Wednesday 28 November 2012

Challenging on all fronts - ETO's plans for 2013

English Touring Opera - The Siege of Calais

English Touring Opera has confirmed its plans for 2013, and quite a programme it is too. As already announced, their spring tour involves Mozart's Cosi van tutte, Verdi's Simon Boccanegra, and Donizetti's L'assiedo di Calais; sponsorship from the Peter Moores Foundation meaning that they can tour the Verdi with a slightly bigger orchestra than would otherwise be possible. In the autumn, the trio of operas are equally challenging in different ways, Monteverdi's L'Incoronazione di Poppea, Cavalli's Giasone and Handel's Agrippina.


ETO's Spring season starts on 2 March 2013 at Hackney Empire. James Conway's production of Simon Boccanegra (in the 1881 revised version) will be their first new Verdi production for some years. Paul Higgins will be directing Cosi fan Tutte and James Conway will also be in charge of L'assiedo di Calais (The Siege of Calais) with designs by Samai Blak which are inspired by the siege of Stalingrad - sounds intriguing! They are also touring a new opera for children, Laika the Spacedog (which premieres at the Science Museum in January) and SPIN an opera for young people with profound special needs.

In the Autumn they are taking Venice for their inspiration. Handel's Agrippina was premiered there as were Monteverdi and Cavalli's operas. Agrippina sets one of the best, and wittiest, librettos that Handel ever received. James Conway is directing Agrippina and his production of Monteverdi's L'Incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea) will be revived by Oliver Platt . (The production is a co-operation with the Royal College of Music and it debuts there tonight). Cavalli's Giasone (Jason) will be produced by Ted Huffman and directed from the keyboard by Roger Hamilton. They will also be concerts of Vivaldi's Magnificat and Stabat Mater, and Handel's Dixit Dominus and Haec est Regina Virginum, toured to cathedrals, churches and concert halls.

Further information from the English Touring Opera website.

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