Barn Theatre Oxted - November
2003
a comic opera by
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Cosi Fan Tutte
 |
a Starlight Opera UK production
Cosi Fan Tutte
Comic Opera in Two Acts: Text by Lorenzo da Ponte: Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Music Director Francis Griffin: Set and Costume Design Jane Wyatt: Director Joe St.Johanser: Producer Jackie Shearer: Rehearsal Pianist Sheila Blow: Choreography Michael and Ruth Howard: Lighting Matt Valentine: Stage Manager Mike Sutton: Deputy Stage Manager Brian Legg: New English Translation Joe St.Johanser
**** CAST ****
Thursday and Saturday. Wednesday and Friday
Fiordiligi - soprano Helen Whittington Helen Whittington
lady from Ferrara, residing
in Naples, sister of Dorabella
Dorabella - mezzo-soprano Alexandra Dorman Olivia Shrive
lady from Ferrara, sister
of Fiordiligi
Guglielmo - baritone David Stuart Paul Charrier
officer, in love with Fiordiligi
Ferrando - tenor William Molesworth Magnus Vigilius
officer, in love with Dorabella
Despina - soprano Fiona MacPherson Debbie Bridge
chambermaid of the ladies
Don Alfonso - baritone David Ubaka Nigel Evans-Thompson
an old philosopher
Chorus Dreen Legg, Elizabeth Griffin and The Other Cast
soldiers, servants, sailors,
wedding guests, populace
The action takes place in Naples
Biographies
Debbie Bridge - Soprano.
Canadian-born, Debbie was educated at the University of British Columbia, where she won scholarships for further study in Salzburg under Kirsten Meyer and in Germany under Sena Jurinac. Currently living in Brighton, Debbie has sung the roles Fraskita (Carmen), Lady Billows, (Albert Herring), Susannah (The Marriage of Figaro), Virtue and Valletto (The Coronation of Poppea), the Lady in Waiting (Macbeth), Musetta (La Boheme), Casilda (The Gondoliers) and Rosalinda (Die Fledermaus). She’s also sung with the D’Oyly Carte 'HMS Pinafore' and has been privileged to perform at the Weiner Saal, in Salzburg during the world famous Festival season. She has worked in the West End of London at the Savoy Theatre and the Royal Festival Hall. and has performed at both the Brighton and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals. Debbie regularly does solo concerts and recitals and a variety of oratorio work., singing a wide range of styles of music from Monteverdi to Modern. In addition to her performing work, Debbie teaches privately and conducts workshops/masterclasses with both adults and children.
Paul Charrier - Baritone.
Paul read music at London University and studied singing at the Royal College of Music. His extensive UK appearances as a soloist, include engagements at the Edinburgh Festival and St David’s Hall Cardiff. Abroad, with the Northern Sinfonia in Saõ Paulo, and on national radio in the USA. He has recorded Finzi 'Lo, the Full, Final Sacrifice' with the Finzi Singers, Walton 'The Twelve' with the choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, and Bernstein 'Chichester Psalms' with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Recent concert performances include Stainer’s Crucifixion, Handel’s Messiah and the Mozart Requiem. In opera, he has appeared as the Tesorier in Verdi's 'Un Giorno di Regno' with Aquarian Opera, and created the role of Danny in 'Spem', by Joe St.Johanser. Other roles include Morales (Carmen), Guglielmo (Così fan Tutte), Frank (Die Fledermaus) and Silvano (Un Ballo in Maschera). In addition, Paul has sung with several noted ensembles - the Taverner Consort, The Sixteen and the BBC Singers, to name but three - touring extensively in the USA and Europe.
Alexandra Dorman - Mezzo Soprano
Alexandra began singing at twenty two while studying music at Liverpool University. She then returned to London to continue her training and two years ago took part on The Knack, an opera course run by the Baylis Programme at ENO and led by Mary King. She is now studying with Elizabeth Ritchie and has coaching with Antony Saunders, Tanya Ronder and Ingrid Surgenor.. Over the last year she has given several recitals at St Mary’s Bryanstone Square, Marylebone and she has performed as an oratorio soloist singing Vivaldi’s Gloria, Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Dvorak’s Mass in D. As part of Morley Opera last year she performed the roles of Carmen, Sextus (Julius Caesar), Madame Larina (Eugene Onegin) and Cherubino (The Marriage of Figaro) in their opera scenes. Recently Alexandra performed the role of Maddelena in Sevenoak’s production of Rigoletto, in the chorusof L’Arlesiana with Opera Holland park and in the chorus of The Magic Flute with British Youth Opera. Forthcoming engagements include the role of Madame Larina, in Tchaikovsky’s 'Onegin' with Southgate College Opera.
Nigel Evans-Thompson - Baritone.
Nigel is a marketing consultant, specialising in New Product Development and Marketing Research. Since 1992, he has developed his singing career, training with Susan McCulloch, Alberto Remedios, MBE and Elaine Pearce. He completed a music degree at Royal Holloway College in 1998. Nigel has performed the role of the Count in Mozart’s 'Le nozze di Figaro', the Speaker in Mozart’s 'Magic Flute', Dr Miracle and Coppelius in Offenbach’s 'Tales of Hoffmann', Sam in Bernstein’s 'Trouble in Tahiti', the Bonze and Prince Yamadori in Puccini’s 'Madama Butterfly', Baron Douphol in Verdi’s 'La traviata', and Prince Hilarion in Gilbert & Sullivan’s 'Princess Ida'. Nigel performs regularly on concert platforms in the South East, most recently singing Bach’s Coffee Cantata at the Riverhouse Barn in Walton-on-Thames. Nigel is the baritone in the Brighton based quartet, Perfect Interval, and he is also musical director of Laudamus Chamber Choir, based in Addlestone.
Francis Griffin – Music Director.
Francis studied the horn at the Royal College of Music. He started conducting shortly after leaving college and has worked with Operatic Societies and orchestras throughout the South East and has appeared in the South Bank and Barbican centres. His repertoire is varied, ranging from performances of Richard Strauss 'Ein Heldenleben' and 'Don Quixote' through to light opera. His performances in 2003 include conducting St.Johanser's opera 'Spem'with Starlight Opera and Cole Porter's musical 'Kiss me Kate' with Epsom Light Opera. He is the conductor of the London Repertoire Orchestra.
Michael & Ruth Howard - Choreography.
Michael and Ruth met at a ballet class over 40 years ago and have been dancing together ever since. For twenty years they ran the Argonoffs, appearing in Russian cabaret and concerts all over the country on TV and abroad, including the USA, Germany and Monte Carlo. They also appeared many times at the Royal Albert Hall, in Viennese Evenings and as cabaret in a Miss World competition! Michael now teaches National Dance in London and still works as an actor, appearing recently with the Kirov Opera and currently with the Royal Ballet in 'Romeo & Juliet' and 'La Bayadere'. Ruth is helping produce the performances of the Beskydy Czech and Slovak Dance Group and has worked with many operatic societies. They are delighted to be briefly involved, as dance and movement advisors, for the small chorus items in 'Cosi fan Tutte' and look forward to more extensive involvement in the planned 'Ballo in Maschera' production.
William Molesworth - Tenor.
William graduated in music from Cambridge and studied singing with John Wakefield at Trinity College of Music. He then went on an apprenticeship to the Silesia State Opera in the Czech Republic, where he made his debut as Duca (Rigoletto) and sang with the Moravian Philharmonic. In Italy he was a prize-winner at the Giuseppe Di Stefano Competition in the role of Nemorino (L'elisir d'amore) and sang for the Associazione Enrico Caruso in Florence, which was broadcast by Televisione Toscana. He has also completed three seasons with the Fundaciòn Operístico de Madrid in Spain. In the UK he has toured as one of The Three British Tenors at several large-scale settings. Other roles to date have included Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) at Holland Park, Alfredo (La traviata), Damazy (Strasny Dwór) for Opera Omnibus, Lensky (Onegin) for Riverside Opera, Froh (Das Rheingold), Rodolfo (La bohème) for Opera Box and Opera Brava, Pang (Turandot) and Bob Boles (Peter Grimes).
Fiona MacPherson - Soprano.
Born in Windsor, Berkshire, Fiona read English at King's College, London, before training as an actress at the Oxford School of Drama. A finalist in the 1999 Madeline Finden Singing Competition and winner of the 1997 Dinah Brooks award, Fiona received a Dartington International Summer School bursary and was invited to perform in the public master-class series at Lauderdale House, where she also performed a lieder recital with the baritone, Paul Sheehan. Opera roles include Mercedès (Carmen), 2nd Lady (The Magic Flute), Flora (La Traviata), Contessa di Ceprano (Rigoletto), Ida (Die Fledermaus) and May Queen (Merrie England) for ETO and European Chamber Opera, including extensive tours of the USA, Middle and Far East. Acting roles include the title roles in 'Antigone' and 'Hedda Gabler', Emma (Betrayal), Laura (Lark Rise), Ernst Robel (Spring Awakening), Goneril (King Lear) and a Voluptuous Concubine (The Arabian Nights). Fiona continues her vocal studies with Winifred Ramsy in London.
Olivia Shrive - Mezzo Soprano.
Olivia arrives from the title role in Bizet’s 'Carmen' with City Opera in London and the Isles of Scilly. She has recently performed in an International Masterclass at the Villa Decius in Cracow, Poland, at an important celebration before the Royal Family in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, given recitals at St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Mansion House and Leighton House, Holland Park, and was invited to sing by the High Commissioner for South Africa at the recent Memorial Service for Walter Sisulu at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square. Olivia obtained her post-graduate diploma in advanced opera studies with Abbey Opera of Birkbeck College, and was trained by the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama on leaving Wycombe Abbey School. She is a pupil of Alison Pearce and hitherto Lillian Watson. Mr Craig Barbour of RADA is her long time coach. Olivia was born in Norfolk in 1975.
Joe St.Johanser - New English libretto and Director.
Joe's last appearance at the Barn Theatre was in 1991 as Gosforth in 'Gosforth's Fete'. Since then he has variously appeared as actor, singer, director and composer as well as doing his day job of software engineer. Highlights of 2003 have been the first performance of his full length comic opera, 'Spem', and playing the title role in Verdi's 'Nabucco'. Last November his extended song cycle 'The Year of the Green Parrots', to poems of Jane Wyatt, was performed to favourable notice (scheduled again for 13 March 2004 in St. Cyprian's, London). He is currently working on another opera, 'The Tempest', and a piano concerto. He studied composition with Sebastian Forbes, Steve Goss and currently with Malcolm Singer. He studies singing with Pamela Osborne and Wynford Evans and teaches singing himself, particularly adult beginners. He has degrees from London and Surrey Universities (BSc. Economics, MSc. Computer Science and B. Music).
David Stuart - Baritone.
David graduated from New College, Oxford as an academical clerk of the choir with a first class honours degree in music and he now studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, with Brian Parsons. Operatic roles include Gaudensio - Rossini’s 'Il Signor Bruschino', Smirnov - Walton’s 'The Bear', Antonio - Mozart’s 'The Marriage of Figaro' & Britten’s 'Curlew River' - all for New Chamber Opera, Hymen - Purcell’s 'The Faery Queen' - Garsington Opera Concerts and Purcell’s 'Dido and Aeneas' - Priory Opera. Recently he played the lead as Mackheath in Weill’s 'Threepenny Opera' - ENO Baylis, The Detective in a workshop production of 'Tangier Tattoo' - Glyndebourne Opera and Junius in Britten’s 'The Rape of Lucretia' - Opera East. Oratorio appearances include Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s St John Passion, Beethoven’s Mass in C, Fauré’s Requiem, Handel’s Solomon, Duruflé’s Requiem and Arvo Pärt’s St John Passion. Chorally David sings and records regularly with Ex Cathedra, often appearing as a soloist, Musica Humana and the choir of St. Peter’s, Eaton Square.
Magnus Vigilius - Tenor.
Magnus was born in Copenhagen, Denmark where he studied at The Royal Danish Academy of Music graduating in 2001. Since then he has trained privately with Douglas Yates in the USA and is currently working with Wynford Evans. Magnus has appeared as a soloist in concert performances of Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Bach Cantatas and Mendelssohn’s Elijah. He has also appeared in stage performances of various operas in Sweden and Denmark. Roles include the title role in 'Albert Herring' (Europera, Copenhagen), Bastien 'Bastien & Bastienne' (Dannemare Summeropera), Monostatos 'The Magic Flute' (BYO), Flute/Thisby 'Midsummer Night’s Dream' (BYO) and recently he appeared as Arturo, 'Lucia di Lammermoor' for New Sussex Opera.
Helen Whittington - Soprano.
Helen trained in Contemporary Dance at Middlesex Polytechnic before gaining a Diploma in Opera Performance with Abbey Opera (Birkbeck College, London) and continues her studies with Jane Highfield at Guildhall school of Music & Drama. She has performed with a number of UK based companies including European Chamber Opera, Grange Park, Holland Park & Sevenoaks Opera. Her Roles include Gilda (Rigoletto), Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), Nannetta (Falstaff) and Berta (Barber of Seville). In France, she has worked with Opera Loki singing The Countess (Marriage of Figaro) & Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) and from Jan to April 2002 Helen toured the USA covering The Widow (The Merry Widow) for London City Opera & Columbia Artists, New York.) In Jan 2003 she was guest soprano for The Maltings Sinfonia New Years Day Viennese Gala in Ware, Herts. Helen is a founder member of the new five women cabaret opera company, Scene Stealers, which has performed at the Brighton Festival and The Electric Theatre, Guildford.
Jane Wyatt – Designer & Mezzo Soprano.
Jane’s performed roles include Amneris (Aida), Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica) Eboli (Don Carlos) Giovanna/Countess Ceprano (Rigoletto) She has worked with Intimate Opera, Sevenoaks Opera and Grange Park Opera in the UK. She has performed at many venues in the UK, France & Germany. She studies with Paula Anglin (GSMD), Neil Semer (New York & Germany) Drama with Delia Lindon and recently Verdi roles with Diana Vivian. Following a course in interior design, Jane developed an interest in stage and costume design. Over the last few years, in addition to interior design projects, she has designed costumes and stage settings. In 2004 she will sing Amneris in a new production of 'Aida' for Inside Opera and Ulrica (A Masked Ball) for Starlight Opera
David Ubaka - Baritone.
Coming to singing late after qualifying as an Architect, David started training in 1997 under Graham Dickie the former musical director of D'Oyle Carte Opera. He moved back to London in 2000 after 15 years living in Scotland to attend Trinity College of Music where he studied under Tessa Cahill. He graduated in 2002 with a Post-Graduate diploma in vocal studies. At Trinity, he won the 2001 English Song prize. David has song solo parts in various oratorio and concerts as well as numerous principal stage roles, the most recent of which include: Colline (La Boheme), Aeneas (Dido & Aeneas), Argante (Rinaldo), Escamillo (Carmen), Peter (Passion & Resurrection), Porgy (Porgy & Bess), Leporello (Don Giovanni), and Carl-Magnus (A little night music). David is delighted to have joined Starlight Opera to sing Don Alfonso in this new translation and hopes it is the first of many collaborations.