Mark Rawlinson Archives - North West End UK

A Night at the Opera: Flat Pack Music Gala Concert – Chester Cathedral

14Oct

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

A Night at the Opera: Flat Pack Music Gala Concert – Chester Cathedral

Chester Cathedral is many things to many people: a vibrant community of worship, an ancient abbey, an archaeological treasure, a cultural hub, a centre of musical excellence and a unique blend of medieval and modern history. Flat Pack Music’s gala concert, A Night at the Opera, added another layer as we were taken through twenty-three operatic classics that gave everyone taking part the opportunity to shine: whether this was your first experience of opera or you’re a more seasoned pro, this production was an absolute treat. Featuring L’orchestra dell’Arte and joined by Mersey Wave Choir and the Runcorn Community Chorus this spectacular candle-lit evening served up five professional soloists: soprano Heather Buckmaster; tenor Joseph Buckmaster; baritone Matthew Durkan; mezzo-soprano Imog...

The Marriage of Figaro – Waterside Arts, Sale

Mozart’s satirical and deeply human four-act comic opera, an adaptation with Da Ponte of Beaumarchais’ banned 1778 play about warring masters and servants, is delightfully brought to life with Chris Gill’s English libretto translation entertainingly directed by Sarah Helsby-Hughes. As the day of Figaro (David Cane) and Susanna’s (Heather Buckmaster) wedding arrives, it becomes clear that the Count (Mike Dewis), is keen to exercise his ‘droit du seigneur’ – his right to bed a servant girl on her wedding night – and they conspire with the forsaken Countess (Helsby-Hughes), to outwit her husband and teach him a lesson in fidelity. Plans however are thrown awry when Bartolo (Matthew Baldwin), seeking revenge against Figaro for thwarting his own earlier plans to marry the Countess, tries to ...

A Night at the Opera – St Mary’s Church Eastham

Just over three years ago a friend asked a favour of me to review a young company performing an English libretto version of Così fan tutte in the backroom of a pub in Liverpool: it proved to be one of the best things I ever did as it introduced me to Flat Pack Music. Having had the pleasure of watching many of their productions since, and with the challenges and travails of a pandemic almost out of the way, it was a delight to see their return with A Night at the Opera at St Mary’s Church in Eastham, where it all began for them four years ago. Four professional soloists – Soprano Sarah Helsby Hughes, Soprano Heather Buckmaster, Tenor Joseph Buckmaster and Baritone Peter Lidbetter – were joined by Accompanist Jonathan Ellis to serve up some of operas most famous works as they performe...