Summer Opera 2015

Mirandolina – Rachel Shannon
Marchese di Forlimpopoli – George Coltart
Conte D’Albafiorita – Jorge Navarro-Colorado
Sheridan Edward, 11 July
Fabrizio – Trevor Eliot Bowes
Cavaliere di Rippafrata – Tom Raskin
Lena – Kate Semmens

Conductor – Steven Devine
Director – Michael Burden

Repetiteur – Michael Pandya
Repetiteur – James Orrell

The Warden’s Garden, New College
6:30pm, July 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19

See below for ticket details

The composer, Antonio Salieri, was born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, but spent his career in the service of the Habsburgs Monarchy. For much of that time, from 1774 to 1792, he was Director of the Court opera, and not only a major figure in Vienna, but he also composed operas which were performed in Paris, Rome, and London. As a student, he had studied with Florian Gassmann (whom he succeeded in the court theatre) and was a protégé of Gluck.

Goldoni’s play, La Locandiera, was written in 1753, and is regarded as one of Goldoni’s finest; it has been described by one critic as his Much Ado About Nothing. It tells the story of the fascinating Mirandolina, who is the landlady of a wayside inn. All her customers fall in love with her, including the arrogant Cavaliere di Ripfratta, who claims to be immune from female charms. The other characters in the opera are the waiter Fabrizio, who is jealous of those who fall for his mistress; the maid Lena, who is looking for a husband; the poor Marquis of Forlimpopoli, who promises much and delivers little; and the contrastingly wealthy Conte d’Albafiorate.

The operatic verison, with a libretto by Domenico Poggi, was first performed in Vienna in 1773. It was an astounding success, with performances in theatres in France, Germany, Italy and Austria. However, by the end of the century it had fallen from favour, and it did not receive its first modern performance until 1989. The New Chamber Opera performances will be the first in England in modern times, and will have a new translation by Simon Rees.

Dates and Ticket Details

July

8 Wednesday (Preview)
Download form
11 Saturday – SOLD OUT
New College Development Office (01865) 279 337
12 Sunday
Download form
14 Tuesday – SOLD OUT
Download form
15 Wednesday
Friends of the Oxford Botanic Garden
17 Friday
New College Development Office (01865) 279 337
18 Saturday
Oxford Friends of Welsh National Opera (01844) 237 551 or (07813) 907 466
19 Sunday
Oxford Friends of Welsh National Opera (01844) 237 551 or (07813) 907 466