almost forgotten for more than a century. Now it has been revived, particularly successfully by the English Touring Opera this season.

So the Duchy Opera’s timing is perfect, because this passionate, brooding piece is being talked about again, and here, with a stunning international cast of supreme singers, director Angela Agutter Thomas has set out a high class production.

The stage is bleakly bare, the king’s pennant flutters despondently, the only spectacle comes from the voices of the principal singers, and a retinue of turbaned courtiers, soldiers in feathered tam-o-shanters, tartan townsfolk, cut-throats and refugees, whose fine individual voices harmonised with energy.

On the first night, Armenian Arshak Kuzikyan, who also sang the title role with ETO in Cambridge, tugged at our hearts, both vulnerable and magnificent alongside the formidable Sera Baines, whose searing soprano voice equalled her ambitions for her king.

She is sure and driven, he is at first reluctant to bloody his hands, and soon it will be too late for guilt and anguish.
Australian tenor Thomas Birch thrilled as a powerful-lunged Macduff, complimenting Ed Hawkins playing Banquo, also fresh from the ETO production. He is a musician who came late to singing. Glad that he did.

And then we have the talented Toshi Ogita from Japan, a third year scholar at Truro Cathedral, playing Malcolm, with a fine future ahead of him, and local soprano Jessica Chantler, superbly singing in her first principal role.
There is only one quibble, I really disliked the fake horror masks worn by the 16 witches. Surely wild hair and clever make-up would have been more appropriate? Disconcertingly, their cackles quickly became the sweetest of voices, in three-part harmony.

On the other hand, the ghostly procession of Banquo’s royal descendants wearing classical simple white masks, exactly matched the tone of the production.
​
The key to the success of the piece was, of course, the deft musical direction of Timothy Dean, with his fine orchestra, chorus master Clive Ellison, hand sewn costumes by Sheila Collins, Wendy and Derek Elliott, and lighting by Ben Blaber.
Incidentally, real history tells us that King Macbeth of Scotland reigned from 1040 to 1057, after his troops killed King Duncan in battle."
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Auditions for Verdi's Macbeth

28/10/2018

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What we are doing
Following successful sold-out performances at the Minack open air theatre in 2017,
Duchy Opera will be performing Verdi’s opera Macbeth at the same venue in July 2019.
 
Performance dates
Sunday July 7th (Dress Rehearsal before a small audience)                    
Monday July 8th to Friday 12th 8pm (Five evening performances)
Tuesday 9th and Thursday 11th 2pm (matinee performances).
Principal roles will be double cast so only four performances will be required.                                 
 
Our opera will be a traditional production.
We will be performing in English using the Kalmus score with the unpublished Andrew Porter translation commissioned by ETO.
 
Our Director will be Angela Agutter Thomas (director of Duchy Opera’s Marriage of Figaro, Cosi Fan Tutte, Don Giovanni, Madame Butterfly and The Merry Wives of Windsor 2018).
Conductor is Timothy Dean, Music Director of Duchy Opera, previously Music and Artistic Director of British Youth Opera and Head of Opera at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.  
​
If you wish to audition
Please contact Duchy Opera via this link  and we will send you details. You will then be asked to submit your current CV with a recent photo, along with your name, address and contact details.
You may wish to add links to your website and audio/YouTube files.
Auditions for principal roles will be held on Saturday December 15th and Saturday January 12th (both, daytime only) at Feock Methodist Chapel near Truro. Please specify your preferred date.

Audition pieces: (any edition, in English or Italian. We will perform in English).
Macbeth
1) Act 1 recitative ‘Sappia la sposa mia...up to Lady Macbeth's entrance
2) Act 3 ‘Gran scena delle Apparizioni’ including aria ‘Fuggi, regal…’
3) Act 4 Recitative and aria ‘Perfidi….Pieta, rispetto, onore’.
Lady Macbeth
1) Act 1 ‘Vieni! T’affretta!... and cabaletta ‘Or tutti sorgete’
2) Act 2 ‘La luce langue’
3) Act 4 Sleepwalking scene ‘Una macchia’
Macduff
Act 4 recitative and aria ‘O figli miei...Ah la paterna mano’
Banquo
Act 2 recitative and aria ‘Studia il passo….Come dal ciel precipito’
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