Montevedi’s L’Orfeo
Silent Opera
January – February 2013
Trinity Buoy Wharf
Arguably the first opera ever written Monteverdi’s groundbreaking work follows Orfeo as he descends to hell in search of his deceased love, and Silent Opera take you to the Underworld with him. Orfeo travels to the underworld to retrieve his beloved where he entrances the gods of the underworld, who give him the chance to have her return with him to earth. However, there is one condition, he must trust that she is following him, and not look back – if he does “a single glance will condemn him to eternal loss”. Doubtful of this chance, he looks back, trapping Eurydice in the Underworld forever.
Silent Opera brings audiences closer to the action than ever before. This intense experience brings together theatre, technology and classical music. Audiences are provided with wireless headphones, which deliver an all encompassing sound world directly into their head: bringing together live singing and select instrumentalists, mixed with a pre-recorded full orchestra, revealing every breath, nuance and emotion of the operatic narrative. It then allows audiences to move freely through the performance space, following the story and creating their own personal theatre, by choosing how to experience Monteverdi’s masterpiece.
“Viscerally exciting…an inspired and beautifully lit interpretation”
Whatsonstage
“Startlingly well-sung and theatrically inventive”
Evening Standard
“Ingeniously synchronised… gripping”
The Times
“Nothing short of mind-boggling… immersive theatre done to an uncompromising standard”
Everything Theatre
Director Daisy Evans
Conductor Christopher Bucknall
Designer Katherine Heath
Movement Director Anjali Mehra
Assistant Directors Greg Eldridge, Jennifer Bakst
Assistant Conductor Joseph Mchardy
Repetiteur Nicholas Fletcher
Lighting Designer Ziggy Jacobs
Sound System Design Helen Atkinson
Technical Sound Associate David Gregory
Composer and Sound Design Louis d’Heudieres
Costume Supervisor Becky Evans
Art Department Colette Grenville, Morgan DeVeazey
Hair and makeup Shirley Brody
Stage Management Sophie Sierra, Lee White
Deputy Stage Manager Eleanor Dear
Lighting Operator Willow Beasdale
Sound Operator Fred Riding
Sound Assistants Dom Berditch, Claire Stamp
Produced by The Heritage Arts Company
Made possible by Sky Arts Ignition: Futures Fund in association with Ideastap, and Arts Council England. With thanks to our board members: Vladimir Jurowski, Rupert Goold, Kat Alder and Jane Glover. EVENT PARTNERS Blitz Communications Technology providers Silent Gig
Orfeo William Berger, Oliver Mercer
Caronte Timothy Dickinson
Plutone Callum Thorpe
Pastore I Owen Willetts
Pastore II James Geer
Pastore III David Shaw
Musica/Proserpina Anna Dennis
Euridice sung by Caroline MacPhie
danced by Kirsty Mather
Ninfa Caroline MacPhie
Messaggiera Emilie Renard
Speranza Owen Willetts
Caroline MacPhie
Emilie Renard
Ensemble Anna Dennis, Caroline MacPhie, Emilie Renard, Owen Willetts, David Shaw, James Geer, Callum Thorpe, Timothy Dickinson
Dancers Hazel Gold, Christopher Akrill, Emma Brunton, Emma-Marie Casey, Verity Hopkins, Laura Caldow, Sebastian Langueneur
Covers
Plutone/Caronte Ross McInroy
Pastore II/III Simon Gfeller
Musica/Proserpina / Euridice/Ninfa Colette Boushell
Messaggiera/Pastore I Katie Slater
LIVE PERFORMERS
Conductor/Keyboards Christopher Bucknall
Harp Frances Kelly
Theorbo David Miller
Theorbo Eligio Quinterio
Harpsichord/ Organ Joseph McHardy
RECORDING
recorded 23/9/12 at The National Opera Studio by Alexander Van Ingen and Six Music Productions.
Violin 1 Bojan Cicic
Violin 2 Persephone Gibbs
Viola Emma Alter
Bass Violin 1 Christopher Suckling
Bass Violin 2 Gyongy Erodi
Violone William Hunt
Chitarrone Eligio Quinteiro
Harp Kirsty Whatley
Tenor 1 David Shaw
Tenor 2 James Geer
Baritone Andrew Davies
Bass 1 Callum Thorpe
Bass 2 Tim Dickinson
Percussion Adrian Bending
Organ / Chorusmaster Elizabeth Burgess
Keyboard Technician Edmund Pickering
Keyboards/Conductor Christopher Bucknall
The English Cornett and Sackbutt Ensemble:
Trumpet Katie Hodges
Cornetto/Recorder Gawain Glenton
Cornetto/Recorder Sam Goble
Trombone Martyn Sanderson
Trumpet/Trombone Philip Dale
Trumpet/Trombone Tom Lees
Trumpet/Trombone Andrew HarwoodWhite
Trombone Adrian France