Soprano Jacqueline Varsey as Eurydice. Photo by John Lloyd Davies.
I got some photos through of last week's workshop at the People Show Studios. They were taken by John Lloyd Davies, our brilliant director and head of Opera Genesis at Royal Opera House 2. I hope they give you some idea of the workshop production.
Baritone Owen Gilhooly as Cocteau at the beginning of the opera. He is struggling to write, but cannot overcome his grief for his dead lover. Writer's block. Photo by John Lloyd Davies.
Cocteau and his mysterious visitor, The Princess, played by mezzo-soprano Victoria Simmonds. Photo by John Lloyd Davies.
Encouraged by The Princess, Cocteau is about to kill himself. Photo by John Lloyd Davies.
Orpheus, played by tenor Andrew Mackenzie-Wicks, is summoned by Cocteau for advice on journeying to the underworld to bring back a loved one. Photo by John Lloyd Davies.
At Orpheus' bidding, Cocteau accepts the Princess' symbolic "gift", "one petal from a blood red flower". This blurs the boundary between this world and the underworld. Photo by John Lloyd Davies.
Cocteau's dead lover, Raymond Radiguet, played by counter-tenor Andrew Radley, appeals to Cocteau. Photo by John Lloyd Davies.
Having chosen art over love, and in the process rejecting his lover, Cocteau is able to overcome his writer's block and returns to work. Photo by John Lloyd Davies.
Composer Ed Hughes on set - photo by me.
3 comments:
Wow! Striking. That looks terrific. Wish I could be down London Town way to see it (but will have to be content with not seeing it and being cold up north).
Nik
Thanks Nik. You haven't actually missed out by not being down here, as that was a one off performance as part of a workshop - not open to the general public. We are hoping to develop the piece and put a full production on at the Brighton Festival in 2009. There's also talk of putting together a touring production, so I will definitely suggest some dates oop north!
And Wales, Roger?
Post a Comment