Welsh National Opera – Opera Favourites – Mayflower Theatre Southampton 22nd March 2024
Review: P. Hayward 22nd March 2024
With the damaging financial cutbacks within the arts sector and in particular with opera it is optimistically reassuring to see Welsh National Opera and the Mayflower Theatre doing everything within their limited powers to encourage new audiences. This week, working together, a special introductory session and concert was held for junior schools across the area. Giving many children their first insight into the instruments and workings of an orchestra and how they are such an important part in the telling of a story and with members of the WNO Chorus, the WNO Orchestra introduced them to their music. A phenomenal gesture, a free concert, hoping to sow the seeds in becoming interested in a different kind of music/theatre, from anything that they had experienced before.
Over the past 50 years, changing governments continually have reallocated reducing funds across the “arts” sector and each time the biggest knock has been felt in the world of Opera. Gone are the days when English National Opera, Glyndebourne Touring Opera along with Welsh National Opera played regular seasons at this theatre. In those days the Mayflower/Gaumont had the recognition in opera of being the English theatre that put more bums on seats per performance than any other venue in the country. Since 1999 Welsh National Opera are the only company that have visited Southampton and on a regular basis, even if the audience numbers dwindle as major parts of the country are starved of opera and the funds to support touring have continually been reduced, WNO and the Mayflower Theatre have worked together to engage with the community to develop new and younger audiences.
This evening was very special for both aficionados and those looking for an intro into opera. The full orchestra and chorus of the WNO joined forces with some accomplished soloists to perform a selection of some of the most popular pieces from the whole world of opera. The WNO Orchestra comprises some 90 musicians and the WNO Chorus has almost 40 members and yes, they all fitted on to the theatre stage. It makes such a change to see the musicians that are so important to any production, rather than being hidden in the orchestra pit.
From the opening moments, it was treat after treat. The soloists, without exception were superb – Adam Gilbert, Melissa Gregory, Fiona Harrison-Wolfe, Helen Jarmany, Philip Lloyd-Evans, Huw Llywelyn, Emily Christina Loftus, Alatair Moore and Alun Rhys-Jenkins. Driving the concert forward were the two conductors, Edmund Whitehead and Frederick Brown. These were the treats:
Verdi – Opening Scene Una vela! from Otello Mozart – Overture to The Marriage of Figaro Mozart – Non più andrai from The Marriage of Figaro Mozart – Voi che sapete from The Marriage of Figaro Britten – Act 1 Duet and Storm Interlude from Peter Grimes Humperdinck – Evening Prayer from Hansel and Gretel Verdi – Act 1 Duet È lui! Desso! L’infante! from Don Carlo Bizet – Habanera L’amour est un oiseau rebelle from Carmen Puccini – Signore Ascolta from Turandot
and then after an interval there was more:
Tchaikovsky – Entr’acte and Waltz from Eugene Onegin Puccini – O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi Puccini – Humming Chorus from Madam Butterfly Verdi – La donna è mobile from Rigoletto Verdi – Duca, duca!… Scorrendo uniti from Rigoletto Verdi – Act 3 Quartet Bella figlia dell’amore from Rigoletto Delibes – Sous le dôme épais (The Flower Duet) from Lakmé Mascagni – Intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana Mascagni – Easter Hymn from Cavalleria rusticana
And then there was an encore which concluded with: Puccini – Nessum dorma from Turandot.
The audience were enthralled and many will certainly be booking for the next two visits of WNO to Southampton with Rigoletto being performed from 14th to 16th November 2024, Peter Grimes on 30th April 2025 and The Marriage Of Figaro from 1st to 3rd May 2025. WNO Orchestra and Chorus will again take centre-stage with another concert, Opera at the Movies on 15th November 2024. This time the concert features a new programme of popular arias and songs that feature in films including Pretty Woman, The Shawshank Redemption and Quantum of Solace. And then on 3rd May 2025 WNO will host the popular family show, Play Opera LIVE. An interactive and educational family show which is the perfect introduction to opera and classical music, and this time, the concert will have a ‘magnificent music from stage and screen’ theme featuring the WNO Orchestra.
Welsh National Opera have already been forced to stop touring to certain cities and the current message coming from the Arts Council England is that subsidies shouldn’t be used to support this Welsh company visiting English Theatres. Here in the South we have no alternative – English National Opera are heading to Manchester, Royal Opera daren’t step outside of Covent Garden, Glyndebourne Opera have had all touring subsidies withdrawn and are now limited to supporting their summer season at their country opera house. Scottish Opera seldom venture south of the border, Opera North are firmly rooted in and around Yorkshire and that leaves the major cities of Southampton, Plymouth, Bristol, Oxford and Birmingham with the absolute need to ensure that Welsh National Opera are financially viable to support the musical needs of the communities in our surrounding areas,
I urge every one of you to try one of these upcoming operas, having tasted it once I am sure you will be back for more.
