RNCM Opera Scenes 24/01/2024

Wolf-Ferrari Le donne curiose

Jonathan Cocker director 
Harry Lai conductor
Sheldon Miller repetiteur
Antonia Sotgiu language coach 

Olivia Hamblyn Beatrice
Sara Donnelly Columbina
Kirsty McNaughton Rosaura
Taylor London Eleanora
Stian Jebsen Arlecchino

Consumed by curiosity, the women follow their husbands and boyfriends to their club to spy on what they are doing. They have suspected alchemy, witchcraft and a host of other nefarious activities. In the end, they discover that their menfolk are simply dining in a supper club. They are interrupted by the servant, Arlecchino, who is carrying a plate of pastries which the women devour, much to Arlecchino’s irritation. They are not going to let the men have all the fun.

Adamo Little Women

Jonathan Cocker director
Felicity Cliffe conductor
Tomek Pieczora repetiteur

Siân Davies Jo
Sophie Iliaifar Meg
Verona-India Braich Beth
Natasha Theil Amy

Now grown up, the sisters, Jo, Amy, Beth and Meg re-visit their girlhood. The adult women cannot re-capture their youth, but they can take pleasure in the joys of the memories they share, and accept that what has been, cannot be re-lived and that there is another life ahead of them.

W A Mozart La finta giardiniera

Jonathan Cocker director 
Harry Lai conductor
Sheldon Miller repetiteur
Antonia Sotgiu language coach 

Esther Shea Sandrina
Lokyin Liu Serpetta
Ellie Forrester Arminda
Emmeline Tovey Ramiro
Patrick Parlaj Contino Belfiore
Nicholas Collins Il Podestà 
Samuel Strongman Nardo

Just before the scene starts, Arminda tells Sandrina (who is really Violante, disguised as a gardener) that she is going to marry Belfiore (Sandrina’s former lover who thinks he has killed her). Sandrina faints and Arminda leaves to search for smelling salts. The scene reveals Belfiore, left alone with

Sandrina. Arminda returns with the salts and meets her own rejected lover, Ramiro, just as Sandrina and Belfiore recognise each other. All four are confused. The Podestà (in love with Sandrina) arrives with Serpetta (who is in love with him) and cannot discern what is going on, and spitefully tells him that Sandrina and Belfiore are making love at the other end of the garden. Belfiore is certain that Sandrina is Violante and Sandrina forgetting her disguise, reproaches him for his infidelity. Nardo (Violante/Sandrina’s servant, also disguised as a gardener) is hopelessly in love with Serpetta. There is general confusion as all reveal their individual sentiments.

Rossini L’occasione fa il ladro

Jonathan Cocker director 
Alec Frank-Gemmill conductor
Sheldon Miller repetiteur
Antonia Sotgiu language coach 

Callum McCandless Don Parmenione
Bonnie Callaghan Ernestina
Dominic Morgan Contino Alberto
Jessica Hopkins Berenice
Kristen Gregory Don Eusebio

Count Alberto’s luggage and that of Don Parmenione have somehow got mixed up. Alberto is on his way to meet his bride to be and Don Parmenione is on a quest to find his friend’s sister who has disappeared. Realising he has the wrong case, Parmenione searches through it and finds the portrait of Alberto’s intended bride. She is so lovely he decides to marry her himself. He also puts on Alberto’s clothes, much smarter than his own.

Meanwhile, Berenice, Alberto’s betrothed is very nervous about meeting him. Staying with her and her father (Don Eusebio) is Ernestina, a young woman fallen on hard times. Berenice persuades her to swap places with her for her meeting with Alberto.

Parmenione arrives and meets Ernestina (pretending to be Berenice). Though she is nothing like her portrait (found in Alberto’s luggage) he is smitten by her beauty and begins an extravagant courtship. They leave to meet Eusebio, the uncle. As they leave, Berenice and Alberto enter from opposite sides. Alberto sees Berenice and immediately falls for her but she protests that she is not the intended bride. She is equally enamoured of Alberto, even though he is wearing rather odd clothes. Eusebio returns with Ernestina and Parmenione. Eusebio tries to establish who is who and of course, Parmenione has all Alberto’s credentials. There is confusion all around. Parmenione and Alberto argue about who is the real suitor, the women try to calm things down and Eusebio is utterly perplexed. Confusion reigns.