2012 Season Brochure

2012 SEASON

“A new candidate for the accolade of Most Beautiful Opera House in the World�

Daily Telegraph

G a r s i ng t on O p e r a a t W o r m s l e y “The place is magical” The Independent Princes Risborough

A404

High Wycombe Stokenchurch

5

Amersham Rd

RD

A40 M40

4

Ibstone

3

A40

M4

A404

2 Marlow

LON

A355

FO

WORMSLEY

The Wormsley Estate, home of the Getty family, is an English country estate on the grand scale, complete with lake and deer. It is given a magical sense of seclusion by the thickly wooded slopes that surround it. This magnificent location in the Chiltern Hills, on the border of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, is within easy reach of Oxford and is only an hour away from London by car. There is also an excellent upgraded train service from Marylebone to High Wycombe, which takes as little as 25 minutes, and a bespoke minibus service from and to the station.

13

10

OX

Amersham

A4

A40

Garsington Opera’s first season in its new home at Wormsley was a popular and critical triumph, as was the stunning new Opera Pavilion, designed to complement, and give unique views onto the outstandingly beautiful surrounding landscape. Specially erected each year, the Pavilion offers superb acoustics and a perfect setting in which to experience opera performances of the highest quality.

DO

N

L’ o l i m p i a d e A n t on i o V i va l d i

sung in Italian

Olympic fever will be running high in the summer of 2012 and Garsington Opera will be celebrating in style with performances of L’Olimpiade, the last of its trio of Vivaldi operas.

Megacle Aminta Aristea Licida Clistene Alcandro

Emily Fons Ruby Hughes Rosa Bove Tim Mead Riccardo Novaro William Berger

Conductor Director Designer Lighting designer

Laurence Cummings David Freeman David Roger Bruno Poet

In this opera, rivals on the Olympic race track are also rivals in love. Fierce competition (both athletic and amorous), mistaken identities, a failed suicide attempt and a foiled murder plot – it’s a heady and intoxicating mix with glitteringly bravura music by Vivaldi.

Garsington Opera’s Vivaldi team of conductor and baroque specialist Laurence Cummings and director David Freeman will bring all their skills and inventiveness to bear on this ground-breaking enterprise.

3, 5, 9, 14, 22, 29 June 6.05pm Pre-performance talk Friday 29 June 4.15pm

Garsington Opera Orchestra

D O N G I O VA N N I W o l f gang A m a d e u s Mo z a rt

sung in Italian

Don Giovanni needs women as other men need food and drink. His nostrils twitch at the faintest whispered scent of a passing female; he is consumed by his own driving desire for possession.

As the opera begins, he barely pauses between killing his victim’s father with cool ferocity and moving on in search of further conquest.

Don Giovanni Leporello Donna Anna Donna Elvira Zerlina Don Ottavio Masetto Commendatore

Grant Doyle Joshua Bloom Natasha Jouhl Sophie Bevan Mary Bevan Jesús León Callum Thorpe Christophoros Stamboglis

Conductor Director Designer Lighting designer Movement Director

Douglas Boyd Daniel Slater Leslie Travers Bruno Poet Ran Arthur Braun

As Mozart’s gloriously powerful music builds to a climax, Don Giovanni’s earthly victims catch up with him and forces from beyond the grave bring ultimate retribution.

Conductor Douglas Boyd led the Garsington Opera orchestra in The Marriage of Figaro two years ago to great acclaim. This time he will be collaborating with director Daniel Slater, whose recent productions for Garsington Opera of La Cenerentola and A Midsummer Night’s Dream were a huge success.

2, 4, 10, 15, 19, 25, 30 June, 2 July 5.50pm Pre-performance talk Saturday 30 June 4.15pm

Garsington Opera Orchestra and Chorus

L A P É RI C H O L E J ac q u es O f f en b ach

sung in ENGLISH

There is no-one like Offenbach for music that diverts, intoxicates and seduces. He wrote roles for women that fitted them like the sleekest and most alluring of silken gowns and the role of La Périchole is no exception. An impoverished Peruvian street singer, she is wickedly flirtatious, charmingly pragmatic and runs rings around every man she comes across while remaining, of course, entirely faithful to her one true love.

La Périchole Piquillo Don Andrès de Ribeira Le Comte Miguel de Panatellas Guadalena Berginella Mastrilla

Naomi O’Connell Robert Murray Geoffrey Dolton

Conductor Director Designer Lighting designer Choreographer

David Parry Jeremy Sams Francis O’Connor Bruno Poet Nick Winston

South American touches are provided by a delectably inventive array of boleros and seguidillas and the story gallops along at a breathtaking pace.

Whipping up a storm in the orchestra pit will be Garsington Opera regular David Parry. Director Jeremy Sams has also provided a fresh and deliciously witty new translation.

18, 21, 23, 26, 28 June, 1, 3 July 6.05pm Pre-performance talk Sunday 1 July 4.15pm

Mark Wilde Jennifer Rhys-Davies Diana Montague Fiona Kimm

Garsington Opera Orchestra and Chorus

“A glassy, light-filled pavilion theatre which achieves an intimacy rarely possible at any other performance of such world-class calibre�

The Independent

A b o u t G a r s i ng t on O p e r a a t W o r m s l e y Performances start in the early evening and there is a long dinner interval when audiences can picnic or dine in the marquees. Audience members may arrive from 4pm. Evening dress is suggested with plenty of layers and shawls for cooler evenings. Car parking is free.

Before the performance and during the interval patrons may choose to enjoy dinner in the restaurant, settle with picnics enjoying views across the deer park or over the famous cricket pitch or stroll towards the lake and beyond. Those arriving early will be able to take afternoon tea or enjoy a glass of champagne and canapés. It is also possible to explore the historic walled garden which is a short drive from the opera site – there is a shuttle bus to the garden.

The Opera Pavilion’s covered verandas and terraces offer opportunities to linger and admire the views. Patrons booking a whole Box have first priority to reserve picnic tables on the Upper Terrace. There are tents available for picnickers some of which can be reserved in advance.

Dinner can be ordered in advance through our caterers, Jamie Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts, who can also supply picnic hampers. Menus will be sent with tickets. www.fabulousfeasts.co.uk T: 01869 323100

All performances finish at approximately 10.15pm

Garsington Opera Studio Programme As part of the West Green House Opera season, young artists from the Garsington Opera Studio Programme will present a new production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute on 21 and 22 July.

Led by Karen Gillingham, creative director of Garsington Opera’s education programme, the opera will be performed in an orchestral reduction by composer Jonathan Dove. It will feature some of the brightest and best of our emerging young singers.

West Green House is renowned for its spectacular gardens.

For more information and tickets, visit www.westgreenhouse.co.uk

Booking Information Friends of Garsington Opera Postal applications received by 9 December will be considered in the first allocation.

Applications received after this date will be considered in the second allocation, after 30 January.

Affiliate Members Notification of ticket availability will be sent to our Affiliate Members by 27 February and applications will be accepted by post on a first come, first served basis.

General public Telephone booking opens on 16 April. T: 01865 361636 Administration address: Garsington Opera, The Old Garage, The Green, Great Milton, Oxford OX44 7NP Email office@garsingtonopera.org NB Please notify us by email or post if you have an amendment to make.

How to book • If you or your guests have restricted mobility or special requirements, please inform us at the time of booking.

• Please indicate on your booking form if you will accept pairs or single seats.

• Please give as many alternative dates as possible.

• To be allocated seats next to a friend please send both applications in the same envelope.

• Please keep a copy of the form for your records.

Access for the disabled There is wheelchair access for patrons with mobility difficulties. There is also limited parking close to the auditorium for those booking the wheelchair platform.

Seating The auditorium is designed with high priority given to audience comfort.

Seats are steeply raked and staggered so that there is an excellent, unrestricted view from every seat.

Conditions of sale Tickets are not exchangeable. Tickets may be accepted for re-sale after all other tickets have been sold, however re-sale cannot be guaranteed. Please check with the Box Office before returning tickets. Re-sales will be subject to a £10 per ticket administration fee. All tickets are sold subject to the right of the Management to cancel or alter the published operas, dates or casts.

Performance diary 2012 Saturday 2 June

5.50pm Mozart

Tuesday

Sunday

3 June

6.05pm Vivaldi

Thursday 28 June 6.05pm Offenbach

Monday

4 June

5.50pm Mozart

Friday

Tuesday

5 June

6.05pm Vivaldi

Saturday 9 June

6.05pm Vivaldi

Sunday

26 June 6.05pm Offenbach

29 June 6.05pm Vivaldi 4.15pm Pre-performance talk

Saturday 30 June 5.50pm Mozart

10 June 5.50pm Mozart

Thursday 14 June 6.05pm Vivaldi

4.15pm Pre-performance talk Sunday

1 July

6.05pm Offenbach

Friday

15 June 5.50pm Mozart

4.15pm Pre-performance talk

Monday

18 June 6.05pm Offenbach

Monday

2 July

5.50pm Mozart

Tuesday

19 June 5.50pm Mozart

Tuesday

3 July

6.05pm Offenbach

Thursday 21 June 6.05pm Offenbach Friday

22 June 6.05pm Vivaldi

Saturday 23 June 6.05pm Offenbach Monday

25 June 5.50pm Mozart

All details were correct at the time of going to print.

Photographs: Richard Davies, Marcus Dawes/Country Life, Mike Hoban, Medialane, Colin Willoughby

Seating Plan and Ticket Prices UPPER TERRACE

EXIT

BOX

BOX

BOX

BOXES £160 (Sat & Sun £170)

EXIT

REAR STALLS £95

BOX TERRACE

TERRACE

REAR STALLS UPPER STALLS

MIDDLE STALLS

EXIT

EXIT

ORCHESTRA STALLS

MIDDLE STALLS £135 FRONT STALLS £160 (Sat & Sun £170)

FRONT STALLS W

UPPER STALLS £120

W

ORCHESTRA STALLS inc wheelchair spaces (W) £135

STAGE Prices include a suggested, but non-obligatory, donation of £65.

G a r s i ng t on O p e r a a t W o r m s l e y The Old Garage, The Green, Great Milton, Oxford OX44 7NP Telephone 01865 361636 Email office@garsingtonopera.org www.garsingtonopera.org