Professional Documents
Culture Documents
FINALPROGRAMME
FINALPROGRAMME
We have had a lot of fun this year while working under the
guidance of our brilliant Musical Director, Will Conway. Opera is not
always an easy style of music to deliver, but with Will and Assistant
Musical Director Mark Rogers offering encouragement and support
along the way, ESO becomes not only an opportunity to socialise and
meet new people, but also an opportunity to learn and develop outside
of regular studies.
I would personally like to thank all those who have made this
production possible, for the hard work invested by cast and production
members, and to you, our audience, for coming along to support us.
Aine Cassidy
PRESIDENT’S WELCOME MESSAGE
On behalf of Edinburgh Studio Opera, I would like to extend to you a warm welcome
to our production of Cavalleria Rusticana. This has been an exciting year for Edinburgh
Studio Opera, with the addition of a Winter Gala Concert, Opera Composition
Competition, masterclasses, workshops and choral performances to our schedule. We
have also reintroduced our Winter Ball and Fringe show. I would like to personally
thank each and every member of Edinburgh Studio Opera for their immense talent,
diligence and commitment, which has allowed us to exercise enormous ambition in
our development as a company this year.
In Verismo, probably more than any other genre of opera, the audience can find
something to relate to. Mascagni takes the everyday emotions of love, joy, jealousy
and heartbreak and heightens them with his stunning score, creating compelling
drama from ordinary human experiences. Jen McGregor’s film noir style production,
masterfully conducted by Will Conway, illustrates beautifully that opera can be both
visually and musically stunning while remaining human and relatable.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincerest thanks to all those who
have made this production possible. Week on week, I am amazed by the energy, effort
and dedication that our cast, committee and production team bring to rehearsals, and
I have no doubt that tonight’s performance will be a testament to their hard work. I
would also like to thank our sponsors, without who, productions of this calibre would
not be possible; the wonderful musicians from EUCO, whose excellent playing adds
so much to our performances; and finally you, the audience, for coming and
supporting Edinburgh Studio Opera and all the work it does to promote opera. Now,
sit back, relax, and enjoy the performance!
– Áine Cassidy
President of Edinburgh Studio Opera
Turiddu has returned home from an extended military campaign, only to learn that
his beloved, Lola, has married Alfio, a wealthy teamster. Turiddu consoles himself by
seducing Santuzza, a young village girl. Jealous, Lola begins an affair with Turiddu,
who quickly discards Santuzza.
After mass, Lola and Turiddu, in high spirits invite friends for drinks at his mother’s
tavern that evening. Alfio enters the tavern and rejects Turiddu’s offer of a drink in
disgust. Sensing impending danger, the villagers exit, taking Lola and Mamma Lucia
with them. Alfio challenges Turiddu to a duel, which Turiddu accepts, with a bitten
ear signalling a fight to the death. After Alfio leaves, Turiddu laments to his mother
that he may not return and begs her to look after Santuzza like her own daughter.
With one last kiss from his mother, Turiddu leaves for the duel. Santuzza embraces
Lucia, and together they wait for the outcome. Moments later, shouts are heard in the
distance and the crowd stirs, crying ‘Turiddu has been killed’.
The English translation used in this production was provided by David Parry.
He is Music Director of Edinburgh Studio Opera and is Artistic Director and Head of
Strings at St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh. He also teaches conducting at the
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He broadcasts regularly on BBC Radio 3 and has
recorded for Deutsche Grammophon, Linn Records, Unicorn-Kanchana, NMC and
most recently Delphian Records in a series of highly successful recordings of the
music of Judith Weir and Nigel Osborne.Their recordings on the same label of music
by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and Sir James MacMillan reached no. 3 and no. 1
respectively in the classical music charts. This is Will's fifth consecutive year working
with Edinburgh Studio Opera, beginning with Die Fledermaus in 2014.
In the Autumn of 2015, he joined Academy on a tour to New York and Leipzig under the
direction of Masaaki Suzuki, performing with members of the Juilliard School of Music.
He has sung with the BBC Choirs for recordings on several occasions when additional
tenor voices were required.
In the summer of 2018, Cameron began working in Cumbria giving singing and music
theory lessons, whilst also creating his own choir “Carlisle Sings” which he directs and
conducts. This is all to help him pursue his goal of studying a Masters Degree in Opera at
the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, which he will start in September this year.
Lola- Rebecca Davies
Hailing from West Wales, Rebeca Davies was brought up in
its rich music tradition. She has performed as a chorister and
soloist with several choirs including the National Youth Choir
of Wales, the BBC Chorus of Wales, and the Bach Choir.
Having gained a First Class Honours degree in Music from
King’s College London, Beca currently studies at the Royal
Conservatoire of Scotland with Elizabeth McCormack. Beca
relishes the opportunity to explore operatic roles- some of
which include Cherubino, Le nozze di Figaro (Mozart) and Bridget Booth in The Crucible by
Robert Ward (Berlin Opera Academy); Carmen, Carmen (Bizet), Annio, La clemenza di Tito
(Mozart), Rosina, Il barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) (North Wales Opera Studio); and Mrs
Noye, Noye's Fludde (Britten) and Jenny Diver, The Beggar's Opera (Britten) (King's Opera).
Alfio - Ed Birchinall
Ed Birchinall, a bass-baritone from Hertfordshire, started
singing as a chorister at Ely Cathedral, where, with the help of
his singing teacher Vanessa Scott, he developed a keen interest
in classical singing. Ed is currently in his third year at
Edinburgh, studying music.
Soprano I Alto
Cara Blaikie Grace Moran
Claire Gilchrist Holly Gowen
Eleanor Glynn Leora Browning
Georgina McNamara Olivia Stevens
Lucy Bridgeman
Tenor
Soprano II Dan Safford (Turridu cover)
Áine Cassidy (Lucia cover) David Surtees
Elizabeth Gibb (Lola cover) Gio MacDonald
Maria Fijol Giorgos Kassapis
Ruby Downie (Santuzza cover)
Sophie Halpin Bass
Fraser Robinson (Alfio cover)
Lichuan Ko
Biographies and headshots for all our singers are available on our website
www.edinburghstudioopera.org
Offstage Chorus
Clara Foo Douglas Taylor
Violet Legge Archie Sladden
Frances Taylor
EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Orchestral Manager: Arno von Kietzell
Violin 1 Flute
Andrew Taheny Laura MacFarlane
Alexia Alice Cochrane Izzy Henry
Kaori Shimizu
Henry Brown Oboe
Zhenshen Zhou
Violin 2
Andre Coimbra Clarinet
Ruth Reynolds Beatrix Calleja
Paul Ersfeld Mandujano Michael Saunders
Jonathan MacKay Bassoon
Viola Peter Cleaves
Ellie Barber Horn
Becky Paton Ella Ogilvy
Anna Laakkonen Estella Browne
Cello Trumpet
Viola Migone Emma Wylie
Anoukia Nistor Gareth Flett
Double Bass Trombone
Arno von Kietzell Matt McPherson
Organ/Harp Timpani
Eleanor Cozens Morgan Brougham
SPONSORSHIP
Edinburgh Studio Opera would like to extend their sincerest thanks to our sponsors,
without whose generosity the show would not have been possible. If you would like
to support Edinburgh Studio Opera, or find out more about our Angels Scheme,
please contact [email protected]
SPONSORS
Lady Margaret Elliot
David McClellan
ARCHANGELS
Alison Craig
John Fisher
Jill and Alastair Cozens
Peter and Juliet Stevens
Philly and Patrick Moran
Bernice and Anand Chitnis
Jim and Mairi Leggatt
ANGELS
Stella Williams
Ruby Downie