Charles Court Opera are coming out of lockdown with an outdoor staging of their five star, award-winning ‘H.M.S. Pinafore’, and a summer G&S concert.
To book: www.charlescourtopera.com
Festival regulars Charles Court Opera – ‘the masters of G&S in small spaces’ – are to come out of lockdown with a special outdoor staging of their award-winning production of ‘H.M.S. Pinafore’ at The Maltings Open Air Theatre Festival on Monday 24 August.
CCO are also presenting ‘A Summer’s Evening of G & S’ at Hever Castle on Sunday 23 August.
‘H.M.S. Pinafore’, which won Best Opera Production at the Off-West-End awards, will be staged in the open air Roman Theatre of St. Albans as part of the The Malting’s Open Air Theatre Festival on Monday 24 August, at 3pm and 6pm.
The cast, led by Joseph Shovelton (D’Oyly Carte) as Sir Joseph Porter and festival favourites Matthew Kellett and Catrine Kirkman, is directed by John Savournin, with musical direction from David Eaton.
The company’s summer concert – ‘A Summer’s Evening of G & S’ – will be presented at the Hever Festival on Sunday 23 August at 8pm. Within the beautiful setting of Hever Castle, a quintet of singers including John Savournin, Llio Evans, who sang in ENO’s ‘Iolanthe’, and CCO regulars Meriel Cunningham, Matthew Kellett and Philip Lee, will perform a selection of songs, scenes and ensembles from the Savoy operas. The gates will be open from 6.30pm for picnics.
Both these events should be welcome news for CCO fans. At the beginning of lockdown, CCO’s production of ‘Iolanthe’ was about to officially open at London’s King’s Head Theatre, where the scenery is still standing on the stage, waiting to be dusted off at the earliest opportunity!
To book: www.charlescourtopera.com
Charles Court Opera
Charles Court Opera is one of the leading chamber opera and music theatre companies in the UK. They are one of the champions of the reinvigoration of Gilbert and Sullivan, recently receiving the award for Best Opera Production at the Offies for HMS Pinafore, and are firm favourites at the International G&S Festival.
HMS PINAFORE
‘A winning blend of Benny Hill knockabout, operatic parody and music hall song-and-dance.’ Evening Standard
CAST: Meriel Cunningham, Jennie Jacobs, Matthew Kellett, Catrine Kirkman, Philip Lee, Matthew Palmer, Alys Roberts and Joseph Shovelton.
PRODUCTION TEAM:
Director – John Savournin
Musical Director – David Eaton Choreographer – Damian Czarnecki Designer – Rachel Szmukler