Welsh National Opera’s Rearrange is a series of short films, commissioned to place older, well-known operatic arias in today’s world and to show how the themes echoed in the stories are still relevant today – taking an extract from an opera and giving it a contemporary spin for the modern world.
In this film featuring Ronald Samm, director Rebecca Hemmings’ film, through Puccini’s Nessun Dorma follows a man as he navigates the daily realities of racial disparities as he travels to work.
We are delighted that the tenor Ronald Samm has joined our artist roster for general management. Ronald was born and grew up in Trinidad, West Indies. He studied singing and piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, followed by postgraduate study at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. He is also a graduate of the National Opera Studio in London.
In the current season engagements include a Mendelssohn concert and Mozart Requiem with Crouch End Festival Chorus; a concert version of Porgy and Bess at the Theater St. Gallen; and an open-air production of The Morrigan, a new opera by John O’Brien.
Gweneth Ann Rand performs Judith (sharing the role with Susan Bullock) alongside Gerald Finley and Michael Mayes as Bluebeard in a radical retelling of Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle, through the lense of a family living with dementia.
Under the direction of Daisy Evans and Stephen Higgins, this new immersive production for Theatre of Sound is accompanied in a new chamber orchestration with players from the London Sinfonietta.
Performances: 4 – 14 November 2021 at the Stone Nest
We are delighted that the mezzo soprano Joanna Harries has joined our artist roster for general management. Joanna was a choral scholar at the University of Cambridge and went on to train at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Alexander Gibson Opera Studio at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. In the current season she is a Young Artist at the National Opera Studio.
In the current season engagements include Diana in Scott Stroman’s The Weekend at the Bloomsbury Theatre; The Moon Hares a schools project performance for the OAE; Karolka Jenůfa for Fulham Opera; a series of performances with Opera Prelude; a Britten Pears masterclass and recital with Sarah Connolly and Joseph Middleton; and SongPath at the Oxford Botanic Gardens as part of the Oxford Lieder Festival.
Gweneth Ann Rand performs Mrs Grose OperaGlass Works production of The Turn of the Screw. It was filmed on location at Wilton’s Music Hall and was streamed on Marquee TV and broadcast on BBC Four.
The film was directed by Dominic Best, Selina Cadell and Eliza Thompson, with John Wilson conducting the Sinfonia of London.
Benjamin Britten: The Turn of the Screw
Label: Chandos
Code: CHDVD 5290
Release date: 29 October 2021
Welsh National Opera’s Rearrange is a series of short films, commissioned to place older, well-known operatic arias in today’s world and to show how the themes echoed in the stories are still relevant today – taking an extract from an opera and giving it a contemporary spin for the modern world.
In this film featuring Linda Richardson, director Daisy Evans places Rossini’s Trio from Le Comte Ory at an office party where three colleagues slink off at the end of the night and get up to all sorts of shenanigans.
We are delighted that the soprano Katherine Crompton has joined our artist roster for general management. Katherine studied at the National Opera Studio, having previously graduated from the Royal College of Music International Opera School where she was the Independent Opera Scholar.
In the current season highlights include Galatea Acis and Galatea for Christian Curnyn and the Early Opera Company; Bach B Minor Mass for Bedford Choral Society; St. John Passion for St Albans Bach Choir; and Mozart Requiem with the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paul Agnew.
We are delighted that Ailish Tynan, Gweneth Ann Rand and Neil Balfour all feature in the 20th Anniversary Oxford Lieder Festival, Nature’s Songbook.
16 October
Neil Balfour joins Kitty Whately, Nicky Spence and Anna Tilbrook for a recital celebrating the works of Stephen Sondheim.
19 October
Ailish Tynan and Libby Burgess perform a programme based on birdsong, including works by Schubert, Grieg, Handel, Judith Weir – indispersed with birdsong quotes by renowned recorder player Ian Wilson.
20 October
Gweneth Ann Rand and Simon Lepper perform a programme including Strauss’ Vier letzte Lieder and works by Schoenberg, George Crumb and Florence Price.
In the Footsteps of… is the title of a ground-breaking recital programme from Wigmore Hall Associate Artist Gweneth Ann Rand. Realised with violinist Sarah Daramy-Williams, pianist Allyson Devenish and with actor Adjoa Andoh as narrator, the programme ranges from traditional spirituals through standard recital favourites to world premières by Errollyn Wallen and Clement Ishmael.
The concert on 14 October 2021 will trace the footsteps of pioneering black artists who performed at Wigmore Hall during the twentieth century, including Marian Anderson, Grace Bumbry and Jessye Norman.
We are delighted that the mezzo soprano Felicity Buckland has joined our artist roster for worldwide representation. Felicity is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) and the ENO Opera Works programme and studies with Mary Plazas. She most recently performed the role of Lily Porgy and Bess at the Theater an der Wien and has covered roles in The Mask of Orpheus, Orpheus in the Underworld and Carmen for English National Opera.
Future highlights include Wellgunde RhineGold for Birmingham Opera and in the autumn she returns to ENO for her mainstage debut as Kasturbai in Phelim McDermott’s acclaimed production of Philip Glass’ Satyagraha, she covers Siegrune in Richard Jones’ new produciton of The Valkyrie.
We are delighted to have four artists performnig in Welsh National Opera’s recently announced 2021/22 season.
Neil Balfour and Keel Watson make their company debuts in Lindy Hume’s new production of Madam Butterfly as Prince Yamadori and The Bonze. Inspired by Puccini’s fantasy landscape of exotic pleasures, this new production interprets Butterfly’s famous story through a dystopian prism. Keel will also perform Don Basilio in a revival of Giles Havergal’s classic prodution of The Barber of Seville.
#WNOButterfly #WNOBarber
Following acclaimed performances as Cio-cio san and Violetta, Linda Richardson returns to WNO as Donna Anna in a revival of John Caird’s classic production of Don Giovanni, last seen in the 2017/18 season.
#WNOGiovanni
Njabulo Madlala makes his WNO debut in summer 2022 in Will Todd’s much anticipated new commission – Migrations. This new community opera explores the highs and lows of migration: from the migration of birds to the sailing of The Mayflower 400 years ago; from the story of an Afro-Caribbean slave in Bristol to the experience of Indian doctors working in the NHS.
The production is directed by David Pountney and conducted by Matthew Kofi Waldren with an expanded WNO Orchestra joined by a cast of 100 performers, including a gospel choir, Bollywood dancers and a children’s chorus.
#WNOMigrations
We are delighted that the bass baritone Neil Balfour has joined our artist roster for worldwide representation. Neil is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) and the National Opera Studio. A former Britten-Pears and Concordia artist, he is the first opera singer to be booked by the Glastonbury Festival and the first to beatbox in an opera at Longborough Festival Opera.
Future highlights include Prince Yamadori Madama Butterfly for Welsh National Opera and Texy in the premiere of Alex Groves’ Back into the World for English Touring Opera.
Nazan Fikret is the soprano soloist in Our Dark Side and the Moon: a night time duet, part of 8bit for the Royal Opera.
Reflecting on our relationship to the moon, with text by Elayce Ismail and music by John Barber, take your device to a window or outside space and watch the moon as you listen.
8bit is a digital series of eight newly-commissioned experimental pieces, bringing together contemporary artists in five short films, two audio performances and an online experiment, all of which can be enjoyed from your own home. It includes well-loved repertory in ways you have never experienced before and world premieres of new short works.
The 8bit experience is available to watch from 30 April on the Royal Opera House’s social media channels: YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
To celebrate Welsh National Opera’s 75th anniversary Camilla Roberts performs the Easter Hymn from Cavalleria Rusticana with the Chorus and Orchestra conducted by James Southall.
The visuals take a walk through history, from the WNO’s humble origins in Llandaff, Cardiff to their current home at Wales Millennium Centre.
John Gilhooly has today announced Gweneth Ann Rand as an Associate Artist at Wigmore Hall. As an Associate Artist Gweneth Ann will feature regularly in Wigmore Hall programming, with at least one concert each season over a five year term.
Her recent Wigmore Hall appearances include Messiaen’s Harawi and a programme of Barber, Messiaen and Wagner, both with collaborator pianist Simon Lepper, with whom she will perform An Imperfect Tapestry, on 3 June 2021 as part of Wigmore Hall’s 120th Anniversary celebrations.
“Rand’s sumptuous voice, technically brilliant, verbally agile and expressive…”
(Fiona Maddocks)
“This was an authoritative, polished performance, piano and voice capturing the music’s quicksilver changes
of mood and colour together.”
(Erica Jeal)
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