Our production in August 2002 was Bellini’s NORMA

Act 1, Scene 1. Norma (Karine Babajanyan) sings Casta Diva.   Oroveso (Michail Milanov) and chorus.                                                                                                Photo: Ikon Studios, Sherborne

The Performances

There were two performances of the opera to full houses in the Big Schoolroom of Sherborne School, on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th August.

The cast included many names familiar to Dorset Opera supporters of the last few years.  Joining them to make her UK debut was Armenian soprano Karine Babajanyan in the title role, and she not only inspired the members of the chorus, but clearly thrilled the two capacity audiences.

For the first time in Dorset Opera’s 29 year history, our Designer was a Dorset native.  Born in Corfe Mullen, Howard Lloyd  was a finalist in the biennial Linbury Stage Design competition held in 2001.  He was delighted that his first contract for a full opera should be in his home county.

The Brazilian Director, Cleber Papa, was well known to the company through his involvement in Salvator Rosa in 2000, and as co-producer of Macbeth last year.  He was looking forward to the challenge of bringing some movement into what has always been regarded as a rather static opera.

Reviews

Once again, because of our clash with the Edinburgh Festival, reviews of the performances are scarce!  The following appeared in the local press.

Gaye Pirie-Weir in the Blackmore Vale Magazine: There was great excitement at the British debut of Armenian soprano Karine Babajanyan in the title role, and she fully satisfied the anticipation. She has attracted rave reviews in Germany, Switzerland and Israel, and local audiences were indeed fortunate to see this remarkable singer so early in her career. Not only is her voice true, powerful and beautiful, but she has that natural presence with which only few are blessed, and her performance was magnetic. The highlights of the evening came in the duets with Andrea Baker, already a favourite with Dorset Opera audiences after her appearances in Aida and Salvator Rosa. With a voice as secure and luscious over a wide register, this fine actress made you believe in the wildly improbable story line. .......Michail Milanov is another local favourite, and he excelled as Norma's father, the haughty Archdruid. The company's musical director Patrick Shelley conducted the 43-strong orchestra under the leadership of Pan Hon Lee. Cleber Papa made effective use of Howard Lloyd's deceptively simple setting. The designer (a native of Dorset) capitalised on the difficulties of the stage, which is split by a fixed and steep step. His Druidic grove was seen from both sides, the "exterior" with its monoliths and the more intimate "interior" where the domestic drama was played out. Colourful costume enhanced strong characterisation for principals and chorus, diffusing the inevitable clutter of 54 chorus and six principals on the small stage. The prolonged applause was well deserved. 

Verging on London Standards

That was how Roderic Dunnett headlined his review of our 2002 production.  He went on to write: "Dorset and Stowe Opera are among the finest regional opera companies in Britain…. Each handles mainstream repertoire with confidence, performs in the original language..…. and fields a capable, disciplined orchestra. ……. Both have nurtured rising new talent, faced the difficulties of balancing heavy budgets and emerged unfazed and triumphant. These are first-class companies."

There followed a generally enthusiastic review which included the following: "What you always get with Dorset, as with Stowe, is an intelligent, well-informed approach to opera. And the fifty-strong chorus this year -- something on which Dorset justly prides itself -- was superb…. several things quickly won us round to this Dorset production. The mixed chorus singing was strong…..by the time of her fateful discovery of Pollione's faithlessness, Norma (the Bayreuth scholarship-winning Karine Babajanyan) and the clarinets had us memerised. Patrick Shelley's orchestra soon settled, and from then on all was quality: violas and cellos; sad basses and horns; and all the strings' rising pizzicato for the great Norma-Adalgisa-Pollione trio which -- perfectly balanced -- was superb ……..The small role of Clotilde, the trusted confidante, is important in establishing pathos: Annalise Whittlesea proved a marked asset. Dorset's 'Guerra' choruses were strong, the low brass spot in tune.…Howard Lloyd's more than successful designs -- lit in a clutch of red, purples, greens and turquoises -- came to a splendid head with the dramatic closing scene. And here Shelley nursed his principals from initial duet through the interventions of Oroveso, building via full-blown chorus to deliver a truly thrilling finale".

We were of course delighted that a respected critic should find so much in our production to admire, and we were particularly pleased that he should single out the chorus and Annalise Whittlesea (a former chorus member who is now at the threshold of a professional career) for praise.  The chorus and stage crew members also enjoyed the experience.

                            Photo: Dorset Opera

John Sandeman, 17, found that Dorset Opera gave him a lot of confidence, and talking with Annalise Whittlesea has made him think about a career in singing.  He particularly enjoyed performing an opera to a high standard, and spending 2 weeks with such a wonderful group of people.

Edward Baker, 16, a former head chorister at Wells Cathedral, wanted to experience singing in an opera. He is now a great fan - listens to lots of different operas - and apart from joining another singing group will definitely sing with Dorset Opera in the future.

Luise Breyer, 21, first sang with us last year and was looking to improve her technique, gain more confidence on stage, and renew old and make new friendships. She was not disappointed and enjoyed the ambience, the lovely people, the brilliant high standard of music, and the social activities. Now in her second year at Cardiff University where she is studying music and Italian, she wants to become an opera singer or musician. (And no doubt will! - Ed.)

Emma Berry, 17, for her second year with us was also looking forward to improving her voice, musical ear and sight-reading, and developing her Italian. Her most memorable evening was the cabaret night which was unforgettable. She found mixing with people from a completely different social and educational background has given her more confidence, and she has now started to sing classical opera pieces with her singing teacher at school.

Nathaniel Rhodes, 18, joined the stage crew from Yeovil College where he is studying stage and lighting design. He found living and working with a wide variety of people from different backgrounds was a wonderful experience for which he will always be grateful and which has confirmed his choice of career He would recommend it to everyone.

Eloisa Carr-Jones, 17, was looking forward to the chance of singing with others with a similar interest in opera. She learnt a great deal from "a very inspiring " chorus master....., and also improved her sight reading. She particularly enjoyed the chance to sing with the professional soloists who were all amazing, especially Norma.

Kate Outram, 20, wanted to learn what opera was all about, not having been involved in it before. She found Gareth Jones an "awsome" chorus master and Janet Jacques (vocal coach) really helped with a singing lesson that stopped her from going hoarse by day 2.  Totally encouraged every second by the staff who were there any time they were needed, she found the fortnight a thoroughly enjoyable singing experience with music and words she cannot get out of her head.

For Charles Dillon, 16, the highlights were the stunning two final performances. He felt that his voice got much better during the workshop, and  he now wants to go to Music College and become a professional singer.

Act 1 rehearsal on stage in the Big Schoolroom                          Photo: Dorset Opera

The following extracts are taken from a review written by Robin Carvell, one of the chorus members,  for his school old boys’ magazine:

Every year Patrick Shelley and his dedicated team successfully combine an amateur chorus with professional soloists and musicians in order to stage a complete opera in just under two weeks (compared with the four weeks of rehearsal that Bellini left before Norma’s opening night). As ever, the musical direction and instruction of Patrick Shelley (conductor) and Gareth Jones (chorus master) was first rate, especially when one considers the problems posed by placing a chorus of fifty-two onto such a small stage.

 Howard Lloyd, a local up-and-coming designer, studiously researched the period in which the opera is set in order to ensure that the scenes created were as accurate a depiction of first century BC Gaul as possible. The results were a haunting set and vivid costumes, both of which added considerably to the overall impact of the production.

It is, however, the singing and musical interpretation of the soloists that defines any opera, and this year’s crop proved a potent mix.  The role of Norma was written specifically for Giuditta Pasta, as Bellini believed it would be ideal for a singer with her ‘encyclopaedic’ range of expression. The way in which Karine Babajanyan played the part suggested that it could have also been written with her in mind. Indeed, it was not only the physical likeness to Callas, who has made the part her own, that was striking. It is generally accepted that the bel canto role demands at least a forty year-old soprano, yet the youthful Miss Babajanyan proved this to be a myth. Her rendition of ‘Casta Diva’, sung with piercing clarity at the most difficult of dynamic levels, was deeply moving. .

Eduardo Itaborahy returned to Sherborne to play the part of Pollione, the Roman proconsul and Norma’s disloyal lover. Some may have questioned the accuracy of his intonation, but few could argue against the excitement and drama that he brought to the stage.  Perhaps most importantly, at least from the point of view of the chorus and the aim of Dorset Opera to inspire young singers,  Mr Itaborahy was great fun to work with, whilst remaining the consummate professional throughout the production.

Andrea Baker (Adalgisa) was another who sang her role with great vigour. Her powerful mezzo-soprano voice is impressive enough on its own, yet it was her scenes with Norma that remain most memorable. Their ensemble singing was quite simply superb, as they combined almost effortlessly to create some spine-tingling moments in the opening scenes of the second Act.

Another who was making a welcome return to the Sherborne stage was Annalise Whittlesea (Clotilde), following her successful Dorset Opera debut last year. Unfortunately, due to her rather limited role, the audience and chorus alike were not treated to the full range of Miss Whittlesea’s burgeoning and exciting talent. Yet, at the age of 24, she remains an inspiration and example to anyone who dreams of pursuing an operatic career. Having first sung in the Dorset Opera chorus whilst at St. Anthony’s Leweston, she now hopes to return to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to attend an opera course before embarking on what will undoubtedly be a stunning career.

Few involved with this year’s production of Norma will forget the electric Saturday night performance and the enormous sense of achievement that came with it. The BSR may not be able to match La Scala as a venue, but the closing evening of Dorset Opera 2002 was a glorious success and the reception from the audience could not have been warmer.