Photo Credit: Alastair Muir

Rupert Christiansen of the Telepgraph, is not the biggest fan of David McVicker’s production of Salome at the Royal Opera.

The best quote from the review is, “Why is the needlessly naked executioner so coy about showing us his wobbly bits?”

However, the serious and thoughtful review begins:

“Nothing in David McVicar’s production of Salome, revived by Justin Way, surpasses its electrifying opening tableau – upstairs, a royal elite indulge in a five-star banquet; downstairs, in a filthy white-tiled kitchen, servants, palace guards and prostitutes hired for the evening sullenly await their orders.

1992 saw the birth of Pegasus Opera Company, now the leading multi-racial medium sized touring Opera Company in the United Kingdom. The Company was founded by the current artistic director, Lloyd Newton, a nominee for The Creative Briton Award in 1998 & 1999 through ABSA. He also received a certificate in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Black community at local and national levels, from The Voice Newspaper. Pegasus came about following his involvement in Porgy and Bess at Glyndebourne 1986-87 and later at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1992.

The Glyndebourne production of Porgy and Bess had an array of talented black opera singers and then the repeat production at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden had even more. I never knew there were so many black singers and it was an exciting time. The birth of Pegasus was mainly due to long gaps between opportunities for black and other ethnic minority opera singers, indigenous to Britain, to perform their art. There was a great lull after Glyndebourne. There were some opportunities but not enough. The inception of Pegasus was to create and ensure on-going opportunities, not to wait until Porgy and Bess or Show Boat returned to the opera houses to provide the platform to perform.

Pegasus seeks to break down stereotypical racial casting, to allow singers of all ethnic backgrounds an opportunity to play the roles for which they would not normally be cast. Pegasus aims to set a precedent for more multi-racial productions, as evidenced by our casting. They feel that it is only through the nurturing of these diverse talents that a new form of cultural harmony can be achieved, a harmony which encourages talent equally without regard to its cultural heritage or ethnic background. They aim to model “Harmony in Diversity” by encouraging talent equally and to empower those who are continually marginalised and feel pushed towards the periphery of the opera world.

The company seeks to de-mystify opera by making it accessible to as wide an audience as possible, actively involving a cross-section of the community. This includes programming an accessible range of works, touring to medium sized venues, providing an education programme and developing new audiences through special workshops and outreach programmes. We strive to break down the elitist perceptions so often associated with opera.

Pegasus is grateful for the support it receives from government bodies, charitable trusts and foundations. They rely on this support to help provide opportunities for young artists to develop and perform, as well as create new audiences for opera by demystifying the experience and increasing accessibility by presenting productions with which audiences can identify.

I hope you enjoy your visit to our site and will want to follow the development of this unique and exciting opera company. http://www.pegopera.org/

The Cunning Little Vixen

Sir Charles Mackerras returns to Covent Garden to conduct The Cunning Little Vixen for the first time with the Royal Opera.

His wealth of experience of conducting Janacek are evident in every bar, as the orchestra of the Royal Opera rise to the occasion and deliver wonderfully idiomatic playing.

The passing of time has not, however, been kind to Bill Bryden’s staging which now looks dated and excessively twee. Check out the full review from Keith McDonnell of Music OMH…. http://www.musicomh.com/opera/roh-vixen_0310.htm

You probably thought there could be nothing more ludicrous than Jerry Springer – The Opera, right?  Wrong!  Coming to an opera theater near you (well at least in London) is the touching tale of Anna Nicole Smith, operatic style.  One headline calls it ‘High C’s and Double D’s’.  Dutch soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek, will portray the late blonde reality star/ playmate/ gold digger when the opera premieres at the Royal Opera next February.

Will you watch Anna Nicole, the opera?

Every year the London Theater Society recognizes the best of London Theater with these awards named after legendary actor Laurence Olivier.  This year the nominees in musicals and opera are:

New Musical: Dreamboats and Petticoats, Priscilla Queen of the Desert,  Spring Awakening,  Sister Act.

Musical Revival: Annie, Get Your Gun,  Hello Dolly!,  A Little Night Music, Oliver!

Actress-Musical: Melanie C, Blood Brothers; Patina Miller, Sister Act; Samantha Spiro, Hello Dolly!; Hannah Waddington, A Little Night Music; Charlotte Wakefield, Spring Awakening.

Actor-Musical: Rowan Atkinson, Oliver!; Aneurin Barnard, Spring Awakening; Bob Golding, Morecambe; Alexander Hanson, A Little Night Music; Tony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

Supporting Role-Musical: Sheila Hancock, Sister Act; Maureen Lipman, A Little Night Music; Kelly Price, A Little Night Music; Iwan Rheon, Spring Awakening.

Audience award for Most Popular Show: Billy Elliot, The Phantom of the Opera, War Horse, We Will Rock You, Wicked.

New Opera Production: Der Fliegende Hollander, Royal Opera; Lulu, Royal Opera; Peter Grimes, English National Opera; Tristan und Isolde, Royal Opera.

Did you catch any of these productions?  Who do you think should win?