On Saturday night I had the wonderful opportunity to join my singing teacher, Rosa Mannion, to watch my friend Gemma Summerfield debut as Pamina in the Magic Flute at Scottish Opera in Glasgow. It was a spectacular production and she particularly sang with poise and mellifluous tone just exquisite.
Gemma Summerfield as Pamina
Scottish Opera – The Magic Flute – Photos By James Glossop
It was an extra special production for me as it was a revival of the original 2012 Sir Thomas Allen production, which I happened to see during the first year of my studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow. It was just as I remembered a magical production, I could vividly remember the steampunk costumes and set design which only improved with time.
The Three Ladies and the Queen of the Night’s costume were also inspiring – bejewelled with either hundreds of Swarovski or delicately placed LED lights – they truly looked like stars in the nights sky.
The fantastic detailing in all the props brought added flair to the mystical realm we, the audience, had been transported to. In particular I liked the clockwork birds, which glistened as Papageno unluckily missed them with his net.
Created by David Young
and Joanne Ferrie
Created by Damon Edwards
Scottish Opera – The Magic Flute – Photos By James Glossop
Sir Thomas Allen, directed the opera full of wit and joviality. The audience all around me were sniggering and laughing in perfect timing with the singing actors due to their wonderful delivery of a particularly humorous English Translation. However, the company were able to balance these moments with seriousness for the suicide arias and lessons learnt during the trials.
My rehearsals have started well here in Glasgow and I have enjoyed meeting everyone involved in the Pop-Up Opera production. I hope that in some small way our abridged version will whet the appetite of our audiences and encourage them to go and watch the full production as it is a true delight to the senses.
Looks like a wonderful production.
Oh it was, and I’m very excited about our little bit of Magic Flute version.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
😊
This looks like so much fun, the photos are great!!!!
Time for Tea and Scones? Have a great time, Charlotte, Darlene
I love brunch or afternoon tea, even more so sometimes than lunch and dinner. I’m working hard memorising new scores at the moment so it is good to have an excuse to take a lovely break from work.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Wonderful, dear Charlotte! Simply magic! Good luck with your performance!
Thank you Maria, I’m going to lots of venues and places I’ve not been before so that’s always magic.
Best wishes
Charlotte
🙂 🙂 🙂 And now you have some Russian songs to sing for a high spirit. 🙂
I am in awe. 🙂
So was I Annette. It was so lovely seeing Gemma doing so well on the main stage. She was always very friendly and helpful to me when I first moved to London.
Best wishes
Charlotte
WOW!
Wow Indeed Benn.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Looks like a wonderful production – from the photos and video the steampunk theme seems to work well. Kind of funny, there is a commercial that uses that snippet of the Queen of the Night’s aria that is on all of the time, but never when I am in the room (I don’t watch TV), so I don’t know what it is for, but I stop and listen every time it is on – one of the most striking pieces of music i can think of. Glad you started your rehearsals. Hope you have a great show!
Steampunk is quite popular in opera, when I was Frasquita in Carmen in Berlin the costuming was steampunk. Lots of people know snippets of popular opera from advertisements these big companies know a good tune when they hear it! Our pop-up opera dress rehearsal is a week on Friday with our first formal date for the public on 24 May in the Perth Festival of the Arts can’t wait.
Best wishes
Charlotte
It looks like an interesting story. It is wonderful that you are part of the show!
It’s a great story and a good first opera for people. One day I hope to be on that main stage, but I’ve loved learning the cut down pop-up version to tour around.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Her voice is ethereal!
She is fabulous her name is Julia Sitkovetsky.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Bravo, Charlotte! 🙂
Thank you Fabio, I’m glad you enjoyed the post about The Magic Flute in Scotland.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
I have been following a Star for several years, and her initials are CH! Bravo! Glad that you are surrounded by great artists and people. All the best, my friend! 🙂
The Set Design, props, and Costumes give this an “Alice in Wonderland” / “Wizard of Oz” type of feel. The birds created by David Young and Joanne Ferrie are especially fantastic.
You would love seeing the full art and prop side of the opera. I have many friends in this side of the business and they are all very creative, fascinating people.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte, I just had a quick catch up on your last three posts and as usual you are busy and experiencing many new things (and revisiting). I wish you every success!
Thank you, I’ve enjoyed catching up on your tour around Queensland too. I’ve a nice busy summer and autumn ahead thank goodness.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Between your descriptions, the photos and listening to the trailer – I sure wish I was in Scotland!!
I wish you were in Scotland too.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
ENJOY!
How cool it must have been to attend a show with your teacher ~ and while watching a friend perform. Great photos ~ not easy to shoot a live show but you’ve put together a series of incredible shots. Enjoy the week ahead, Charlotte, take care.
Gemma grew up in the same region as I’m from in Cheshire, she was always lovely to me when I was an undergraduate in Glasgow and when I first moved down to London she was just finishing her Masters and gave me her time and tips, I’m thrilled to have been in the right place at the right time. Rosa was just marvellous coming up from London specifically to see Gemma’s big moment. James Glossop is an amazing photographer I think he photographs the dress rehearsal so as not to disturb the audience.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Nice photography and thanks for the behind the scenes report!
James Glossop is an amazing photographer. I’m pleased you enjoyed my post.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Magnifique, quelle belle énergie, merci de ce beau partage Charlotte !! Meilleurs pensées pour Toi !
Merci, thank you Pascal. I hope that you are well and taking plenty of photographs now that the light is better.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Thank you Charlotte – Yes the light has become beautiful, but the spring weather, here, between sea and mountains is very changeable 🙂 And especially I just spent 3 weeks on artistic residency contest, 1 for New Zeland and 1 for museum Honoré de Balzac. But, you’re right, the photo season is starting again.
Brilliant Charlotte well done😘
Thank you Gill.
All my Best wishes
Charlotte
Mozart at his best, and obviously done with flair. It wasn’t at all difficult to win a bet with myself as to which aria would feature in the trailer! Beautifully sung.
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love this aria and try singing it in the shower afterwards hehe.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Dear Charlotte,
I am glad you Opera career is going great in Glasgow and happy for the flute girl that made such an impression for you. May the Lord bless you richly my Beloved.
I’m a good spectator of opera, I watch to have fun and get pleasure listening to the skill of other singers. Thank you.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Looks a good production, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Sorry I haven’t been around on the blogging sphere of late. I will definitely catch up on all you exciting adventures. x
Life has a way of interrupting blogging for everyone hehe 😊. I just love the Magic Flute and the Little Bit of The Magic Flute is great fun, I’ve been persuading shop assistants in Glasgow to come and watch, I hope they do and bring their families.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Best of luck with your rehearsals (and eventual performances) for the Pop-up Opera. The sets and costumes for the Magic Flute look fabulous! How wonderful to be able to join your teacher in supporting your friend in her performance.
Thank you three more rehearsal days then dress rehearsal on Friday. Then a trip down to Wales for my best friends wedding and back up to start the run. Rosa is just a lovely, kind and caring lady.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Have a lovely time at the wedding and enjoy all those rehearsals. xx
Good luck with rehearsals Charlotte.
It’s always good to catch up with old friends, especially when afternoon tea is nice.
Great photo’s xx
Thank you, only three more days to go and then dress rehearsal on Friday I’m not sure if we’ll have a test audience in or not.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Charlotte, you have single handedly whet my appetite for all opera… except Faust. I was the cappuccino girl at the beginning & intermission for a performance at St. Lawrence Hall here in Toronto. I was quite young. I could hear it all, as I awaited intermission.
Now that is some hard core singing. It was all men’s voices. I was falling asleep.
However, your voice is a butterfly that has lured me into the garden.
You are very wonderful to support your friends in their endeavours. Gemma has a look that sounds as wonderful, as you describe her voice. The trailer and costumes are WOW!!!
Still, you are more amazing!!!
Hahaha, like any art form there are things to like and dislike. I love being likened to a butterfly and like the pied piper luring people in to try out a bit of opera, that’s why these Pop-Up productions I’m in are just so good, they’re little tasters of full productions and we are taking the show all over Scotland.
Scottish Opera’s theatre and the whole creative team are just brilliant, Glasgow is so fortunate to have such a good venue and regular well attended productions.
All my very best wishes
Charlotte
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