Download PRESS RELEASE - English Touring Opera

Friday 11 November 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact John Walker Press and Marketing Officer, for images, interviews, press tickets, or to request more information:
[email protected], 020 7833 2555, 0774 361 0 362.
English Touring Opera’s Spring 2015 season of Italian opera, including rare
Donizetti opera never before staged in the UK
The Wild Man of the West Indies (Il furioso all’isola di San Domingo)
Music by Gaetano Donizetti, libretto by Jacopo Ferretti
New production, sung in Italian with English surtitles.
Conducted by Jeremy Silver, directed by Iqbal Khan.
La bohème
Music by Giacomo Puccini, libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa.
New production, sung in Italian with English surtitles.
Conducted by Michael Rosewell, directed by James Conway.
The Siege of Calais (L’assedio di Calais)
Music by Gaetano Donizetti, words by Salvatore Cammarano.
Revival of ETO’s 2013 production, sung in Italian with English surtitles.
Conducted by Jeremy Silver, directed by James Conway.
All three productions open at Hackney Empire, London:
The Siege of Calais opens on Saturday 7 March 2015;
The Wild Man of the West Indies opens on Thursday 12 March 2015;
and La bohème opens on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 March 2015.
The tour then continues to Truro, Poole, Norwich, Sheffield, Cheltenham, Wolverhampton, Snape, Leicester,
Coventry, Exeter, Crawley, Canterbury, Blackpool, Buxton, Durham, Perth and Cambridge.
Also touring: Shackleton’s Cat, a new opera for 7-11 year olds and their families; and Waxwings, a new opera for
children with special educational needs.
English Touring Opera’s Spring 2015 season features rare bel canto gems by Donizetti, a Puccini favourite, and
two new operas for young people.
The season opens at Hackney Empire from Saturday 7 March to Saturday 14 March 2015, with new productions of
Donizetti’s The Wild Man of the West Indies (Il furioso all’isola di San Domingo) and Puccini’s La bohème, together
with a revival of ETO’s Spring 2013 production of Donizetti’s The Siege of Calais (L’assedio di Calais).
The operas then tour to Hall for Cornwall in Truro, Lighthouse Poole, Norwich Theatre Royal, Sheffield Theatres,
Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Snape Maltings, Leicester Curve, Warwick Arts
Centre, Exeter Northcott Theatre, Crawley Hawth, Canterbury Marlowe Theatre, Blackpool Grand Theatre, Buxton
Opera House, Durham Gala Theatre, Perth Festival and Cambridge Arts Theatre.
They are joined by Shackleton’s Cat and Waxwings, two new operas for young people, to be performed in schools,
libraries and studio theatre spaces.
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Donizetti’s The Wild Man of the West Indies (Il furioso all’isola di San Domingo) was premiered in Rome in 1833
and became hugely successful before vanishing from the repertoire until the late 20th century. ETO’s new
production marks both the opera’s first staging in the UK and first tour on this scale anywhere in the world in the
modern era.
The libretto by Jacopo Ferretti is based on a play by an unknown author, but ultimately derives from an episode of
Cervantes’ Don Quixote. Unusually for its time, the plot centres on a male victim of spousal infidelity: After his wife
Eleonora is unfaithful, Cardenio flees for an island in the West Indies, where he loses his senses and his mind.
The Wild Man of the West Indies features a love story of huge psychological depth, and a host of beautiful bel
canto arias. ETO’s new production is sung in Italian with English surtitles, directed by Iqbal Khan, and the conductor
is Jeremy Silver. Craig Smith sings the title role of the ‘Wild Man’ Cardenio, with Sally Silver as Eleonora and
Nicholas Sharratt as Cardenio’s brother Fernando. Also starring in the production are Njabulo Madlala as the
islander Bartolomeo, Donna Bateman as his daughter Marcella, and Peter Brathwaite as his servant Kaidamà.
ETO last toured La bohème over ten years ago, and is touring Puccini’s masterpiece in Spring 2015 in a new
production directed by James Conway. Ilona Domnich and Paula Sides share the role of Mimi, with David Butt
Philip as Rodolfo, Grant Doyle and Nick Lester sharing the role of Marcello, and Sky Ingram and Donna Bateman as
Musetta. Michael Rosewell conducts ETO’s orchestra.
La bohème also features the work of Linbury Prize-winning designer Florence de Maré, who is designing the sets
and costumes for both this production and The Wild Man of the West Indies.
The Siege of Calais (L’assedio di Calais) enjoyed its first ever UK professional tour as part of ETO’s Spring 2013
season. Constructed of bel canto arias and ensembles of extraordinary quality, The Siege of Calais tells the story of
the burghers of Calais who offer up their lives to save their city from the besieging English army. Their sacrifice
culminates in one of the most moving ensembles in all of opera, the momentous O sacra polve, o suol natio (O
Sacred Earth).
Sung in Italian with English surtitles, The Siege of Calais features designs by Faroese artist Samal Blak, inspired by
the siege of Stalingrad. The production is again directed by James Conway, and the conductor is Jeremy Silver.
ETO's production follows Donizetti’s own expressed wishes by performing the opera in a two-act version. King
Edward’s brilliant aria from act 3 is retained and relocated to the first act, again in accordance with the composer’s
plans.
The role of Eustachio, the Mayor of Calais, is sung by Craig Smith. Catherine Carby and Helen Sherman (Helen
reprising the role she created in 2013) share the ‘trouser role’ of his son Aurelio. Paula Sides also stars, as Aurelio’s
wife Eleonora, a role she also originally sang in 2013. Grant Doyle and Nicholas Merryweather share the role of the
English King Edward.
ETO’s Spring 2015 season also continues the company’s record of touring new operas for younger audiences, with
singers and players drawn from the cast and orchestra of the main-stage productions.
Shackleton’s Cat is based on the true story of the tabby cat that accompanied Ernest Shackleton’s 1914-16
Antarctic expedition. Designed for children aged 7-11, the opera incorporates elements of the geography and
history curricula, and is complemented by a Teacher’s Pack for schools.
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Waxwings is ETO’s new opera for children with severe special educational needs. Based on the story of flight and
the myth of Icarus, the highly interactive piece brings together singing with a combination of live accompaniment
and recorded electronic music.
Tickets for the ETO Spring 2015 tour go on sale throughout summer and autumn 2014. Further dates and tour
venues to be announced - for latest confirmed tour dates please contact John Walker, or visit
englishtouringopera.org.uk/tour-dates/spring-2015. Please contact John Walker to request press tickets for the
opening nights of the tour at Hackney Empire, or for any other tour venue.
#ENDS#
Images
For pre-season press images for La bohème, please click here to access an online gallery of hi-res shots from a
recent photoshoot with singers from the production (please credit photographer Bill Knight for these)
For images for The Wild Man of the West Indies, please click here to access a gallery of hi-res shots from the same
recent photoshoot with singers from the production (once again please credit photographer Bill Knight for these)
For The Siege of Calais, a gallery of press shots from the original 2013 production is available here (please credit
photographer Richard Hubert Smith for these shots)
Listings and tour dates
English Touring Opera: Spring 2015 season
The Wild Man of the West Indies (Il furioso all’isola di San Domingo)
Composer: Gaetano Donizetti,
Director: Iqbal Khan
Conductor: Jeremy Silver
New production, sung in Italian with English surtitles.
Cast includes: Nicholas Sharratt (Fernando), Sally Silver (Eleonora), Craig Smith (Cardenio), Njabulo Madlala
(Bartolomeo), Donna Bateman (Marcella), Peter Brathwaite (Kaidamà)
La bohème
Composer: Giacomo Puccini
Director: James Conway
Conductor: Michael Rosewell
New production, sung in Italian with English surtitles.
Cast includes: David Butt Philip (Rodolfo), Ilona Domnich / Paula Sides (Mimì), Grant Doyle / Nick Lester (Marcello),
Sky Ingram / Donna Bateman (Musetta), Njabulo Madlala (Schaunard), Matthew Stiff (Colline), Adam Player
(Benoît), Andrew Glover (Alcindoro).
The Siege of Calais (L’assedio di Calais)
Composer: Gaetano Donizetti
Director: James Conway.
Conductor: Jeremy Silver
Revival of English Touring Opera’s 2013 production, sung in Italian with English surtitles.
Cast includes: Craig Smith (Eustachio), Paula Sides (Eleonora), Catherine Carby / Helen Sherman (Aurelio), Grant
Doyle / Nick Merryweather (Edoardo), Matthew Stiff (Pietro de Wisants), Andrew Glover (Giovanni), Matt R J Ward
(Giacomo de Wisants), Jan Capinski (Armando), Peter Brathwaite (Incognito).
Please contact ETO Press and Marketing Officer John Walker to request press tickets to any ETO tour venue.
Hackney Empire, Mare Street, Hackney, London
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Sat 7 March 2015, 7.30pm: The Siege of Calais
Thu 12 March 2015, 7.30pm: The Wild Man of the West Indies
Fri 13 March 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Sat 14 March 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Booking information: 020 8985 2424 / www.hackneyempire.co.uk
Tickets: £33, £31, £28.50, £26, £20, £10
Concessions: £2 off for unwaged, seniors. £10 students / schools. Groups: £3 off for 10 or more, with organiser
free.
Multibuy: 25% off for booking 2 or 3 performances.
Hall for Cornwall, Truro, Cornwall, UK
Tue 17 March 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Wed 18 March 2015, 7.30pm: The Wild Man of the West Indies
Booking information: 01872 262466 / www.hallforcornwall.co.uk
Tickets: £30, £28, £26, £14
Concessions: £2.50 off children, benefits recipients, students. Youth Pass (16-26 yrs): 100 x £10 tickets per
performance. Groups: 10% off for groups of 10 or more. Schools: £7 with one teacher free per 10 students.
Multibuy: Buy both operas, get 25% off.
Lighthouse, Poole, Dorset, UK
Fri 20 March 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Sat 21 March 2015, 7.30pm: The Siege of Calais
Booking information: 0844 406 8666 / www.lighthousepoole.co.uk
Tickets: £22
Concessions: £2 off for OAPs, students, unwaged (Poole Access to Leisure scheme)
Multibuy: Buy both operas for £38
Norwich Theatre Royal, Norwich, UK
Mon 23 March 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Tue 24 March 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Wed 25 March 2015, 7.30pm: The Wild Man of the West Indies
Booking information: 01603 63 00 00 / www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk
Tickets: £35, £27.50, £21, £17, £6.50
Concessions: £2.50 off for children, benefits recipients, students. Groups: 10% off for groups of ten or more.
Multibuy: Buy a ticket for La bohème and get £10 off the same price ticket for The Wild Man of the West Indies
(£35 and £27.40 tickets only)
Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield, UK
Mon 30 March 2015, 7.45pm: La bohème
Tue 31 March 2015, 7.45pm: The Siege of Calais
Booking information: 0114 249 6000 / www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
Tickets: £28, £25, £24, £20, £19
Concessions: £2.50 off for students, OAPs, unemployed, disabled, under-16s.
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Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK
Wed 8 April 2015, 7.30pm: The Siege of Calais
Thu 9 April 2015, 7.30pm: The Wild Man of the West Indies
Fri 10 April 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Sat 11 April 2015, 2pm: La bohème (Matinee performance)
Sat 11 April 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Booking information: 01242 572 573 / www.everymantheatre.org.uk
Tickets: £27, £24, £20, £15
Concessions: £2 off for U16s, students, over 60s, disabled, job seekers, income support (applies to all ticket prices
except £15 tickets).
Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton, UK
Mon 13 April 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Tue 14 April 2015, 7.30pm: The Siege of Calais
Booking information: 01902 42 92 12 / www.grandtheatre.co.uk
Tickets: £27.50, £25.50, £23.50, £19.50, £16.50, £11.50
Concessions: £2.50 off. Groups: 10+ £3.50 off tickets.
20+ £4.50 off tickets. 50+ £5.50 off tickets. 100+ £6.50 off tickets. Family: 1 adult, 2 children - save 30%. Schools:
£9.50 (stalls/dress), £6.50 (grand) plus one free adult for every ten tickets.
Multibuy: Book both operas, save 15%
Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, UK
Fri 17 April 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Sat 18 April 2015, 7.30pm: The Wild Man of the West Indies
Booking information: 01728 687 110 / www.aldeburgh.co.uk
Tickets: £35, £31, £26, £20, £16
Concessions: Book two operas for £60, £54, £45, £35, £28. Under 27s: half price tickets. Groups: 10% discount for
groups of 12 or more.
Curve, Leicester, UK
Mon 20 April 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Tue 21 April 2015, 7.30pm: The Wild Man of the West Indies
Booking information: 0116 242 3595 / www.curveonline.co.uk
Tickets: £32.50, £28, £23.50, £19.50, £16.50
Concessions: Over 60s & unemployed: £4 off. 16-26-year olds: tickets for £15. U16: £12 tickets. Schools: £12
tickets. Groups: £18 for groups of 10+. All concessions exclude £32.50 tickets.
Multibuy: Buy a ticket for La bohème, get a ½ price ticket for The Wild Man of the West Indies
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, West Midlands, UK
Thu 23 April 2015, 7.30pm: The Wild Man of the West Indies
Fri 24 April 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
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Sat 25 April 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Booking information: 024 7652 4524 / www.warwickartscentre.co.uk
Tickets: £29, £25, £22
Concessions: £2 off for people aged 60+ in full time retirement, registered unemployed people, full time students
(NUS or Uni ID cards), Coventry Passport to Leisure holders, Rugby Leisure Pass holders..U26: £12. University of
Warwick/Coventry students: tickets for £5.50
Multibuy: Book both titles, get 15% off
Exeter Northcott, Exeter, Devon, UK
Tue 28 April 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Wed 29 April 2015, 7.30pm: The Siege of Calais
Thu 30 April 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Fri 1 May 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Sat 2 May 2015, 7.30pm: The Wild Man of the West Indies
Booking information: 01392 493493 / www.exeternorthcott.co.uk
Tickets: £33, £30, £24, £19
Concessions: £2 off all tickets except £33 tickets for u.26, benefits recipients, 60+. Student standby: £8
The Hawth, Crawley, West Sussex, UK
Wed 6 May 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Thu 7 May 2015, 7.30pm: The Siege of Calais
Booking information: 01293 55 36 36 / www.hawth.co.uk
Tickets: £30.50, £22
Concessions: £2 off £30.50 tickets for U16s, 60+, full-time students.
Multibuy: Book both shows for £47.50 (£30.50 tickets)
The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, Kent, UK
Fri 8 May 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Sat 9 May 2015, 7.30pm: The Siege of Calais
Booking information: 01227 787 787 / www.marlowetheatre.com
Tickets: £40, £35.50, £32, £26.50, £21
Concessions: £3 off £40, £35.50 and £32 tickets. Discovery tickets (16 - 26 or full-time student): £8. Schools: All
tickets £10, one teacher free with every 10 students (La bohème only)
The Grand Theatre, Blackpool, Lancashire, UK
Mon 11 May 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Tue 12 May 2015, 7.30pm: The Siege of Calais
Booking information: 01253 290 190 / www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk
Tickets: £32.50, £26.50, £22.50, £16.50
Concessions: £3 off. U26s: £10 tickets. Student Stampede offer: £6 on the day (capped at 60 tickets)
Multibuy: Book both shows, get 25% off
Buxton Opera House, Buxton, Derbyshire, UK
Thu 14 May 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
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Fri 15 May 2015, 7.30pm: The Wild Man of the West Indies
Sat 16 May 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Booking information: 0845 127 2190 / www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk
Tickets: £34, £30, £26, £18
Concessions: 1/2 price (excluding dress circle) for students, children, benefits recipients. £3 off for senior citizens/
disabled. Groups of 8+ £3 off.
Multibuy: Buy both operas, get £10 off (top price only).
Gala Theatre, Durham, County Durham, UK
Mon 18 May 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Tue 19 May 2015, 7.30pm: The Siege of Calais
Booking information: 03000 266 600 / www.galadurham.co.uk
Tickets: £26
Concessions: £24.50
Multibuy: Book a ‘Double Ticket’ to both shows for £45
Perth Concert Hall, Perth, UK
Thu 21 May 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Booking information: 01738 621 031 / www.perthfestival.co.uk
On general sale from Mon 30 March 2015 (on sale to Friends of Perth Festival from Mon 23 March 2015)
Ticket prices: £40, £37, £34, £25
Cambridge Arts Theatre, Cambridge, UK
Tue 26 May 2015, 7.30pm: The Siege of Calais
Wed 27 May 2015, 7.30pm: The Wild Man of the West Indies
Thu 28 May 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Fri 29 May 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Sat 30 May 2015, 7.30pm: La bohème
Booking information: 01223 503 333 / www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Ticket prices: £39, £30, £25, £20
Notes to Editors
The winner of the 2014 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera, English Touring Opera is the most
prolific touring opera company in the UK, travelling annually to around 70 venues, more than any other English
opera company. With its mission to offer opera to everyone, the company presents as many as 140 performances a
year. There are two major annual tours, both performed in full costume with a live orchestra. The spring tour tends
to be larger scale, while autumn tours tend to be more intimate: both seasons often come to venues which receive
little or no other live opera. ETO’s outreach programme focuses on creative work, and ranges from community
operas and music theatre workshops to productions for young people and their families, featuring artists from the
company’s main-stage shows, touring to schools across the UK. The company is also a national leader in the
provision of arts for dementia sufferers. ETO has helped launch the careers of singers including Amanda Echalaz
and Sarah Connolly and gave the world première of Alexander Goehr’s opera Promised End in 2010.
www.englishtouringopera.org.uk
@ETOpera
#ENDS#
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