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Good Review of our "Merry Wives of Windsor"

9/6/2018

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Duchy Opera: The Merry Wives of Windsor: Burrell Theatre Truro: 30 May 2018
There was much to enjoy in every department of Duchy Opera’s latest production of Otto Nicolai’s opera buffa, The Merry Wives of Windsor, which was imaginatively directed by Angela Agutter Thomas: singing, acting, staging, costumes and accompaniment.
As in previous years, including their last very successful production of La Traviata, the company wisely invited professionals from elsewhere to join local talent for roles they cannot fill. Richard Woodall was an impressive Mr Page, and especially noteworthy, Matthew Palmer as the suspicious Mr Ford.
​Whether the soprano professional, Caroline Childe, could be classed as a visitor, we shall hopefully see now that she has come here to live after a distinguished career but as Mistress Ford, she has possibly the largest role in the opera and her singing and acting were superb.
The other ‘out of county’ newcomers for this production were the tenor Arthur Swan, as the penniless lover, Fenton, who in the final scene gets to marry the Pages’ daughter, Anne, sung by Rachel Phillips. Their duet charmingly contributed to the happy finale.
Others from the company who effectively completed the cast were Sue Lancaster as Mistress Page (her duet with Caroline in Act 1 was justly applauded); the alto Sheila Collins took the traditional bass role (not as a singer!) and was splendidly foppish as the French dandy, Dr Caius, wearing an extraordinary, colourful costume. Her rival for Anne’s hand was Slender, laudably sung by the tenor Bruce Cross. Completing the cast there was, almost inevitably, John Hobbs as the larger than life, Falstaff. Despite the indignities he suffers at the hands of the scheming Wives, he clearly enjoyed himself. He seems to have been in the company for ever and never fails to impress in the variety of roles he has taken. It is not only his acting and fine bass voice that commends him, but his diction. One can always hear every word – a lesson for many others in the company. The musical director, Paul Drayton, intends to put down the baton after this; he will be difficult to replace. We may see him in performances as the conductor, but his work beforehand in rehearsing the soloists and especially the chorus has always been thorough.
Patiently getting them to sing with confidence and robustly resulted in the best performance that I can remember. The score for two electronic pianos provided a very suitable substitute for the orchestra well executed by Antony Trodd at the top end and Suzanne Brodie for the bass.
The Edwardian (?) costumes were fitting, colourful for Falstaff and especially for the French dandy, Dr. Caius. For a touring production, visiting smaller venues than the Burrell Theatre, the scenery, well lit, was imaginative and adequate (Sheila and Paul Collins). The central tree, made barren with the foliage removed for the ‘spirits’ was ingenious. It was, however, this final scene in Windsor forest that was the weakest in the direction with too many spirits for the stage, however spookily lit, and the movements of Falstaff, Slender and Dr Caius lacked conviction. But overall, this was a memorable production in which the whole company can be proud.
Eric Dare
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Comic Opera coming your way!!

17/5/2018

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Not long now to our #NIGHT AT THE #OPERA. Will you be there?

The Merry Wives of Windsor will be visiting Perranporth  (Weds 23rd May)
& St Austell (Thurs 24th).

Truro and Penzance performances are the following week at Truro Burrell Theatre (Weds 30th May) & Penzance Penwith College Zennor Theatre (Thurs 31st). 

​The last two venues are Bude (Sat 2nd Jun) and Falmouth (Thurs 7th June).

​If it's Thursday it's Merry Wives of Windsor night!


Tickets £15 (£7.50 under 18s)
Book at CRBO Phone 01726 879500
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Merry Wives of Windsor PRE-TOUR ILLUSTRATED TALK

13/3/2018

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"Shakespeare in Opera"
Pre-tour illustrated talk to be given by Paul Drayton
on May 12th 2.30 - 5pm
​Venue: Truro High School ​
(
Piran Performing Arts Centre)
Cost: £7. Apply for registration HERE
Many composers (not just English ones) have fallen under the spell of Shakespeare.  Berlioz, Gounod and Verdi are perhaps the best-known. 

Paul Drayton will take a closer look at some key scenes in Nicolai's sparkling comedy
The Merry Wives of Windsor, Duchy Opera's current production.  This German treatment will be compared with an Italian approach to the same story by Verdi in his final masterpiece Falstaff. 

Doomed love will be represented by Gounod's
Romeo et Juliette and magical fantasy by Britten's 1960 opera A Midsummer Night's Dream.  We hope to understand more of the way in which librettists and composers of the 19th / 20th centuries have given Jacobean drama a fresh lease of life on the operatic stage.
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Tickets now on sale for "Merry Wives of Windsor"

2/3/2018

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Tickets are now on sale from
Cornish Riviera Box Office  (website) 

By Phone (01726) 879 500


Or Call in to Tourist Offices
displayed here: 

http://www.crbo.co.uk/index.php


Ticket prices in advance :
Standard : £15.00
Under18s : £7.50
(unnumbered seats)

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The Merry Wives of Windsor

20/2/2018

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Arthur Swan coming to the South West soon

13/2/2018

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We are pleased to announce that Arthur Swan, who played the role of Alfredo in last year's production of La Traviata in Falmouth and at the Minack, will be in the southwest for two concerts in March and April.  He will be joined by soloist Cheryl Brendish in the March Rossini concert.

​Arthur will also be singing the role of Fenton in our 2018 production of the Merry Wives of Windsor, which will tour Cornwall in May and June.

Saturday 24th March, with the North Devon Choral Society at St Michael and All Angels Church, (Great) Torrington, which is best approached via the A30, turning off at Launceston, then via Holsworthy to Torrington, a journey of approx. 2 hours from Truro.
The concert starts at 7.30 p.m. and tickets, at £15, are available from Janet Sharp, 01805 628262, [email protected] , and at the door.
Programme: Petite Messe Solenelle by Rossini, with choir of approx. 120 voices + 4 soloists + piano and organ

Saturday 21st April, with the South Devon Choir at Central Church, Tor Hill Road, Torquay, at 7.30 p.m.
Tickets, at £12, are available from Jennie Litt, 01803 846058; on the door
or online at www.southdevonchoir.org/tickets
Programme: Stabat Mater by Rossini
Messa di Gloria by Puccini, with choir of approx. 80 voices + 4 soloists + orchestra

All these works, as I’m sure you know, are very operatic in nature, particularly in the solo work, which will suit Arthur very well indeed; in fact he counts them all among his favourites!

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Merry Wives of Windsor tour 2018

27/11/2017

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23 May - Perranporth: Memorial Hall ​(changes to schedule made 27/11/17)
24 May - St Austell: Arts Centre ​(changes to schedule made 27/11/17)
30 May - Truro: Burrell Theatre
31 May - Penzance: Zennor Theatre, Penwith College
2 June  - Bude: Parkhouse Centre
7 June  - Falmouth: Princess Pavilion

​Booking has not yet opened - watch this space.
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Update on audition requirements

30/10/2017

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​As the opera includes spoken dialogue you will also be asked to prepare a piece of dialogue that involves your character.
Libretto pages:
​
Falstaff pp. 144 & 224
​
Mr Ford pp. 178 & 224
Mr Page pp. 178 & 224
Fenton 224
Slender 224
​Dr Caius 224
Mrs Ford (Alice) 144, 178 & 224
Mrs Page (Meg) 144, 178 & 224
​Anne Page 178 & 224
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Touring dates and venues for Merry Wives of Windsor 2018

20/10/2017

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23 May - Perranporth: Village Hall ​(changes to schedule made 27/11/17)
24 May - St Austell: Arts Centre ​(changes to schedule made 27/11/17)
30 May - Truro: Burrell Theatre
31 May - Penzance: Penwith College
2 June  - Bude: Parkhurst Centre
7 June  - Falmouth: Princess Pavilion

​Booking has not yet opened - watch this space.
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News of Merry Wives of Windsor auditions (updated 30/10/17)

27/9/2017

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Our 2018 touring production will be
Nicolai's Merry Wives of Windsor


Performance dates will be between May 23rd to June 6th 2018 at the following venues: (to be confirmed shortly)
​
St Austell Arts Centre
Perranporth
Bude
Truro
Penwith College Penzance
Falmouth Princess Pavilion

​Auditions will be held on December 2nd at Feock Chapel.
​See below for audition pieces.

Pages refer to the Schirmer vocal score (trans. Josef Blatt)

FALSTAFF   BASS       pp. 55 – 57 103 – 108
MR FORD   BARITONE       121 – 124 145 – 150
MR PAGE   BASS      33 – 36
FENTON   TENOR      129 – 131
SLENDER   TENOR      125 – 126
DR CAIUS   BASS      127 – 129
MRS FORD (ALICE)   SOPRANO      46 – 53
MRS PAGE (MEG)   MEZZO-SOPRANO      175 – 177 (225 – 230)

ANNE PAGE   SOPRANO      179 – 186
As the opera includes spoken dialogue you will also be asked to prepare a piece of dialogue that involves your character.
Libretto pages:
​
Falstaff pp. 144 & 224
​
Mr Ford pp. 178 & 224
Mr Page pp. 178 & 224
Fenton 224
Slender 224
​Dr Caius 224
Mrs Ford (Alice) 144, 178 & 224
Mrs Page (Meg) 144, 178 & 224
​Anne Page 178 & 224


​Applications should be made via the Contact Form on this website and application forms submitted by 20/11/2017
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