On Friday I had the pleasure to share the stage with my wonderful colleagues in a set of Opera Scenes produced by the Royal College of Music. The scenes were all from the works of Benjamin Britten to mark the 30th anniversary of the building of the Benjamin Britten Theatre at the College and included:
The Rape of Lucretia
Albert Herring
Turn Of The Screw
Owen Wingrave
Billy Budd
A Middummer Night’s Dream
Paul Bunyan
The week leading up to the performance was well organised and very slick. Each scene had its own separate rehearsal on Monday to iron out any wrinkles and make any final corrections. Then on Wednesday and Thursday we began running the scenes together to get a sense of timings and a feel for the overall production.
It was brilliant to be able to support and watch my colleagues as we began bringing the show together. We then added curtain calls, lighting and special effects. Then on Friday we came in early to do our make up and hair. After that we finally got to wear our costumes and worked out any last-minute niggles and the timings for the quick changes. Then after these two rehearsals we performed the show at 5:30.
I performed as Flora from “Turn Of The Screw”, alongside Ashlyn Tymms as ‘Mrs Grouse’, Carly Owen as ‘The Governess’ and Josephine Goddard as ‘Miss Jessel’. I had a great time preparing for the scene alongside these fantastic singers and I hope we can work together again in the future.
I also took on the part of one of the fairies in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with Amy Manford as ‘Tytania’, Feargal Mostyn-Williams as ‘Oberon’, Stephen Mills as ‘Lysander’, Beth Moxon as ‘Hermia’, Eleanor Sanderson-Nash as ‘Helana’, Harry Thatcher as Demetrius, Rory Carver as ‘Puck’. Eleanor Sanderson-Nash, Carly Owen, and Ida Ranzlov were the other Fairies. It was so much fun to be part of such an enthusiastic group of performers and I had an amazing time.
To end my post tonight I would like to wish you all a happy and prosperous Chinese New Year as we enter the year of the Rooster.
You and the other casts look fantastic in the costumes. Thank you to tell a little about how the rehearsal went. That make logical sense to do scene by scene and then put everything together.
Happy Chinese New Year to you too.
I’m pleased to get the photographs for you to see 😊, I hope you’ve had a happy start to the New Year.
Best wishes
Charlotte
After trying my hand in a uni choir and realising I couldn’t sing (something my friends could have told me) a friend and I briefly had a punk band. The name was taken from a Britten Opera. Saint Nicholas I think. We were called The Pickled Boys. Only afterwards did we realise it sounded like we were parodying the Spice Girls. Thankfully for the world we never took off. 😄
😀 Scott I’m sure you can sing still , you should try a male voice choir I have lots of friends who sing in them and really enjoy the camaraderie. Punk maybe even due its revival soon lol.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Been getting back into opera lately so brought your album. Will listen to later and try and relax.
Thanks so much Scott it would be so much harder to carry on with my training without the support I get from you and other friends listening and downloading my CDs I’m very grateful.
Thanks again,
Charlotte
Love the costumes! Although I don’t envy the chap trying to sing with that whacking great breastplate tied to his chest.
The ladies behind scenes work so hard I love spending time with them. I don’t know how heavy that plate was but he did a great job.
Best wishes
Charlotte
It’s Great reading of this news 🙂 It is so pleasing to see pictures of these great times all you have and share, precious are these days ! Thanks for letting us out here know..
It’s a great way to record my adventures, I love looking back over old archived blog posts and I’m pleased you’re reading along Joe.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
What great photos and the costumes are wonderful! I am so pleased the performance was a success and you enjoyed it all.
Love Clare 🙂
Thank you Clare it was my first performance in this theatre to an audience which was very exciting. I was working with a great set of people.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Pretty cool costumes 👍
Yes they were, the following week I went from cute to cheeky so it was a great character change.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Such fun! And happy year of the Rooster to you, as well. 😀
I was born in the year of the Rooster 🐓I don’t know if that’s auspicious or not 😀.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Isn’t it wonderful that you can have so much fun, doing something you find to be so much fun! <3
It is Annette I pinch myself sometimes, I’ve spent five months working on technique to enjoy these performances even more and experiment with new ideas here.
Best wishes
Charlotte 💕
Your smiles tell it all.
Thank you Don I’m a naturally smiley person hehe 😀
Best wishes
Charlotte
How wonderful, love, love, love the photos!
Here’s wishing you a Happy Chinese New Year too. Cock a doodle doo!
Looks like the performances were a great delight! So glad that your parents were there to see you, Charlotte.
Cock a doodle doo to you too Darlene 😀 I was born in the year of the Rooster.
It was great having them here, I missed them today when they couldn’t make it down three weekends in a row hehe 😄.
Best
Charlotte
Wonderful photos
Thanks Jovina just catch-up with everyone thanks for keeping in touch.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Considering that Benjamin Britten was English, it’s interesting that he turned to the United States and American writers for inspiration: Paul Bunyan, Billy Budd by Herman Melville and The Turn of the Screw and Owen Wingrave by Henry James.
A global outlook, I hope to experience some arts and culture from other Countries in the world too, I think that’s what studying in a conservatoire does to a rural Northern town girl 😀 and maybe even to Britten when he studied at the Royal College of Music, you meet so many interesting people and gives you the feel you’re part of a global family.
All my best wishes Don,
Charlotte
Gung Hay Fat Choy!
Wishing you a prosperous and happy year ahead too.
Best wishes
Charlotte 🙋🏼
By the looks of those smiles, everyone is really enjoying their careers and their roles! Great post, Charlotte. Thank you for keeping us up to date of your performances.
It’s good to work with people who enjoy what they do. I love team work as much as solo performances.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I think you do. At least from your pictures, your smile seems bigger and eyes sparkle. It has to do with the team work involved, I think. Going through from beginning to a successful end.
Cock-a-doodle-doooooo!
The whole show must have been well worth attending, as well as being an absolute blast to have been part of it.
With all the costume-changing practice you have had, getting up in the morning from nightclothes to ready-to-leave should take you fifteen seconds flat!
The show had a very good audience the tickets are free when reserved in advance and I’d recommend Opera scenes to anyone wanting a taste of opera or to see people just before they finish their training. I’m rapid in the morning I can even put my hair in a tidy bun for speed 😀.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Fast indeed! Ever tried a scone? Good ones are lighter. 🙂
And tastier than buns, now you’ve put a scone and clotted cream in my mind. 😜
Wouaw !!! great ! thanks, very nice share. You are very kind to take time to share with us . Take care of you, all the best, always !
I’ve had so much to think about and prepare this month, I hope you’re keeping well too.
Best wishes
Charlotte
This looks fabulous, can’t wait for next for Friday.
So pleased you came to watch, thank you 💕.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Looks like bags of fun was had. Congrats to you and all the cast1
Thank you Marie 🙋🏼
Best wishes
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte, thank you for the update. It seems that you have played quite a few characters during your studies. Have any of the characters’ personalities stayed with you, perhaps, longer than the rest (or more than usual)?
Hi Eric, great question, I try to put a bit of my own personality into each character but Flora was a lot darker than me, the way I built the character of Flora stuck with me and the advice I was given through this process. I tend to move on but if I ever have a character that does grip on to me I’ll let you know.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Wow, the one gal is so tall. Was she wearing elevsted shoes?
Ida is beautifully tall, she was wearing a heel and I was in bare feet.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I wish I could have seen you perform. The photos speak volumes. Congratulations!
I wish everyone could see too Nancy 😊.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Looks like you had a great time! 🙂 I swear one of these days I’ll get to see you perform in person.
I hope so Stephanie it’s been lovely meeting some blog friends for the first time this past three weeks.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Brilliant post Charlotte, Fab photos of you all too.
The costumes were lovely x
Glad you’re enjoying my adventures and our photos. It’s a shame I haven’t any photos of us on the stage. This one was an easy hair style for me 😄.
Best wishes
Charlotte