9th & 10th July 2004
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 and Producer Jackie Shearer: Rehearsal Pianist Sheila Blow: Lighting Tony Bowdery: Stage Manager Brian Legg: New English Translation Joe St.Johanser
**** CAST ****
Fiordiligi - soprano Hannah Kirk
lady from Ferrara, residing
in Naples, sister of Dorabella
Dorabella - mezzo-soprano Alexandra Dorman
lady from Ferrara, sister
of Fiordiligi
Guglielmo - baritone Paul Charrier
officer, in love with Fiordiligi
Ferrando - tenor William Molesworth
officer, in love with Dorabella
Despina - soprano Fiona MacPherson
chambermaid of the ladies
Don Alfonso - baritone David Ubaka
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
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.
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.
Hannah Kirk - Soprano.
Hannah was born in Derby and now lives in Surbiton. She gained her degree in Music and Dance from Keele University, her Licentiate from the Royal Academy of Music and continues to study with Jeffrey Talbot. She joined D’Oyly Carte in 1998 as Principal Understudy for their West End productions and recordings of 'Pirates of Penzance' and 'HMS Pinafore'. Most recently Hannah has appeared as Rosalinda (Die Fledermaus), Musetta (La Boheme), and Frasquita (Carmen). and this spring created the role of Venus in the premiere of 'Spem' by Joe St Johanser. Other roles include Kate Pinkerton (Mme Butterfly), Josephine in 'A Policeman’s Lot.', and Shepherd Boy (Tosca) for European Chamber Opera; Despina (Cosi fan tutte), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) and Frasquita for Opera del Mar and for the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company at the Buxton Festival. In oratorio Hannah has toured the International Festivals with the Ambrosian Opera and the Hanover Band, and recorded for the Australian Broadcasting Commission at the Sydney Opera House. She is also involved in Music Education as a singing teacher, choir coach and choral animateur and this year co-presented the KMAS Infant Music Festival.
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.
Jackie Shearer - Producer and Director.
Jackie read History at Bristol and has had a long career in IT management, currently working as an Interim IT executive. She produced the first production of Cosi for Starlight Opera at the Barn Theatre, Oxted last year (with Joe St.Johanser as Director). This is her first outing as Director. Her aim is to present the opera as Mozart and Da Ponte intended - why change the work of two geniuses?
Joe St.Johanser - New English libretto.
Joe appears variously as actor, singer, director, and composer as well as doing his day job of software engineer. Highlights of 2004 to date have been the workshop performance of his twenty-first century oratorio, 'Ode to Galileo', to his own libretto, and playing the role of Agamemnon (La Belle Helene) for Guildford Opera. In March his extended song cycle 'The Year of the Green Parrots', to poems of Jane Wyatt, was performed to favourable notice at St. Cyprian's, London (with Arts Council assistance). He is currently working on a second opera, 'The Tempest' - his first opera, 'Spem', was premiered in 2002. He studies composition currently with Malcolm Singer. He 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.
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.