Rigoletto Programme Opera Theatre Company

The best Arts & Entertainment coverage at your fingertips

PRESENTS

VERDI

RIGOLETTO Arts & Ideas

The Ticket

Weekend Review

THE IRISH TIMES Print | Online | Mobile

OTC019_Cover_Programme_Rigoletto.indd 1

08/05/2015 10:00

TOURING

OUR SUPPORTERS

FRI 15 MAY NATIONAL OPERA HOUSE WEXFORD

With Special Thanks to Rigoletto Regional Tour Sponsor

OTC Executive

WWW.NATIONALOPERAHOUSE.IE 053 9122144

SUN 17 MAY AN TÁIN ARTS CENTRE DUNDALK WWW.ANTAIN.IE 042 9332332

TUE 19 MAY SOLSTICE ARTS CENTRE NAVAN WWW.SOLSTICEARTSCENTRE.COM 046 9092300

THUR 21 & SAT 23 MAY O’REILLY THEATRE BELVEDERE COLLEGE DUBLIN WWW.ENTERTAINMENT.IE 01 6708326

MON 25 MAY AN GRIANÁN THEATRE LETTERKENNY WWW.ANGRIANAN.COM 074 9120777

THUR 28 MAY WATERGATE THEATRE KILKENNY WWW.WATERGATETHEATRE.COM 056 7761674

SAT 30 MAY LIME TREE THEATRE LIMERICK WWW.LIMETREETHEATRE.IE 061 774774

Corporate Partners

Benefactor Anonymous Platinum Friends Maureen DeForge Margaret McAlpine Gold Friends Mary Brennan Geraldine Connolly Siobhan Donovan Maire & Maurice Foley Patrick Honohan Prof A.R. & Joan M. Manning Anne Makower & Chris Fitzsimon Richard John McBratney Dr. John McKeown L & M Keating F.X. and Pat O’Brien John & Joyce O’Callaghan Alastair & Ann Martha Rowan Nolie Walsh

Silver Friends Dr. Mary Henry Matthew Harrison David & Breda Humphries Nuala Johnson Paul & Joyce Kelly Jonathan Kilfeather Petria McDonnell Pat Moylan John O’Leary Margaret Quigley Brenda & Donald Weir Opera Angels Siobhan O’Donnell

If you are passionate about opera and want to support the work of OTC go to page 24 for more details.

With Special Thanks to Rigoletto Regional Tour Sponsor

OTC019_Cover_Programme_Rigoletto.indd 2

Executive Director Rosemary Collier Artistic Director Fergus Sheil Marketing & Sponsorship Manager Sorcha Carroll Administrator & Bookkeeper Cate Kelliher Marketing Assistants Deirdre Brady, Aibhe Quinn

Board of Directors Gaby Smith Chair Jennifer Cadwell Joseph Murphy Brendan Donnelly Yvonne Shields

OTC Opera Hub Sharon Carty Tom Creed Rachel Croash Rory Musgrave Kim Sheehan Andrew Synnott

Opera Theatre Company Temple Bar Music Centre Curved Street, Temple Bar Dublin 2 Tel +353 [0] 1 679 4962 Fax +353 [0] 1 679 4963 Email info@opera.ie Website www.opera.ie

Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/OperaTheatreCompany Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/operaIE. Join our network on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/companies/1099898/OperaTheatreCompany

08/05/2015 10:00

Welcome Note I’m delighted to welcome you to Opera Theatre Company’s new touring production of Verdi’s Rigoletto.

rosemary Collier Executive director

Rigoletto is one of the most enduring operas of all time, much loved for its exquisite score. But it is the bitter-sweet combination of glorious music and dramatic tragedy that captures audiences again and again. This OTC production is directed by Selina Cartmell, conducted by Fergus Sheil and features a newly commissioned translation by Irish playwright Marina Carr.

It has been an extraordinary journey in creating this brand new show. We are very fortunate to be working with the most talented creative staff whose vision and commitment has resulted in the creation of a provocative and uncompromising reading of this classic opera work. Director Selina Cartmell is an inspirational voice and her creative collaboration with Marina on the translation and Alex Lowde on the design has been electrifying and always utterly bespoke, unique and compelling. The commitment of the entire creative team including lighting designer Sinéad Wallace to realising something truly unique in this production has been invigorating.

It is thrilling to present a cast of this calibre to Irish audiences. OTC is delighted also to be offering important work opportunities to emerging singers who make up the chorus of exceptionally talented voices in this show.

01

On this tour we are very pleased to return to some of our favourite venues but in particular to be revisiting the north-west by performing at An Grianan, Letterkenny and to have our first performance at the new Lime Tree Theatre in Limerick. Touring nationwide with a company of 40 people is a significant undertaking. We are grateful for the support we receive from the venues through their Directors and their marketing teams but in particular we thank David McLoughlin and the entire team at the National Opera House Wexford who have been wonderful to work with every step of the way.

We sincerely thank the Arts Council, our main funder, for their continued support of OTC and its efforts in bringing accessible, high-quality opera productions to venues and audiences throughout the land. Our work would not be possible without the generous contributions of our corporate supporters in particular Ecclesiastical and from our Friends. We are particularly grateful to those individuals who support our work. If you have enjoyed tonight’s show we encourage you to consider supporting us and avail of a range of benefits by becoming a Friend of OTC. Enjoy the performance. If it is your first time at an opera we hope you will enjoy the experience and we look forward to welcoming you to other OTC performances at a venue near you again soon.

Rosemary Collier Executive Director OTC

03

Re-imagining Rigoletto Rigoletto, one of the world’s favourite operas, is a nineteenth century opera written in Italian based on French playwright Victor Hugo’s Le roi s’amuse which tells the story of Rigoletto, the court jester to the Duke of Mantua in sixteenth century Italy. It’s written for a virtuosic cast of singers, male chorus and orchestra.

One of the challenges when considering an opera of this scale and popularity for Opera Theatre Company Fergus Sheil was to present it in a way that would speak directly to Artistic director audiences at all of our touring venues around Ireland in the early 21st century. We strove to find a new context and new setting for the opera but to absolutely preserve the central drama of Verdi’s score and to faithfully portray the complex emotional relationships between the central characters.

I have long been fascinated by the character of Rigoletto, one of Verdi’s most rounded and complex creations. Even before I had daughters of my own, I empathised with his urge to protect Gilda at any cost even though this inadvertently helped create the conditions that leads to the tragedy at the heart of the opera. Rigoletto tries desperately to keep his work life separate from his home environment, but ultimately this is not possible. Gilda too is a fascinating character. Young, beautiful and sheltered, but maybe not as innocent as her father might imagine. She has clearly developed needs and desires of her own and Rigoletto is not ready to recognise this. Even the Duke, who at first glace is an unapologetic philanderer, has moments where the reality of his love for Gilda can be believed – even if these are fleeting moments of sincerity.

04

Opera Theatre Company performs all its productions in English. One of our challenges can be finding translations that accurately reflect what we want to do with our production. There are many existing translations of Rigoletto, but each translation brings an individual character to the opera – an additional layer of interpretation that exists between the original score, the director and creative team. Our ambition to create a production that would speak to Irish audiences demanded a new voice in this equation and we were delighted to work with celebrated playwright Marina Carr to this end. Marian’s own work is not afraid of taking on difficult themes and she approached Rigoletto with relish, providing us with a new translation that is both fresh and engaging – not afraid to take a position and offer a new interpretation.

Director Selina Cartmell, with countless theatrical triumphs to her credit, takes on her first opera with Rigoletto. Her focus is on both highlighting the timeless drama of the central characters and also in collaboration with designer Alex Lowde, movement director Muirne Bloomer and lighting designer Sinéad Wallace in creating the detail of a sordid and debauched world into which these characters can readily fit. In rehearsal it has been fascinating to see Selina’s breadth of vision for each character and how each one has their own unique journey through the opera and how these intersect with each other.

Having decided on an overall approach and having put together a team of creative artists, we then faced the task of sourcing outstanding singers that could faithfully inhabit this world. I’m extraordinarily pleased with the outcomes that we present to you today. In the title role, Bruno Caproni makes his OTC debut, having sung Rigoletto and other major roles in opera houses throughout the world. Bruno, originally from Northern Ireland, has not just a true Verdi baritone voice but a generosity of character that draws the audience into his complex world. As Gilda 05

soprano Emma Nash makes a major role debut. Emma is a former Young Associate Artist of OTC and it’s a matter of considerable pride that we are able to take her singing journey forward with this major role. She has a bright, effortless voice and an engaging personality that I’m sure will win over the hearts of audiences. Our third major role is the Brazilian tenor Luciano Botelho making his Irish debut as the Duke – a wonderful natural tenor voice perfectly suited for this role. The rest of the cast are equally accomplished involving both seasoned OTC favourites and singers new to the company.

For this touring production, OTC works with a 12-piece orchestra made up of some of the finest musicians performing today. The RTÉ Con Tempo Quartet provide extraordinary virtuosity in the string section and they are matched by the rest of the ensemble.

Our 19 performers on stage and 12 musicians in the pit are complimented by an extraordinary technical team that work 24/7 behind the scenes to ensure that all aspects of the production go exactly to plan.

One of the joys of producing opera is the diversity of inputs that go to making one unified performer. We can’t do without the person programming the lighting board, as much as we can’t do without our viola player, our costume supervisor, or one of our singers or dancers. While inevitably the audience’s focus goes to the major stars of the show it takes so many different areas of expertise to make the entire operatic engine work seamlessly. It has been a pleasure through all this process to work with many people of extraordinary talent.

It’s my hope that you, the audience, will enjoy this new approach to Rigoletto. There are things that may surprise you. Hopefully they will also delight you! Having lived with Rigoletto for months now, I personally never tire of the exquisite music and I find the drama of the work endlessly fascinating. I hope you enjoy the show!

Fergus Sheil Artistic Director OTC

06

CULTUREFOX.IE

NEVER MISS OUT The Arts Council’s new, upgraded CULTUREFOX events guide is now live. Free, faster, easy to use – and personalised for you.

Never miss out again.

SYNOPSIS Act 1 A short dark orchestral prologue points forward to the tragic events ahead. The action changes to a scene of complete debauchery in the domain of the Duke, a powerful, charismatic, good looking alpha-male figure who commands complete authority among his henchmen.

He sings of his regular exploits with women and how he uses and discards them at will. Although Rigoletto is one of the Duke’s men, it becomes clear that the rest of the gang distrust him. They gossip about his having a secret “girlfriend” (it turns out to be his daughter). As the intensity of the philandering increases, the party is abruptly halted by the entrance of Monterone, himself a powerful figure, coming to seek revenge for the Duke’s seduction of his daughter. Rigoletto mocks Monterone’s daughter.

Monterone reacts furiously, cursing Rigoletto and the Duke.

08

Later Gilda confides to Giovanna, her minder, that she has in fact met a young man in the church and they have fallen in love. The young man is the Duke, who subsequently appears at the house and is let in by Giovanna. Gilda and the Duke (who she thinks is Gualtier Maldè) express their love for one another but they are disturbed by a noise and the Duke flees.

Alone Gilda fantasises about her new love as she falls asleep. The Duke’s henchmen find Rigoletto’s house and decide to kidnap Gilda, thinking she is Rigoletto’s secret girlfriend. They intend to bring her to the Duke for his pleasure. Rigoletto discovers them in the act, but they give him a blindfold and he thinks they are at a neighbour’s house. He plays along. The act ends with Gilda screaming as she is abducted, and Rigoletto, understanding what has happened, blames Monterone’s curse.

As Rigoletto returns home he is haunted by the curse. He meets Sparafucile, an assassin who offers to assist him by taking care of his enemies. Rigoletto does not engage him, but an idea has been planted.

Act II

In Rigoletto’s house we meet his daughter Gilda, a young, innocent and beautiful girl who has been kept strictly indoors (apart from going to church) away from the corruptive influence of men. She asks questions about why she is kept in isolation and who her mother was, but Rigoletto refuses to answer.

It’s the following morning and the Duke is agitated. He knows that Gilda has been kidnapped, but doesn’t yet know where she is. He curses those who have taken her, but he also sings of how (at that moment) he genuinely loves her for her beauty and innocence. The henchmen arrive and tell the Duke how they took Gilda and brought her to him. Excited, he rushes off to her.

Rigoletto enters looking for his daughter, knowing that the henchmen have taken her. He acts nonchalantly at first, but later gets agitated, eventually pleading with the guys for mercy. The men stop Rigoletto getting to Gilda, but when the Duke is finished with her, she rushes into the scene.

After the henchmen disperse, Rigoletto and Gilda are left alone on stage. He promises to avenge this terrible stain on Gilda. He is wracked with guilt for having not protected his daughter. On the other hand Gilda recalls her love with ecstasy and she suggests that Rigoletto needs to forgive the Duke – there’s no harm done! During this scene, the henchmen bring Monterone to his death. On the way Monterone acknowledges that his curse on the Duke has not worked and he predicts that the Duke will survive.

Act III Later that day we are outside the assassin Sparafucile’s house. Rigoletto brings Gilda here to demonstrate the Duke’s infidelity. The Duke arrives shortly afterwards to see Maddalena, Sparafucile’s sister. She is used as bait to draw men into Sparafucile’s house. During the famous quartet, the Duke and Maddalena are intimate inside the house while Rigoletto and a distraught Gilda observe from outside.

Rigoletto sends Gilda away to dress as a man. Together they will flee in disguise. First however, he has loose ends to tie up. He pays Sparafucile to kill the Duke, and promises to return at midnight to personally collect his body. A storm develops. Sparafucile’s sister Maddalena confesses that although she sees many men every day, she has fallen in love with the Duke. She bargains with Sparafucile not to kill him, but to substitute with somebody else, if anybody calls to their door before midnight. Gilda, still desperately in love with the Duke has returned and overhears this plan. She wants to save the Duke and the only way to do this is to sacrifice herself.

Dressed as a man, Gilda knocks on the door before midnight and is stabbed in place of the Duke.

Rigoletto returns to collect the body. He is about to throw the bag in the river when he hears the Duke singing in the distance. Confused at first, he tears open the bag to reveal his daughter on the brink of death. She asks for his forgiveness as she looks forward to meeting her mother in heaven. Rigoletto blames the curse for all his misfortunes.

09

VERDI

RIGO Principals

Chorus

ORCHESTRA

Rigoletto Bruno Caproni Duke Luciano Botelho Gilda Emma Nash Sparafucile John Molloy Maddalena/Countess Ceprano Kate Allen Marullo & Chorus Brendan Collins Giovanna Doreen Curran Ceprano & Chorus David Howes Monterone Michael Druiett Borsa & chorus Owen Gilhooly

Tenors D avid Lynn Paul O’Connor Peter O’Donohue Bass Shokri Raoof (Page)

David Scott (Usher)

Rory Musgrave

Kevin Neville

Flute Riona O’Duinnin Oboe Mary Noden Clarinet 1 Conor Sheil Bassoon John Hearne Horn 1 Cuan Ó Sheireadáin Horn 2 Peter Ryan Trumpet Niall O’Sullivan Violin 1 Bogdan Sofei Violin 2 Ingrid Nicola Viola Andreea Banciu Cello Adrian Mantu Bass Maeve Sheil

Dancers Monica Marin Sarah Ryan

First performed La Fenice, Venice 11 March 1851. Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. Orchestral reduction by Francis Griffin. www.FrancisGriffin.com

10

LETTO In a new translation by Marina Carr Directed by Selina Cartmell Creatives

Technical Staff

Director Selina Cartmell Conductor Fergus Sheil Translator Marina Carr Designer Alex Lowde Lighting Designer Sinéad Wallace Repetiteur Richard McGrath Choreographer Muirne Bloomer Assistant Director Ian Whyte Hair & Makeup Supervisor Susanna Peretz Design Assistant Daisy Bunyan

Production Manager David Stuttard Technical Manager Conor Mullan Stage Manager Emma Doyle Wardrobe Supervisor Clodagh Deegan ASM Clive Welsh Chief LX Eoin McNinch Master Carpenter Nic Rée Photography Kip Carroll Rehearsal Photography Ros Kavanagh Graphic Design Clickworks Publicity Gerry Lundberg PR

Thanks to:

Bumble and Bumble, Ciaran O’Grady, Scott Hayes and all at Ecclesiastical Insurers, Naoise Mac Fheorais and Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Andrew Synnott, David Flynn, Brian Harten & Denis Darcy Create Louth, Suzanne Campbell and colleagues at Church of Ireland College of Education, Rathmines, DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, Gwen JeffaresHourie, Francis Griffin, Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk, Riva Brassarie, Dundalk, Bon Crubeen Restaurant Dublin, Gallagher’s Hotel Letterkenny, Savoy Limerick, Séamus Kirwan, Gerry and Sinéad at Lundberg PR, Siobhan Griffin at Clickworks, and all the venue managers and marketing staff at the venues on this tour.

11

Selina Cartmell Director Selina is making her operatic stage debut with Verdi’s Rigoletto.

She is currently Artistic Director of the multi-award winning Siren Productions and the recipient of three Irish Times Theatre Awards for Best Director. Selina received a First Class MA in History of Art and Drama from Trinity College and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Advanced Theatre Practice in Directing (Distinction) from London’s Central School of Speech and Drama. Selina’s work for Siren Productions includes: Fando & Lis, La Musica, Titus Andronicus (winning four Irish Times Theatre Awards including Best Production), Shutter, Macbeth, Medea (nominated for 5 Irish Times Theatre Awards) The Lulu House, The Making of Tis Pity She’s A Whore and A Tender Thing. Other work includes: Catastrophe (Barbican), Festen, Sweeney Todd (winner of Best Opera Production at the Irish Times Theatre Awards) (Gate Theatre), King Lear, Woman and Scarecrow, Only An Apple, Big Love (Abbey Theatre). Other recent work includes Punk Rock (Lyric Theatre – nominated for 6 Irish Times Theatre Awards), Override (Watford Palace, London), The Broken Heart (Theatre For A New Audience, New York – Lucille Lortel Award), The Cordelia Dream (Royal Shakespeare Company), The Prince and the Pauper (Unicorn Theatre, London), The Giant Blue Hand (The Ark Theatre), Molly Sweeney (Curve Theatre, Leicester), Here Lies and Passades (Operating Theatre). World-renowned director and designer Julie Taymor chose Selina as her protégée in the 2007 Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative. Forthcoming work includes By the Bog of Cats for the Abbey Theatre.

Fergus Sheil

Conductor Fergus is Artistic Director of Opera Theatre Company, Wide Open Opera and Wide Open Music, with whom he has produced many opera, choral and orchestral events throughout Ireland. Fergus worked for Opera Theatre Company as conductor for The Lighthouse (1998 & 2001), La Cenerentola (2003) and The Marriage of Figaro (2010). With Wide Open Opera, Fergus has produced and conducted Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde and John Adams’ Nixon in China at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. He conducted the world premiere of Raymond Deane’s opera The Alma Fetish and with WOO he co-produced Gerald Barry’s The Importance of Being Earnest with NI Opera. Fergus has previously worked for Opera Ireland, Wexford Festival Opera, NI Opera, Lyric Opera Productions, Scottish Opera and Welsh National Opera. For Carlow Local Authorities, he produced the opera BI by Brian Irvine (music) and John McIlduff (text) in 2011. Fergus has taken the RTÉ NSO on tour in Ireland with Beethoven’s Symphony No 9 (Choral), and with violinist Tasmin Little. He has also involved the orchestra in community and youth initiatives such as Rain Falling Up (2012) and Bluebottle (2014) by Brian Irvine (music), John McIlduff (text) and Matthew Robins (visuals). Fergus has also conducted the Ulster Orchestra, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, the Northern Sinfonia, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and many others. As well as performances at home, Fergus has conducted in USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, UK, France, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia and Portugal.

Marina Carr

Translator Marina Carr’s plays to date include Ullaloo (1989), Low in the Dark (1991), The Mai (1994), Portia Coughlan (1996), By the Bog of Cats (1998), On Raftery’s Hill (1999), Ariel (2000), Woman and Scarecrow (2004), The Cordelia Dream (2006), Marble (2007) and 16 Possible Glimpses (2009). She has also written plays for children, which include Meat and Salt (2003) and The Giant Blue Hand (2004). Her work has been produced by The Abbey Theatre, The Gate, Druid, The Royal Court, Wyndhams Theatre, The RSC, The Tricycle, The MacCarter Theatre, San Diego Rep and Milwaukee Rep. She is translated into many languages and produced around the world. Prizes include The Susan Smith Blackcurn Prize, The American/Ireland Fund Award, The E.M Forster Award from The American Academy of Arts and Letters, The Macaulay Fellowship and the Puterbaugh Fellowship. She is also a member of Aosdana. She has taught at Trinity College Dublin, at Villanova University and at Princeton University. Currently she lectures in the English department at Dublin City University. Marina is published by Faber & Faber and The Gallery Press. Marina’s forthcoming work Hecuba will premiere at The Swan Theatre in Stratford as part of the RSC Autumn 2015 season in September. The Abbey Theatre will mount a new production of By The Bog of Cats in August 2015.

13

Alex Lowde

Designer Alex Lowde studied Drama at Hull University before training in design at Motley. His work as set/costume designer encompasses designs for theatre, opera, dance, film and exhibitions. Work for opera includes The Adventures of Mr Broucek (Opera North and Scottish Opera); Tobias and the Angel (The Young Vic); The Lion’s Face, The Nose (The Opera Group); Paradise Moscow (Royal Academy of Music); The Gentle Giant (ROH) all with Dir. John Fulljames and Le Nozze di Figaro (Sadler’s Wells). Work for theatre includes Game (Almeida); Stink Foot (The Yard); Miss Julie (Aarhus Theatre), T’is Pity She’s a Whore (Shakespeare Globe), Krapp’s Last Tape (Sheffield Theatre); The Glass Menagerie, Anna Karenina, Beauty and the Beast (CATS Award for Best Design), Mill Lavvies and She Town, A Doll’s House, and The Elephant Man (CATS Award for Best Design/TMA nomination), Equus all for (Dundee Rep); Enjoy (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Body of an American (The Gate); costume for Edward II (National Theatre); A Christmas Carol, Taking Over the Asylum and The Marriage of Figaro (Edinburgh Lyceum); Innocence (Scottish Dance Theatre), Carousel (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), Blake Diptych (Laban), Victoria Station/One for the Road (The Print Room and Young Vic), A Clockwork Orange (Stratford East), While You Lie (Traverse).

SinÉad Wallace

Lighting Designer Sinéad graduated from Trinity College in 2004 where she studied Drama and Theatre. She received Irish Times Theatre Awards for Best Lighting in 2010 for Happy Days (Corn Exchange), in 2009 for Knives in Hens (Landmark) and in 2007 for Saved (Abbey Theatre) and Don Carlos (Rough Magic). Sinéad has most recently lit A Girl is a Half-formed Thing for The Corn Exchange, following on from Desire Under the Elms and Happy Days. Sinéad’s other lighting designs for theatre include A Tender Thing (Siren Productions), Bold Girls (The Lir), Christ Deliver Us, La Dispute, The Seafarer, Playboy of the Western World (a new version), A Number, Blue/Orange and True West (Abbey Theatre), Knives in Hens and Miss Julie (Landmark Productions), Ellamenope Jones, Everybody Loves Sylvia, Fewer Emergencies, The Public, The Drowned World, The Illusion and Eeugh!topia (Randolf SD | The Company), Don Carlos (Rough Magic) and The Mental (Little John Nee).

Lighting designs for dance include Bird with Boy and Drinking Dust (Junk Ensemble), Tabernacle, Niche and Dialogue (Fearghus O Conchuir), Body and Forgetting, Fast Portraits, 12 Minute Dances and Suedehead (Liz Roche Company).

Muirne Bloomer Choreographer Muirne Bloomer is from Dublin. She has had an extensive

performance career in ballet, contemporary and dance theatre both here and abroad. Her choreographic work includes Pageant, As You Are, Winter in Seasons (CoisCéim Dance Theatre), The Ballet Ruse (with Emma O’Kane). Dying To Tell (Creative Steps), Equilibrium and The Dance (CoisCéim Choreography Project). She has been movement director for many theatre shows including: Duck Death and the Tulip, The Incredible Book Eating Boy, Egg, A Spell of Cold Weather, Nivellis War, (Cahoots NI), Gullivers Travels (National Youth Theatre), Dancing at Lughnasa (The Gate, An Grianan, The Bucharest National Theatre and Second Age), Dandy Dolls (Peacock), The Tempest, Drama at Inish, Cavalcaders, A Dolls House (Abbey Theatre), Wallflowering, Hue and Cry, Maisy Dailys Rainbow, Moment (Tall Tales), Can you catch a Mermaid (Pavilion), The Death of Harry Leon (Ouroboros), The Merchant of Venice (Second Age), Rock Rivals (UTV Television), The Lulu House, The Making of tis a Pity Shes a Whore (Siren Productions) and Little Women, Arcadia (The Gate). Muirne also choreographed the Special Olympics Opening Ceremony in Belfast in 2005.

Together with David Bolger she devised A Dash of Colour (Special Olympics Croke Park 2004), Intimate Details and Golf Swing (Opening Ceremony Ryder Cup 2006) and The Opening Ceremony for UEFA League Final (Aviva Stadium 2011). Muirne directed the Macnas, Galway Arts Festival parade in 2004 and 2005. She has directed a pageant for St Patrick’s Festival annually since 2004, and is currently the director of the City Fusion and Brighter Futures project for St Patricks Festival 2015. Most recently she was commissioned by DCC to create outdoor, pop up dance pieces to celebrate the Giro dItalia, by Coke Zero for the relaunch of Dublin Bikes and by Tiger Beer for the outdoor festival during the Tiger Fringe Theatre Festival in Dublin’s city centre. She was also movement director for Borstal Boy at The Gaiety Theatre and She Stoops To Conquer at the Abbey.

14

Richard McGrath Repetituer Richard holds a first class honours degree in Music and

French from NUI Maynooth and a masters in performance (piano accompaniment) from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London where he was also a student on the repetiteur course and subsequently was a repetiteur fellow. He studied piano with Anthony Byrne at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and Pamela Lidiard at the GSMD. From January to June 2013, Richard was the trainee repetiteur at English National Opera. Since then, as well as ENO, he has worked with companies including Northern Ireland Opera, Wide Open Opera and Opera Theatre Company. Operas Richard has worked on include Nixon in China (WOO), L’elisir d’amore (NI Opera and OTC), La bohème, The Barber of Seville, La Traviata (all at ENO), Comedy on the Bridge, La Navarraise, Le Portrait de Manon (GSMD) The Bartered Bride (BYO) Our Town and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (GSMD). Richard has taught in the vocal departments at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama and London College of Music. He has played in the orchestra of English National Opera and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. Upcoming engagements include a new opera by Donnacha Dennehy called The Last Hotel with Wide Open Opera and Landmark Productions.

Ian Whyte Assistant Director English born director, Ian Whyte, graduated with distinction

in his degree in Performing Arts from Liverpool Theatre College in 2005. He obtained a Merit from the Conservatory of Music and Drama DIT, in the Foundation Music course in 2006. He went on to complete his B.Mus from the Conservatory in 2012. He is now currently studying for his Masters Degree in Directing for Theatre at UCD and is making plans to start his PhD in the Autumn. Ian has spent the past ten years performing, studying and working on all aspects of performance. He worked as fight director for Anna-Livia Opera, Opera Ireland, Yorke Trust Opera, Festival Productions, UCD Drama Society, UCDTV and the DIT. He has also worked as Assistant Director for numerous productions with the DIT and Yorke Trust Opera. 2005 saw the start of a long run as a member of the Opera Ireland Chorus in productions such as; La traviata, La bohème, Faust, La Cenerentola, Turandot, Madame Butterfly, Mazzeppa and Macbeth. He then landed his first role with the company playing Benvolio in their production of Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet in 2010. Ian has since gone on to perform in the chorus of Wide Open Opera and RTÉ and subsequently became Chorus Manager for both in 2014 for productions of Nixon in China and Carmen 2014. No stranger in the field of TV and Film, Ian has featured in such successful series as; The Fall, Game of Thrones and Mrs Brown’s Boys.

Bruno Caproni

rigoletto Born in Bangor, Northern Ireland of Italian descent, Bruno Caproni studied in Belfast with James Shaw before entering the Royal Northern College of Music to study with the legendary Frederic Cox. He was most fortunate to be the first new student to be placed with Mr. Cox in five years becoming his last ever pupil. Whilst at the RNCM he was awarded the prestigious Vaughan Williams/ Frederic Cox Award. He was also the recipient of the Ricordi Prize for Opera for his performance of the title role in Verdi’s Rigoletto in the 1988 college production specially mounted for him. Grants from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, The Royal Opera and English National Opera enabled him to continue his studies at the National Opera Studio London. Whilst at the National Opera Studio he made his debut at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden subsequently becoming one of the company’s Young Artists. Following this he was principal baritone at the Hessisches Staatstheater Darmstadt before taking the same position at the Cologne Opera. He has appeared as a leading Verdi baritone in many of the world’s major opera houses including La Scala Milan, Vienna Staatsoper, The Metropolitan Opera New York, San Francisco, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Pittsburgh, and San Diego, The Royal Opera Covent Garden, English and Welsh National Operas, Deutsche Oper and Komische Oper Berlin, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Vlaamse Opera Antwerp and Ghent, Opéra du Rhin Strasbourg, the opera houses in Trieste, Livorno, Lecce, Rovigo, Vicenza, Belfast and Dublin. In September 2011 he was especially 15

invited by the distinguished Brazilian director Felipe Hirsch to sing his production of Verdi’s Rigoletto to mark the 100th anniversary and reopening of the newly refurbished Theatro Municipal in São Paulo. Festivals he has appeared in include Glyndebourne, Wexford, Klangbogen Wien and the Casals Festival Puerto Rico. He has sung with many of the greatest singers past and present including Roberto Alagna, Jose Carreras, Montserrat Caballe, Jose Cura, Placido Domingo, Renee Fleming, Angela Gheorghiu, Luciano Pavarotti and Rolando Villazon. His many broadcasts on radio and television include Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera from La Scala Milan, Franchetti’s Germania from the Deutsche Oper Berlin and a Royal Gala Pavarotti Canta Verdi evening in Monte Carlo at the personal invitation of Luciano Pavarotti to celebrate his 67th birthday. Bruno Caproni has sung under the direction of many distinguished conductors including Marco Armiliato, Richard Bonynge, Paolo Carignani, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Edward Downes, Placido Domingo, Edward Gardner, Danielle Gatti, Sir Bernard Haitink, Carlos Kleiber, Fabio Luisi, Zubin Metha, Riccardo Muti, Donald Runnicles, Nello Santi and Jeffrey Tate. In addition to his operatic work he frequently appears in recital with the pianist Julian Evans and in recent years has been a much sought after teacher of singing.

Luciano Botelho

DUKE As Duke of Mantua, Luciano Botelho is making his company debut at Opera Theatre Company, having previously sung the role in Rennes in the original Italian. Among recent highlights are his debut at Oper Frankfurt as Elvino in La Sonnambula, a role he also sang with great success in a new production for Oper Stuttgart, where it was committed to DVD. At Stuttgart, he also appeared as Orpheé in Orpheé et Euridice. He appeared as Giacomo in La Donna del Lago at the Theater an der Wien and at the Grand Théâtre de Genève with Joyce Di Donato. The Brazilian-born tenor also sang the role of Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia in his hometown London at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden as well as at Tokyo’s New National Theatre of Japan, Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola (Opéra de Massy, Glyndebourne Touring Opera and Malmö Opera), and Fenton in Falstaff (Opera de Nantes/Angers). He appeared as Leicester in Maria Stuarda at Oper Köln and as Don Narciso in Il Turco in Italiana (Opera Australia) in Sydney. He sang Flavio in Norma under the baton of Jean-Christophe Spinosi at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, and alongside Edita Gruberova at the Salzburg Festival. Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore at Opéra Dijon rounds off a list of highlights. Luciano Botelho trained at the University of Rio de Janeiro, at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama London and at Cardiff Academy of Voice in Wales.

Emma Nash Gilda Cork soprano Emma Nash recently graduated with Distinction from the M.A in

Opera Performance course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where she was winner of the Lee Freeman Scholarship Prize, the Dolan Evans Award and a Leverhulme Scholarship. A student of Suzanne Murphy her recent engagements include The Passion of Joan of Arc at Union Chapel London (Irene Buckley), The Oldest Woman in Limerick (Wide Open Opera), Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia (Irish Youth Opera) and Janthe in Der Vampyr (The Everyman/Cork Operatic Society). Upcoming engagements include the title role in a new opera by Irish composer Irene Buckley Lament for Art O’Leary and the Broadford Midsummer Gala. In September 2015 Emma will make her Wexford Opera Festival debut as Gretel in the ShortWorks production of Hansel and Gretel (Humperdinck) and chorus in Koanga (Frederick Delius) and Le Pre aux Clerc (Ferdinand Herold). Emma has appeared as a guest soloist for the Welsh National Opera with David Pountney at the Vale of Glamorgan Festival where she showcased the work of composer Elena Langer. She sang the role of Moppet in the Royal Philharmonic Society opera award winning production of Paul Bunyan with the Welsh National Youth Opera (Wales Millennium Centre). Other recent highlights include soprano soloist with the RWCMD Badinerie Ensemble (St Martin in the Fields), Pamina in the The Magic Flute (RWCMD), Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia (RWCMD), The Controller (cover) in Flight (RWCMD), Eurydice in Orpheus in the Underworld (Opera’r Ddraig), First Niece in Britten’s Women at the Bath International Music Festival (RWCMD) and scenes from Ariadne auf Naxos (Zerbinetta), Vixen in The Cunning Little Vixen, and Nanetta in Falstaff with the RWCMD Concert Orchestra all conducted by David Jones. An alumna of Opera Theatre Company’s Young Associate Artist Programme Emma is a recipient of a Help Musicians U.K Sybil Tutton Award and two Arts Council Travel and Training Awards.

16

John Molloy Sparafucile John Molloy is from Birr in Ireland. He studied at the DIT

Conservatory of Music and Drama in Dublin and at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester where he received the college’s highest accolade for performance, the PPRNCM Diploma. He completed his studies at the National Opera Studio London. Opera Theatre Company performances include Trinity Moses in Mahagonny, Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro, Zuniga in Carmen and Bug Off!!! John’s past opera performances include Alidoro in La Cenerentola (Scottish Opera), Guccio in Gianni Schicchi (Royal Opera House), Masetto in Don Giovanni (English National Opera), Arthur in The Lighthouse and Figaro (Nationale Reisopera Netherlands), Le Commandeur in La Cour de Célimène (Wexford Festival), Angelotti in Tosca, Luka in The Bear, Banco in Macbeth and Dulcamara (Northern Ireland Opera), Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor (Opera Holland Park), Leporello in Don Giovanni, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Bonze in Madama Butterfly (Lyric Opera) Snug in A Midsummer Nights Dream (Opera Ireland) and Henry Kissinger in Nixon in China (Wide Open Opera). His concert repertoire features Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis (Shanghai Opera), Verdi’s Requiem and Mendelssohn St. Paul (RTÉ Concert Orchestra), Haydn’s Creation (Continuo Rotterdam), Handel’s Messiah (Rheinische Philharmonie Hallé). Stravinsky’s Renard (London Sinfonietta). Festival appearances include Canberra, Macau, The Farmleigh Proms and The Electric Picnic.

Kate Allen Maddalena/Countess Ceprano Hailed by the L.A. Times as “a force of nature”, and

San Francisco Classical Voice as “a diva in the making” Kate Allen has just completed a very successful 2014 season, including her debut with the Castleton Festival, Virginia where she performed the role of Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, and her role debut as the title role in Rossini’s La Cenerentola with Wexford Festival Opera as well as performing in Kevin Putt’s Silent night also with Wexford. Kate was also thrilled to receive the audience choice Aria prize and bursary at the festival. To finish 2014, she performed Mendelsohn’s Elijah at the National Concert Hall, Dublin with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and Our Lady’s Choral Society. This year Kate looks forward to her return to the Castleton Festival, performing Concepcion in Ravel’s L’heure Espagnole and her debut with Opera Theatre Company, performing Maddelena in Verdi’s Rigoletto as well as her return to Wexford Festival Opera to perform in Delius’ Koanga and Humperdink’s Hansel and Gretel. Kate has made many notable debuts including her Italian debut at Teatro La Fenice, Venice, conducted by the late Maestro Lorin Maazel at the theatre’s gala concert, as well as a debut with California’s renowned chamber music group Camerata Pacifica with whom she performed Dvorak’s Gypsy Songs and the U.S. premiere of Irish composer, Ian Wilson’s Dreamgarden for mezzo soprano and chamber ensemble. Kate was invited back with Camerata Pacifica in their 2014 season, where she collaborated with them on the song cycle, Winter Roses by Jake Heggie.

Brendan Collins Marullo Brendan trained at the Cork School of Music, the D.I.T.

Conservatory and in 2007, the Opera Studio of Theatre de la Monnaie in Brussels (scholarship). In 2005 he was one of 12 Irish singers to join the 1st Wexford Festival Young Artists programme. Opera engagements: includes Opera Ireland, Opera Theatre Company, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, English Touring Opera, Scottish Opera, NI Opera, Anna Livia Festival, Lyric Opera, Cork Operatic Society and Glasthule Opera. Roles include Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, Marcello in La bohème, Escamillo in Carmen, Germont in La Traviata, Tonio in Pagliacci, Paolo Albiani in Simon Boccanegra, Masetto in Don Giovanni, Pietro de Wisants in L’Assedio di Calais, Jupiter in Orpheus in the Underworld, Marullo in Rigoletto, Elviro in Xerses, Aeneas in Dido & Aeneas, Fiorello in The Barber of Seville, Sacristan in Tosca, Arthur Jones in Billy Budd, Yamadori in Madama Butterfly, Captain Petrovitch in Eugene Onegin, and Count Gil in Il segreto di Susanna. Concerts include Handel Messiah, Handel Birthday Ode for Queen Anne, Mozart Requiem, Mozart Vespers, Mozart Coronation Mass, Mozart Mass in C Minor, Mozart Spatzenmesse, Haydn Creation Mass, Haydn Nelson Mass, Fauré Requiem, Schubert Mass in G, Puccini Messa di Gloria, Orff Carmina Burana, Mendelssohn Elijah and Beethoven 9th Symphony. Recent highlights feature the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in Billy Budd and his New York debut at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2014.

17

Doreen Curran Giovannna Born in Derry, Doreen studied music at the DIT College of Music,

where she was awarded a BMus Performance Degree with First Class Honours and a Gold Medal. Doreen entered the Royal Northern College of Music as a post-graduate and completed her studies at the National Opera Studio London. Doreen has won many competitions including The RTÉ Young Singer of the Future, Most Promising Young Singer in the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition and was also a prizewinner at the Belvedere International Singing Competition to name but a few. Operatic roles include Ottavia in L’incoronazione di Poppea (English National Opera), Mercedes in Carmen (Glyndebourne Touring Opera, ATAO Tenerife), Tamiri in Farnace (Salzburg), Blanche in The Gambler (Grange Park Opera), Zoe in La Fiamma, Ernestina in L’occasioa il Ladro and Penelope in Clione for Wexford Festival Opera, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro (English National Opera, Garsington Opera, Savoy Opera), Dorabella in Cosi fan Tutte (Opera Holland Park), Ottavia and Bradamante in Alcina (Opera Theatre Company and at the Aldeburgh and Buxton Festivals), Rosina in The Barber of Seville (Opera Theatre Company), Kate in Pirates of Penzance (English National Opera), Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana (Opera Northern Ireland), Second Lady in Die Zauberflote and Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi (Opera Ireland), Baba in The Medium, Mother in Hansel and Gretel and Mrs Noye in Noye’s Fludde (NI Opera) with performances in Beijing and Shanghai, Lady in Waiting in Macbeth and Third Secretary in Nixon in China (Wide Open Opera). Solo engagements include Verdi Requiem, Elgar Sea Pictures, Rossini Petite Messe, Bach B minor Mass, St Matthew’s and St John’s Passion, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Three Cornered Hat with the LPO, Messiah in Royal Festival Hall and Bridgewater Hall Manchester, and Vaughan Williams Serenade to Music at the Edinburgh Festival and most recently an evening with Karl Jenkins with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. As a recitalist, Doreen has performed in Ireland, England, France, America and Germany.

David Howes

Ceprano David Howes is a Baritone from Limerick where he began his studies with Olive Cowpar. He then moved on to the DIT conservatory of Music and Drama where he recently completed the Bachelor of Music degree with 1st class honours. David now studies privately with Robert Dean and Mairead Hurley. David is a multiple competition winner both in Limerick and Dublin. In the Féis Ceoil, he has won the Cuisine de France Count John McCormack Bursary, the Baritone solo, and the Count John McCormack Memorial Cup, to name but a few. Performances in oratorio include: Puccini’s Messa Di Gloria, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Mozart’s Requiem, Haydn’s Nelson Mass, and Handel’s Dettingen Te Deum. In opera, David has recently performed the roles of French Soldier 1 in the European Premiere of Silent Night, and Gentleman of the Jury in Trial

by Jury (Short Work) at the Wexford Opera Festival. Other roles include: Noye in Britten’s Noye’s Fludde (DIT), Quince in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Yorke Trust, Norfolk), Marchese d’Obigny in La Traviata and ‘Seargent’ in La bohème (Lyric Opera, Dublin), and Caronte in Monteverdi’s l’Orfeo (Yorke Trust, Norfolk). In opera excerpts with DIT he has played the part of Count Almaviva in Le nozze di figaro, Belcore in L’elisir d’amore, and Colline in La bohème. David has covered the roles of Bohus in Dvorak’s Jacobin (Buxton Festival Opera) conducted by Stephen Barlow, and Henry Kissinger in Nixon in China (Wide Opera Opera). Future roles include: Peintre and 2nd Philosophe in Charpentier’s Louise (Buxton Opera Festival) and Sciarrone in Tosca (Wexford Opera Festival Short Works).

Michael Druiett

Monterone Born in London, Michael Druiett studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Royal College of Music and the National Opera Studio. Studies with Norman Bailey, and, more recently, Sir John Tomlinson led to his debut as Wotan in Opera North’s Das Rheingold, returning as Der Wanderer in Siegfried. He began his career as principal bass at English National Opera and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and has also appeared with companies including Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera, La Monnaie, Brussels, l’Opéra national de Lyon, l’Opéra national de Montpellier, the Opéra national de Paris, the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and the New Israeli Opera.

18

Engagements this season and beyond include Le Père in Louise for Buxton Festival Opera, Arkel in Pelléas et Mélisande and The Bailiff in Werther (English Touring Opera), The Commendatore in Don Giovanni (Deutsche Oper Am Rhein), Inspector/Uncle in The Trial (Music Theatre Wales), The Bonze in Madam Butterfly (Glyndebourne On Tour and Raymond Gubbay Ltd) and a return to Opera North to sing Wotan in Das Rheingold. He will also sing Mahler Symphony No. 8 for the Leeds International Concert Season.

Owen Gilhooly Borsa Owen studied with Jean Holmes (Limerick School of Music) before

continuing his studies at the Royal College of Music and National Opera Studio. He made his Royal Opera House debut singing Faure Requiem (Royal Ballet) and represented Ireland at the 2007 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. He has appeared in principal roles with Opera Ireland, OTC, ETO Lyric Opera, Scottish Opera, Opera North, The Opera Group and the Royal Opera House and has made frequent appearances at Wexford Festival Opera, Lismore Music Festival, Buxton Festival Opera, Les Azuriales Opera and Musikverkstatt Wien. In concert he has appeared with the RTÉ NSO, IBO, Camerata Ireland, Irish Chamber and Ulster Orchestras, the Bournemouth and Tokyo Symphony Orchestras, the Royal Liverpool and London Philharmonic Orchestras as well as the BBC Symphony Orchestra including Bill Bobstay HMS Pinafore and Janacek’s Osud at the BBC Proms. In 2014 sang Robert (ROH, Covent Garden) in Luke Bedford’s Through his Teeth, and Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Musique-Cordiale International Festival, France), Gill in Susanna’s Secret (Glasthule Opera), Valentin in Faust (Everyman Theatre, Cork). After a successful career as a high baritone, Owen’s voice has now moved into the tenor range with focus on the lirico-spinto repertoire such as Macduff Macbeth, Don Jose Carmen, Lensky Eugene Onegin, Cavarasdossi Tosca. Owen is pursuing Doctoral studies at the RIAM, where he is a Teaching Fellow, and continuing his vocal studies with David Pollard in London.

MUSIC NETWORK AUTUMN TOURS 2015

KATHLEEN MACINNES, DERMOT BYRNE, BRIAN FINNEGAN, MIKE VASS

ZAÏDE QUARTET

GOGO PENGUIN

BENJAMIN APPL

Kathleen MacInnes voice Dermot Byrne accordion Brian Finnegan flute / whistle Mike Vass

Charlotte Juillard violin Leslie Boulin-Raulet violin Sarah Chenaf viola Juliette Salmona cello

Chris Illingworth piano Nick Blacka double bass Rob Turner drums

Benjamin Appl baritone Gary Matthewman piano

9 — 20 September

guitar / fiddle

In a specially curated Music Network tour, Hebridean singer Kathleen MacInnes is joined

by Donegal accordion maestro Dermot Byrne, flute and whistle player Brian Finnegan and award-winning Scottish guitarist and fiddler Mike Vass.

8 — 17 October

Prepare to be blown away by the technical brilliance and ineffable élan of the ZaÏde Quartet, a French string quartet in the ascendant. Programme to include Shostakovich, Mozart and Bartók.

25 October — 1 November

Brace yourself for the rollercoaster ride that is Mercury-nominated UK piano trio GoGo Penguin, an exhilarating jazz-meetselectronica salvo of spacey chords, stuttering break-beats and killer riffs.

14 — 22 November

The wonderfully charismatic honey-toned German baritone Benjamin Appl presents Labours of the Heart, an evening of wellknown Lieder and operatic arias, accompanied by Gary Matthewman, one of Europe’s leading song pianists.

book now at musicnetwork.ie  /musicnetworkireland

 @MusNetIrl

Italian Institute of Culture Dublin Located in a prestigious Georgian building in Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin’s Istituto Italiano di Cultura has been promoting Italian language and culture in Ireland for over 50 years.

Experience Italian Culture!

Opera//Fashion//Art//Dance//Photography// Theatre Music//Cinema//Literature//Design// Publishing//Italian Language Courses

Italian Institute of Culture Dublin 11 Fitzwilliam Square East, Dublin 2 Tel. 01 662 0509 / 662 1507 contact us: iicdublino@esteri.it www.iicdublino.esteri.it

64th Festival

21 October – 1 November 2015

Le Pré aux clercs FERDINAND HÉROLD

October 23, 26, 29 / November 1

Koanga DELIUS October 21, 24, 27, 30

Guglielmo Ratcliff MASCAGNI October 22, 25, 28, 31

TICKETS NOW ON SALE Online: Wexfordopera.com / Phone: 1850 4 OPERA Go to logograb.com on your smartphone and scan the Wexford Festival Opera logo on this advert to unlock an exclusive video preview of the 2015 Festival

#WexfordOpera

ABBEY THEATRE

BY THE BOG

OF CATS MARINA CARR directed by selina cartmell

The creators of Opera Theatre Company’s Rigoletto will reunite later this year at the Abbey Theatre with By The Bog of Cats.

Hester Swane is a woman scorned. When her world is torn in two, what lengths will she go to in order to protect what she believes is rightfully hers?

14 August – 12 September on the Abbey stage

www.abbeytheatre.ie (01) 87 87 222

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact us on: 01 619 0300 or email us: ireland@ecclesiastical.com

Irish Youth Opera

Irish Youth Opera PRESENTING THE FUTURE

Handel

Irish Youth Opera

lime Tree Theatre, limerick Tuesday 8 Sept. 8pm Black Box Theatre, Galway Thursday 10 Sept. 8pm O’Reilly Theatre, dublin Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 Sept. 7.30pm The Market Place Theatre, armagh Saturday 19 Sept. 8pm

www.irishyouthopera.ie

Support Opera Theatre Company Invest in the future of Irish Opera by becoming a friend Even with the fullest houses, box office takings only cover a fraction of what it costs to stage high-quality opera and carry out Opera Theatre Company’s nationwide tours.

Although OTC benefits from core funding from the Arts Council, as a charity we rely on support from a variety of private and public sources. Our sincere thanks go to the huge number of individuals, county and city councils, cultural organisations and businesses that support our activities each year. To continue to grow and strengthen, we need your support. OTC’s individual donors are getting even more out of their love of opera by being part of Opera Theatre Company’s family of supporters.

Getting involved as an Opera Friend or Benefactor means you’ll never miss out – you’ll be among the first to know about future OTC plans. You’ll have the opportunity to share exclusive experiences with loved ones, to mingle with other passionate opera fans at season launches and pre-opera talks. To meet the talented artists and creative teams that work together to stage these impressive works.

Maintaining the high standards our audience has come to expect has been significantly helped by the contribution our supporters make. Opera Theatre Company thanks everyone listed in our opera programmes for playing their role in making this happen. For those that aren’t there yet, we say: you too can have a starring role.

Become an OTC supporter and be linked for 12 months to the company whose vision is to produce high quality, accessible opera throughout the island of Ireland.

For more information on Investing in the future by becoming Marketing & Sponsorship Manager Sorcha 26

“Opera Theatre Company have created outstanding branding for themselves in recent years through innovative and daring productions” Sunday Business Post

CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES Opera Theatre Company (OTC) is the National Touring Opera Company of Ireland.

Founded to create high quality opera productions that can be presented anywhere: from a community centre to an Opera House. The company has toured to more than 100 cities, towns, and villages across Ireland since its first production of Turn of the Screw (1986), as well as touring to UK, France, Belgium, Italy, Czech Republic, USA and Australia.

Since 2011 OTC’s work has been seen by

28,480 people 122 performances In 42 theatres throughout Ireland We believe that supporting the arts should work both ways. Supporting OTC helps sustain world‑class opera in Ireland AND is good for business.

Whether your company is looking to promote your brand to regional and national audiences, enhance your Corporate Social Responsibility programme, or offer staff and clients an unforgettable evening of entertainment, OTC can create bespoke and individually tailored partnerships to meet your needs.

a friend of OTC or by corporate opportunities please contact Carroll on 01 6794962 or scarroll@opera.ie 27

Will you invest in the future of opera in Ireland?

Opera Theatre Company (OTC) is Ireland’s National Touring Opera Company, bringing opera to venues across Ireland, making professional opera accessible from Derry to Skibbereen and everything in between.

To continue to grow and strengthen, we need you

“ OTC is a valiant organisation with a quarter of a century touring opera to over 100 locations all over Ireland behind it. The island needs the company to continue boldly on its travels.” Opera Britannica “ OTC... raises the bar for Irish touring opera.” The Irish Times

Complete this form to become a patron of Opera Theatre Company OTC I would like to invest in the future of opera by supporting OTC as follows: Opera Angel (under 30 yrs)

€85

Silver Friend

€150

Gold Friends

€250

Platinum Friends

€500

Benefactor

€1,000+

I would like my name to appear in OTC programmes and on www.opera.ie as I would prefer to remain anonymous.

Donations over €250 by individuals allow OTC to benefit from tax relief; by companies allows them to claim an allowable expense.

Name: Address:

block capitals

Email:

as per bank details referenced below

I enclose a cheque*

Visa Please debit my card Visa Debit Mastercard

Card: — — — — / — — — — / — — — — / — — — — Signature:

TeL:

To the amount €

Expires: — — / — —

CCV: — — —

Date:

Thank you for being an Opera Angel! * Cheques should be made payable to Opera Theatre Company and posted to: Rosemary Collier, Opera Theatre Company, Temple Bar Music Centre,

Curved Street, Dublin 2. When OTC contacts you regarding renewal of annual patronage, we will offer you the option of setting up a standing order.

Please contact Sorcha with any queries you may have regarding tax relief, in-kind sponsorship, or corporate giving on 01 679 4962 or info@opera.ie

28

TOURING

OUR SUPPORTERS

FRI 15 MAY NATIONAL OPERA HOUSE WEXFORD

With Special Thanks to Rigoletto Regional Tour Sponsor

OTC Executive

WWW.NATIONALOPERAHOUSE.IE 053 9122144

SUN 17 MAY AN TÁIN ARTS CENTRE DUNDALK WWW.ANTAIN.IE 042 9332332

TUE 19 MAY SOLSTICE ARTS CENTRE NAVAN WWW.SOLSTICEARTSCENTRE.COM 046 9092300

THUR 21 & SAT 23 MAY O’REILLY THEATRE BELVEDERE COLLEGE DUBLIN WWW.ENTERTAINMENT.IE 01 6708326

MON 25 MAY AN GRIANÁN THEATRE LETTERKENNY WWW.ANGRIANAN.COM 074 9120777

THUR 28 MAY WATERGATE THEATRE KILKENNY WWW.WATERGATETHEATRE.COM 056 7761674

SAT 30 MAY LIME TREE THEATRE LIMERICK WWW.LIMETREETHEATRE.IE 061 774774

Corporate Partners

Benefactor Anonymous Platinum Friends Maureen DeForge Margaret McAlpine Gold Friends Mary Brennan Geraldine Connolly Siobhan Donovan Maire & Maurice Foley Patrick Honohan Prof A.R. & Joan M. Manning Anne Makower & Chris Fitzsimon Richard John McBratney Dr. John McKeown L & M Keating F.X. and Pat O’Brien John & Joyce O’Callaghan Alastair & Ann Martha Rowan Nolie Walsh

Silver Friends Dr. Mary Henry Matthew Harrison David & Breda Humphries Nuala Johnson Paul & Joyce Kelly Jonathan Kilfeather Petria McDonnell Pat Moylan John O’Leary Margaret Quigley Brenda & Donald Weir Opera Angels Siobhan O’Donnell

If you are passionate about opera and want to support the work of OTC go to page 24 for more details.

With Special Thanks to Rigoletto Regional Tour Sponsor

OTC019_Cover_Programme_Rigoletto.indd 2

Executive Director Rosemary Collier Artistic Director Fergus Sheil Marketing & Sponsorship Manager Sorcha Carroll Administrator & Bookkeeper Cate Kelliher Marketing Assistants Deirdre Brady, Aibhe Quinn

Board of Directors Gaby Smith Chair Jennifer Cadwell Joseph Murphy Brendan Donnelly Yvonne Shields

OTC Opera Hub Sharon Carty Tom Creed Rachel Croash Rory Musgrave Kim Sheehan Andrew Synnott

Opera Theatre Company Temple Bar Music Centre Curved Street, Temple Bar Dublin 2 Tel +353 [0] 1 679 4962 Fax +353 [0] 1 679 4963 Email info@opera.ie Website www.opera.ie

Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/OperaTheatreCompany Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/operaIE. Join our network on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/companies/1099898/OperaTheatreCompany

08/05/2015 10:00

The best Arts & Entertainment coverage at your fingertips

PRESENTS

VERDI

RIGOLETTO Arts & Ideas

The Ticket

Weekend Review

THE IRISH TIMES Print | Online | Mobile

OTC019_Cover_Programme_Rigoletto.indd 1

08/05/2015 10:00