Tuesday 13 August 2019

Review of The Gardeners in Opera magazine

Review of The Gardeners in the September issue of Opera
Claire Seymour's review of Joanna Wyld and my opera The Gardeners, which premiered at Conway Hall on 18 June 2019, is in the September issue of Opera Magazine.

Selected highlights from the review:
  • Overall, though, there is a formality, of a ritual and spiritual kind, tht his opera observes consistently and with considerable impact. The Angry Young Man’s final words are of reassurance and hope - ‘I will tell them, brothers. They will listen.’
  • Hugill's music has a moving serenity.
  • Peter Brathwaite’s Old Gardener was compelling, sung with emotive tone and claar diction.
  • the bass baritone Julian Debreuil had real presence, using his strength and colour effectively.
  • Counter-tenor Magid El-Bushra ... was dramatically and vocally transfigured.
  • Flora McIntosh’s Grandmother made a strong mark and she used her lower range very dramatically; her duet with Goergia Mae Bishop's mother introduced some welcome irony and humour.
  • The instrumental ensemble - comprising violin, viola, cello, clarinet and harp - played sensitively, directed by William Vann with scrupulous attention to detail
The Gardeners  returns on Monday 9 September 2019 with a further performance at the Garden Museum with the same cast directed by William Vann. Tickets, price £25, are available from Tickettailor and include a glass of wine served before the opera in the museum's lovely garden.

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