BYO - Summer Season 2007

Flight

La Rondine

6, 10, 12 September 2008 at 7pm
Jonathan Dove

One of the most successful and widely-performed operas of recent years, Flight was premiered at Glyndebourne, in response to a commission, in 1998. The libretto, by April de Angelis, is inspired by the true story of a refugee who lived for several years at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris (the same story which later inspired Steven Spielberg’s film The Terminal).

The opera introduces us to a group of passengers and airline staff, stranded overnight in an international airport, in a series of encounters and confrontations with the refugee and with each other. The three-act drama combines elements of high comedy with moments of great poignancy and beauty; Jonathan Dove’s music is characterised by its thrilling rhythmic energy and extraordinary range of orchestral colours, and provides ten wonderfully challenging and rewarding roles for our singers.

With this new production, conducted by Nicholas Cleobury and directed by Martin Lloyd-Evans, British Youth Opera is proud to present the first London performances of a modern masterpiece.

Recommended recording:
Glyndebourne Festival Opera original cast with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by David Parry. Chandos

5, 9, 11 September 2008 at 7pm
Giacomo Puccini

La Rondine was commissioned for Vienna in 1913: its first performance was delayed by the outbreak of World War I, and took place in Monte Carlo in 1917. Although not, strictly speaking, an operetta, the piece is suffused with much of the flavour of the Viennese style, and combines the elegance and and vivacity of the waltz with subtle orchestration which owes much to early 20th Century French music, as well as Puccini’s unsurpassably Italianate vocal writing.

A bittersweet comedy, with a libretto by Giuseppe Adami, the piece contains some of Puccini’s most beautiful and touching music, as the two couples at the centre of the drama struggle with the dilemmas and difficulties they encounter as they pursue their hearts’ desires.

With a large cast and chorus, British Youth Opera’s new production, sung in Italian, is conducted by Peter Robinson and directed by John Lloyd Davies, and offers audiences a welcome opportunity to hear one of Puccini’s most lyrical and original works.

Recommended recording:
Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Antonio Pappano.
EMI Classics

Both operas will be performed at the Peacock Theatre, Portugal Street, London WC2

CAST LIST

Flight		La Rondine
Refugee Controller Bill Tina Older Woman Stewardess Steward Minskman Minskwoman Immigration Officer	Andrew Radley Verity Parker Nicky Spence Colette Boushell Emma Carrington Kristen Darragh Duncan Rock Aaron McAuley Charlotte Stephenson Oliver Hunt	Magda Lisette Ruggero Prunier Rambaldo Yvette Bianca Suzy Gobin Perichaud Rabonnier Crebillon Major-domo Lolette Georgette Gabriella	Meeta Raval Sadhbh Dennedy Telman Guzhevsky Thomas Herford Jonathan Sells Laurie Ashworth Melanie Lang Michelle Daly John Pumphrey Thomas Kennedy Nicholas Morris Aidan Smith Georgios Papaefstratiou Lilly Papaioannou Natalya Romaniw Anna Patalong
Conductor Director Designer Lighting Designer Movement Director	Nicholas Cleobury Martin Lloyd-Evans Bridget Kimak Mark Doubleday Mandy Demetriou	Conductor Director / Set Designer Costume Designer Lighting Designer Movement Director	Peter Robinson John Lloyd Davies Isla Shaw Mark Doubleday Mandy Demetriou

If you would like to support BYO as we look ahead to creating another thrilling season of performances with another talented group of young singers in 2008, click here to find out how you can help.

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