Famous opera reveals new season for 2006 (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Famous opera reveals new season for 2006

THE 2006 season at Longborough Festival Opera has been announced this week.

This year it will feature various fascinating characters in fresh LFO productions of Verdi's Rigoletto and Bizet's Carmen.

The Opera Project will be presenting the most insolent of opera's heroes, Mozart's Don Giovanni. For youngsters there will be a performance of Benjamin Britten's The Little Sweep, designed to introduce a young audience to opera.

The 2006 season runs from Friday, June 9 until Saturday, July 15 and booking for the new season opens on February 27.

Longborough Festival Opera, hailed by one critic as the Glyndebourne of the Cotswolds, has been producing its own opera to national critical acclaim since 1998.

Artistic director Alan Privett, who created Longborough Festival Opera's celebrated mini-Ring Cycle will be directing Maria Soulis as Bizet's Carmen. Born in Canada of Greek parentage, Maria not only looks the part, but also has extensive operatic experience in prestigious European opera houses attracting praise for her 'luxurious vocal colours'.

Jeremy Silver, well-known for his work with both Glyndebourne and English National Touring Operas and Opera Holland Park, will be returning to the pit at Longborough.

Bizet presents the story of the impetuous and sensual gipsy with superlative musical and dramatic skill and Carmen deserves its place as one of the greats in the operatic repertoire.

Richard Studer and Jonathan Lyness, the team responsible for Longborough Festival Opera's highly acclaimed Madama Butterfly (2004) will be returning to produce Rigoletto, which takes its name from its central character, the misshapen jester at the Court of the libertine Duke of Mantua. Rigoletto is the most human of Verdi's creations; it is inhabited by multi-faceted personalities on a dark journey of love, seduction and revenge. Both Carmen and Rigoletto will be sung in their original languages with surtitles.

Studer and Lyness will also be bringing our contribution to this year's celebrations of Mozart's 250th birthday; Don Giovanni opens the season on June 9. The brilliant music, the swift dramatic action, switching between tragedy and comedy, and the fascinating character of the Don himself all combine to make this a compelling opera whose popularity has never waned since its premiere in 1787. Don Giovanni will be sung in English.

Longborough Festival Opera's commitment to nurturing a young audience for opera has been gathering force over the past years and this year's education programme will culminate in a performance of Britten's The Little Sweep with local children directed by Maria Jagusz. Britten's charming opera for children consists of a play in which a group of children and adults write and rehearse an opera about a young chimney sweep who is set free from his cruel masters. The second part is the performance of the finished opera itself. The Little Sweep introduces a young audience to opera by means of a simple, yet affecting story and includes four songs for audience participation.

Tickets for The Little Sweep will be available at reduced price to encourage young families.

At Longborough, high-class opera is served up in an informal and relaxed atmosphere. Performances have long intervals for picnicking or dining in picturesque surroundings. For further information, please visit the website www.longboroughopera.com.

To obtain a brochure or to book, call the Box Office on 01451 830292.