THE NEW LONDON OPERA GROUP
THE NEW LONDON OPERA GROUP
present their Summer 2009 production of
The Gondoliers
or
The King of Barataria
Libretto by WS Gilbert
Music by Arthur Sullivan
With Special thanks to:
All at Louth Playgoers’ Riverhead Theatre for their warm welcome and assistance with all aspects of this production.
Holy Trinity Church, Prince Consort Road and The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, for their kind provision of rehearsal space.
THE NEW LONDON OPERA GROUP
Welcome to this evening’s performance of that sunniest of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operas, The Gondoliers – the sixth annual summer tour by The New London Opera Group (newLOG).
newLOG is an amateur company dedicated to producing high-quality musical theatre in London and on tour around the country. It was founded in October 2003 by members of the disbanded University of London Opera Group who sought to preserve the heritage and ethos of the society, whilst expanding both the membership base and repertoire.
Although based in London, the group also has a very happy home at Louth Playgoers’ Riverhead Theatre. In June 2003, the University of London Opera Group brought its final production (Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe) on a very successful tour to Louth, playing to capacity audiences. A positive relationship was formed with the theatre, and when newLOG was founded, the annual visit to Louth naturally became the cornerstone of the Group’s year. Since then, The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, Cox and Box, Ruddigore, Patience and The Sorcerer have been given in Louth, together with concerts of G&S, Viennese and French operetta. In addition, newLOG gives an annual winter concert in London. London productions have included concert performances of Rutland Boughton’s Nativity opera, Bethlehem, Michael Balfe’s The Bohemian Girl and Gilbert & Sullivan’s Trial by Jury.
We hope you enjoy this evening’s performance. For more information about newLOG, or to join our FREE mailing list, do e-mail us at info@newlog.org.uk or log onto our website:
www.newlog.org.uk
New London Opera Group - Performance history
2004
Here’s a how-de-do! (A concert celebration of the operas of Gilbert & Sullivan)
The Mikado or The Town of Titipu by WS Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan
2005
A Viennese Soirée (A celebration of Viennese operetta)
The Pirates of Penzance or The Slave of Duty by WS Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan
Bethlehem(A Choral Drama) by Rutland Boughton (Concert performance)
2006
Cox & Box or The Long-Lost Brothers by Arthur Sullivan & FC Burnand
A Night at the Savoy (A celebration of the operas of Sir Arthur Sullivan)
Ruddigore or The Witch’s Curse by WS Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan
The Bohemian Girl by Michael Balfe & Alfred Bunn (Concert Performance)
2007
La vie Parisienne (A celebration of French operetta)
Patience or Bunthorne’s Bride by WS Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan
Trial by Jury and Scenes from the Savoy (Gilbert & Sullivan)
2008
Never mind the why or wherefore! (A celebration of Gilbert & Sullivan)
The Sorcerer by WS Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan
The Zoo and Scenes from the Savoy by Bolton Rowe, WS Gilbert
& Arthur Sullivan
2009
Around the world in eighty minutes (An operatic circumnavigation)
The Gondoliers or The King of Barataria by WS Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan
Cast
The Duke of Plaza-Toro Chris Cann
(a Grandee of Spain)
Luiz Seb Junemann
(his attendant)
Don Alhambra del Bolero Benjamin Gray
(the Grand Inquisitor of Spain)
Venetian Gondoliers:
Marco Palmieri Edward Hughes
Giuseppe Palmieri David Pim
Antonio Graeme Barton
Francesco Tony Bannister
Giorgio Jim Chadburn
The Duchess of Plaza-Toro Nicole Oppler
Casilda Rebekah Engeler
(her Daughter)
Contadine:
Gianetta Fay Carradine
Tessa Ayesha Als-Murchie
Fiametta Sally Avery
Vittoria Fiona Steel
Giulia Megan Pearson
Inez Fiona Steel
(the King’s Foster-mother)
Chorus of Contadine and Gondoliers:
Laura Jamie Anstice, Ella Armstrong-Lach,
Amy Bird, Juliet Crissell, Fiona Nash,
Jamie Patterson, Rachel Stack, Bob Vaughan
Production Credits
Musical Director Graham Rogers
Stage Director Sally Avery
Production Manager Steve Greenwood
Stage Manager Ben Austin
Assistant Stage Managers Jonathan Greener, Alex Woolley
Lighting Designer Steve Greenwoood
Lighting Operator Andrew Codling
Repetiteurs Tim Roe, David Bignell, Errol Hui,
Richard Lieboritz, Anna Tetsuya
Set Design Tony Bannister
Set Construction
Ben Austin, Robin Avery, Sally Avery, Tony
Bannister, Fay Carradine, Andrew Codling,
Steve Greenwood, Bob Vaughan, Alex Woolley
Wardrobe Mistress Eirian Walsh Atkins
Hair, Wigs & Make-up Eirian Walsh Atkins, Chris Cann
Properties Bob Vaughan
Poster Tony Bannister
Programme Chris Cann
Orchestra
Piano Karen Tavener
Violin David Bignell
’Cello Janet Briggs
Flute Ally Silver
Clarinet Zoë Humphries
Oboe Sarah Ashworth
Bassoon Jack Amey
French Horn Robin Avery
Percussion Max Tomlinson
Previously with newLOG
Although this is the first complete production of The Gondoliers by newLOG, several excerpts from the opera have featured in concerts since the group was founded in 2003. Four items were included in the first ever newLOG performance, the Gilbert and Sullivan concert Here’s a how-de-do! In 2004, tonight’s conductor, Graham Rogers, sang Giuseppe in the sparkling duet “We’re called Gondolieri”, a role he repeated earlier this year in Around the world in eighty minutes. The 2004 Marco, Nicholas Watts, also sang the exquisite aria “Take a pair of sparkling eyes”. Chris Cann and Sue Foister performed the duet for the Duke and Duchess “Small titles and orders”, and the whole company sang the ensemble “Try we lifelong” as an encore, a performance repeated in last year’s concert Never mind the why or wherefore. In 2006, the three quartets for the Gondoliers and their wives (“Then one of us will be a queen”, “Now, Marco dear” and “In a contemplative fashion”) were sung by Catrine Kirkman, Kirsti Whitlocke, Chris Cann and Graham Rogers in the concert A night at the Savoy.
In last year’s concert (Never mind the why or wherefore!) Chris Cann again sang the Duke of Plaza-Toro in the patter song “In enterprise of martial kind”, partnered by Kirsti Whitlocke, who sang the duchess’s “On the day when I was wedded”. The superb extended opening scene opened the 2007 newLOG winter concert in London.
The Cartoon of WS Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan included in the ‘Historical Note’ is taken from the review of the first production of The Gondoliers in Punch, 4th January 1890. All other drawings included in the programme are by WS Gilbert (using his pen name, “Bab”).
Synopsis of musical numbers
Overture
Act I
“List and Learn” (Company)
“From the sunny Spanish shore” (Duke, Duchess, Casilda & Luiz)
“In enterprise of martial kind” (Duke, Duchess, Casilda & Luiz)
“O rapture!” (Casilda & Luiz)
“There was a time” (Casilda & Luiz)
“I stole the Prince” (Don Alhambra with Duke, Duchess, Casilda, Luiz)
“But bless my heart” (Casilda & Don Alhambra)
“Try we lifelong” (Don Alhambra with Duke, Duchess, Casilda, Luiz)
“Bridegroom and Bride” (Chorus of Gondoliers & Contadine)
“When a merry maiden marries” (Tessa with Chorus)
“Kind sir, you cannot have the heart” (Company)
Act II
“Of happiness the very pith” (Gondoliers)
“Rising early in the morning” (Giuseppe with Chorus)
“Take a pair of sparkling eyes” (Marco)
“Here we are at the risk of our lives” (Contadine, Gianetta, Tessa, Marco & Giuseppe)
“Dance a cachucha” (Chorus)
“There lived a king” (Don Alhambra with Marco & Giuseppe)
“In a contemplative fashion” (Gianetta, Tessa, Marco & Giuseppe)
“With ducal pomp” (Chorus of Men with Duke & Duchess)
“On the day when I was wedded” (Duchess)
“To help unhappy commoners” (Duke & Duchess)
“I am a courtier grave and serious” (Duke with Duchess, Casilda, Marco & Giuseppe)
“Here is a case unprecedented” (Casilda, Gianetta, Tessa, Marco & Giuseppe)
“Now let the loyal lieges” (Company)
Synopsis
Act I
The action opens in a street in Venice, where all the local girls are lamenting how madly in love they all are with two gondoliers, brothers Marco and Giuseppe Palmieri. To attract the attention of the objects of their affection, they are decorating the street with roses for a masked ball at which the Gondoliers will pick two of them to marry. As the maidens prepare, a group of less desirable gondoliers arrives. They are very interested in this gathering of single young ladies, but are shunned by the girls, who only have eyes for Marco and Giuseppe. The men are not overly daunted by this, and decide to have a drink instead while they wait to take their pick of the girls who are not chosen.
Marco and Giuseppe arrive on their gondola, and proceed to charm the ladies. They explain their plan to choose a bride: they will be blindfolded and marry whichever girl they manage to catch, thereby not offending anyone by expressing a preference. They proceed to catch two girls, Gianetta and Tessa, and hurry off to get married.
As the gondoliers and their ladies disappear, the Duke of Plaza-Toro, together with his wife, daughter Casilda, and entourage (well, actually only his drummer boy, Luiz) arrive, looking for the Ducal Palace, where they will find the Grand Inquisitor of Spain. The Duke and Duchess reveal to Casilda that she was married when a baby to the son of the King of Barataria, a distant island kingdom. Shortly after this wedding, the King converted to become a Wesleyan Methodist; the Grand Inquisitor, disapproving of this, stole the baby Prince and smuggled him to Venice. The King has recently been killed in an insurrection, so the missing Prince is now the King of Barataria and Casilda is his Queen. She has been brought to Venice to meet her husband and claim the throne.
As the Duke and Duchess go off to find the Grand Inquisitor, Casilda and Luiz are left alone together and reveal that they are in love, and carrying out a relationship behind her parents’ backs. However, having discovered her status as a married woman, Casilda reluctantly tells Luiz that they must part. The lovers bid a tearful farewell to each other.
They are interrupted by the return of the Duke and Duchess with the Grand Inquisitor, Don Alhambra Del Bolero, who reveals to Casilda that he left the Prince with a gondolier who had a son of the same age. This gondolier confused the two babies, so Don Alhambra is unsure which of the two is now the King. He reassures her, however, that the Prince’s nurse (who happens to be Luiz’ mother) will be able to identify her charge. Luiz therefore goes off in search of his mother while the Ducal party retire to the palace.
At this point the newly-married Marco and Giuseppe return with their brides. The Grand Inquisitor interrupts their wedding party to inform them that while one of them is a gondolier, one of them is in fact the King of Barataria. He persuades them to depart for Barataria without their wives, to reign jointly until the actual King can be identified. They will take the men with them: the girls will remain in Venice until further notice, as (unknown to them) whichever one turns out to be the King already has a wife. The Gondoliers’ wives are very excited at the prospect of being Queen: however, they are brought back to earth at the prospect of being parted from their new husbands. The men bid farewell to their wives, and head off for a holiday in the sun!
INTERVAL – 20 MINUTES
Act II
The men are discovered in the Baratarian court, several months later. Marco and Giuseppe are doing most of the work, leaving their friends to enjoy life about the court. They are, however, still missing their wives. This is fortunate, as the girls have had enough of life alone in Venice and arrive, uninvited, in Barataria. The men celebrate their arrival, but are again interrupted by Don Alhambra.
After attempting to correct some of the gondoliers’ methods of running their court, Don Alhambra goes on to disclose the fact that whichever of them turns out to be King is married to Casilda, who has just arrived with her parents. At this moment Gianetta and Tessa reappear, to discover that one of them is, in fact, not married at all, and neither of them is Queen. The couples squabble over the complicated situation, and depart to consider it further.
The Duke, Duchess and Casilda then arrive at court. The Duke and Duchess are arguing (presumably as a result of having been in a boat for a very long time) and the Duchess tells Casilda how to go about handling her husband. They then reunite to explain how their marriage works: conning the gullible out of money! The gondoliers arrive to greet the Queen and her parents. They have not impressed the Duke with their greeting, and he lectures them on appropriate Court manners. The Duke and Duchess then leave their daughter alone with her husband… whichever one he is.
Marco and Giuseppe explain their situation to Casilda, and she explains that she, too, is in love with someone else. Gianetta and Tessa arrive, and the five express their dissatisfaction with the situation.
The Grand Inquisitor, who has finally finished interviewing the nurse, arrives along with the rest of the Court to reveal the King’s identity. Inez, the King’s nurse, reveals that she indulged in a little baby-switching herself: the baby taken by the Grand Inquisitor was in fact her own son, and she kept the Prince to care for him herself… which means that the King is, in fact, her supposed son, Luiz! The gondoliers and their wives therefore return happily to Venice to their old lives, and Casilda and Luiz take up the throne of Barataria.
Historical Note
The Gondoliers did not begin in particularly auspicious circumstances. The Yeomen of the Guard, a much more serious piece than the duo's previous works, had encouraged Sullivan to try his hand at something closer to grand opera. Gilbert, however, while he agreed that Yeomen was a great achievement, was aware of its relative lack of success: it did not have a particularly long run, and while the critics had loved it, the public had not flocked to the theatre as they had done for their previous, lighter works.
He therefore suggested to Sullivan that they return to light opera, but this was not well received. Sullivan was on a tour of Europe, and the two exchanged some rather sharp letters across the Channel. Richard D'Oyly Carte, who intervened to preserve his investment, resolved the quarrel by encouraging Sullivan to work simultaneously on a grand opera with another librettist (this was to turn into Ivanhoe) and a lighter work with Gilbert.
Sullivan, enjoying a stay in Venice, agreed to this, and upon his return suggested that they begin a work that Gilbert had previously thought of - an idea "connected with Venice and Venetian life." Gilbert began work on the libretto, and his eagerness to reconcile with Sullivan is evident from the first scene: fifteen uninterrupted minutes of music, an unprecedented length for an opening number.
The most distinctive aspect of the opera, however, is the fact that it is, as no other Gilbert and Sullivan, two distinct, entirely separate stories, linked by a single character who is not actually particularly pivotal to either (Don Alhambra) and only joining to resolve the plot in the final scene. One of the threads is Italian, with the emphasis being on Sullivan and the music, as seen in the opening scene – the story of the Gondoliers – and the other is Spanish, with a much more traditional Gilbertian style of story-telling and lyrics.
These two parallel stories both, however, illustrate the themes of the opera; separation, reconciliation, and equality. The separation of the gondoliers from their wives is reflected in that of Luiz from Casilda, and the topsy-turvy equality of the attempted Baratarian court can also be seen in the final plot point, that of the lowly drummer-boy actually being the King.
The theme of equality was particularly prevalent in both author and composer’s minds during writing the opera: the quarrel that preceded it was mainly due to Sullivan feeling that his input was not valued in the creative process, describing himself as “a cipher.” Gilbert makes many accommodations to Sullivan to restore the partnership; the rhyme schemes in The Gondoliers are more complex than many, as Gilbert avoids the couplet rhyme scheme (ABABCDCD) that Sullivan disliked in favour of more intricate structures (ABABBABA – “Thank You, Gallant Gondolieri”, or ABAAABCDCCD – “I Stole The Prince”). Verses are longer or shorter to allow Sullivan to do whatever he likes, and there is, of course much more music – both songs and dance music – than in any other Gilbert and Sullivan opera.
The “equality” theme is also shown in the lack of specific principal leads: according to rumour, some members of the company had been heard to say that they believed that the success of the operettas was down to the fame of individual performers, not the quality of the material. The creators’ response to this was to write an opera that has no star turn, but rather one that has many roles, each as important as the others – in fact, “all shall equal be.”
The Gondoliers was extremely well received by press and public alike, and was seen as a return to form for both members of the partnership. They, likewise, were extremely impressed with their achievement: Gilbert wrote, after opening night, “I must thank you for the magnificent work you have put into the piece. It gives one the chance of shining right through the twentieth century with a reflected light.” Sullivan’s reply was: “Don’t talk of reflected light. In such a perfect book as The Gondoliers, you shine with an individual brilliancy which no other writer can hope to attain.” As in the show, a troubled pair had been successfully reunited.
Sadly, however, the partnership, which had returned to two men working “as one individual”, as in the plot, was to be severely troubled during the run of Gondoliers. The opera was not popular in America, creating financial pressures on the company – this then led to financial quarrels, on the surface about who paid for the carpet in the foyer of the Savoy Theatre, but in fact indicative of the power struggle between Gilbert, Sullivan and Richard D’Oyly Carte as to who was in charge of the company. Gilbert filed a legal action against Carte, and Sullivan testified on Carte’s behalf. This was to cause a serious rift between the two that would never be fully mended.
While Gilbert and Sullivan were eventually reunited for Utopia Limited and The Grand Duke, these last two operettas were not to be successful. The Gondoliers, then, was Gilbert and Sullivan's last big success, and one of their greatest.
Cast Biographies
Ayesha Als-Murchie (Tessa)
Ayesha is thrilled to be playing the role of Tessa in this fantastic and energetic production of the Gondoliers. This is her newLOG debut, and she has found it an exciting (if slightly frantic and fast paced) experience! It the last two years, the Gilbert and Sullivan operas have become part of her everyday life. She played the role of Lady Saphir in the King’s College London production of Patience in 2008, and this year, not only did she rather masochistically agree to be President of the King’s College Gilbert and Sullivan Society, but she also took on the role of Mrs Partlet in their production of The Sorcerer. When not bemoaning lovesickness, consuming love potions or generally just being a bit daft, Ayesha is in her final year of a BA in Classical Studies at King’s College London.
Ella Armstrong-Lach (Chorus)
Ella discovered the joys of Gilbert and Sullivan a mere three years ago, when she started university, becoming heavily involved with the King’s College G&S Society. Having just finished directing The Sorcerer for King’s, Ella decided it was time to get back on stage and quickly found herself at home with newLOG. This is Ella’s first show with the company (though her second production of The Gondoliers) and, so far, she has loved every minute of it.
Ella has just finished her degree reading Classical Studies, but her first love is the theatre, in any capacity. When not on stage, Ella can usually be found working backstage, or, more likely, dancing (in the street). Just for fun!
Sally Avery (Director/Fiametta)
Sally is delighted to make her first appearance as a director in Louth. She has enjoyed it immensely and hopes to have another go very soon! She has a wealth of G&S experience, having sung in almost all the operas on stage and having recently performed all 13 back to back for the Imperial College G&S Marathon. The Gondoliers is a particular favourite, in which she has appeared on stage twice and sung extracts from at more performances than she cares to think about.
Sally has appeared in all the newLOG summer shows to date: her roles in Louth have included Pitti-Sing (The Mikado) and Zorah (Ruddigore), plus Celia in Iolanthe with ULOG. Favourite G&S roles with other societies include Mad Margaret (Ruddigore), Casilda (The Gondoliers) and Baroness von Krakenfeldt (The Grand Duke). Sally is slowly learning that, no matter what she intends to do in a Louth production, she will end up on stage as well.
Tony Bannister (Designer/Francesco)
The Gondoliers marks Tony’s tenth appearance with newLOG, and his third set design for the company. Previous roles with newLOG include the Foreman (Trial by Jury), Hercules (The Sorcerer), Pish-Tush (The Mikado),Angel (Bethlehem), and chorus for The Bohemian Girl, The Pirates of Penzance, Patience, Iolanthe and Ruddigore. With the University of London Opera Group: Scynthius (Princess Ida), Marcel (Divorce Me, Darling!) and Bert (Cinderella). He designed the sets for The Sorcerer and Patience.
Elsewhere, he has appeared as Tobias in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd with Croydon Operatic; Doctor Daly in The Sorcerer with King’s College G&S Society; as PC Gonemad in Trial! A Footballer’s Tale with Minotaur Music Theatre;as the Capuchin in Cyrano de Bergerac and as Innocent in Ivona, Princess of Burgundy, both Theatre Royal, Plymouth; Malvolio (Twelfth Night)with Frenzic Theatre; Fogg (Sweeney Todd) at the Electric Theatre, Guildford; Rusty Charlie (Guys and Dolls) at the George Wood Theatre; and ensemble for Thoroughly Modern Millie at the Shaw Theatre, London.
Graeme Barton (Antonio)
Graeme is making his Louth debut this year having made his newLOG debut last year in the chorus of The Zoo inthe 2008 Autumn Concert. He has now been tempted back to the stage after several years honing his crooning skills in the karaoke bars of Japan, Hong Kong and North Korea. Previous credits include Gladhand in West Side Story, Daddy Warbucks in Annie, and chorus roles in Patience, Iolanthe, The Gondoliers, Stephen Sondheim's Company and most recently in Trial! A Footballer's Tale. When not on stage, Graeme is an Associate Solicitor at City law firm Stephenson Harwood, specialising construction, engineering and PFI/PPP projects.
Amy Bird (Chorus)
This is Amy's first time in Louth and she is very excited. Her first exposure to G&S was playing Pish-Tush in an all-female production of The Mikado at the age of 14, swiftly followed by playing Lord Brockhurst in Sandy Wilson's The Boyfriend. Leaving gender-bending roles behind, she has more recently appeared with the King’s College London G&S Society as Leila in Iolanthe, and in the chorus of Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado. After taking an unwarranted break from staged Gilbert and Sullivan, she appeared in the Minotaur Musical Theatre production of Trial! A Footballer's Tale (a liberal adaptation of Trial by Jury) earlier this year as a court clerk. She is currently under the tuition of Carole Gibb. In real life, she is an employment lawyer in the City.
Chris Cann (The Duke of Plaza-Toro)
Chris is delighted to be back in Louth, which has become a regular home-from-home! Over the years he has performed in all the extant Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Principal roles include The Judge and Defendant (Trial by Jury), Alexis Pointdextre (The Sorcerer), Sir Joseph Porter (HMS Pinafore),Major-General Stanley (The Pirates of Penzance), Bunthorne (Patience), Cyril (Princess Ida), Pooh-Bah (The Mikado), Dick Dauntless and Sir Despard Murgatroyd (Ruddigore), The Duke of Plaza-Toro and Don Alhambra del Bolero (The Gondoliers), King Paramount (Utopia Limited) and Ludwig (The Grand Duke). Most recently, he has completed his tour of all the male principal roles in Iolanthe, by appearing as Lord Tolloller with Grosvenor Light Opera Company. Chris has directed productions for the University of London Opera Group, New London Opera Group and the Centenary Opera Company. Productions include The Sorcerer (three times), HMS Pinafore, Iolanthe (twice), Princess Ida, The Mikado and Ruddigore (twice). He has also directed the newLOG spring concerts of G&S, Viennese and French operetta and this year’s Around the world in eighty minutes. As founding Artistic Director of newLOG, Chris produced acclaimed concert performances of Rutland Boughton’s Bethlehem in December 2005 and Michael Balfe’s The Bohemian Girl in 2006 in London.
Fay Carradine (Gianetta)
This is Fay’s fifth year visiting Louth with newLOG and she is delighted to be appearing as a rather cantankerous Gianetta. She performed the role of Constance in last year’s production of The Sorcerer and Isabel in The Pirates of Penzance (2005). Fay also stage managed Ruddigore (2006), Patience (2007) and the 2008 spring concert Never Mind the Why or Wherefore! She assisted in building the sets for these shows and has enjoyed the opportunity to wield a screwdriver and paintbrush again this year.
Last July Fay was Props Manager and Deputy Stage Manager for the new sell out show Plague! The Musical at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In May of this year Fay, along with other members of the company, took part in a G&S marathon with Imperial College London singing all 13 G&S operettas in a 31 hour charity fund raising extravaganza. Over the years Fay has performed roles in a number of musicals including Chiffon (Little Shop of Horrors), Patti Simcox (Grease), Mallory/Avril (City of Angels), Stubb (Moby Dick! The Musical) in addition to Chess and Personals,
Away from the world of rehearsing and singing Fay is a civil servant, working in Human Resources at the Ministry of Justice.
Jim Chadburn (Giorgio)
This is Jim’s fifth trip to Louth and he enjoys it so much he just has to keep coming back. He has performed here in The Pirates of Penzance, Patience, Ruddigore, and last year's production of The Sorcerer, in which he played one of his very favourite roles, Dr Daly. A graduate and associate of King’s College London, where he read French and German, he is a life member of the King’s Gilbert and Sullivan Society (for whom he has played principal roles in The Pirates of Penzance, Patience, Iolanthe and Ruddigore), and a founder member of the King’s Alumi Theatre Society (KATS), for whom he has played Speer (Kasimir and Karoline), the Lord Chamberlain (Princess Ivona), the Moon (Blood Wedding), and King Peter (Leonce and Lena). He has played Pooh-Bah (The Mikado) for Imperial Productions, and sang in the choir in the National Theatre’s hugely successful Coram Boy in 2005-6. A keen choral singer, he currently sings in the Merbecke Choir at Southwark Cathedral. When not singing or acting, Jim works for Sharp, an organisation promoting social inclusion for people with mental health problems, and for Capital Volunteering, a company providing volunteering opportunities again for those with mental help complaints.
Juliet Crissell (Chorus)
Juliet is delighted to return to Louth this year, after unfortunately missing newLOG’s 2008 production of The Sorcerer. She is in her final year of a physiotherapy masters degree at King’s College London, and revelling in her last few months as a student. The Gondoliers was Juliet’s introduction to Gilbert and Sullivan when she first joined the University of London Opera Group almost ten years ago, and she seems to have developed something of a habit…happily newLOG offers a fantastic opportunity to satisfy her G&S cravings!
Rebekah Engeler (Casilda)
Rebekah is delighted to be returning to Louth after appearing as Alinein last year’s production of The Sorcerer. Trained at Royal College of Music, Rebekah has performed a variety of roles including Yum-Yum (The Mikado)for Armidale and District Music Society, Lieschen in Bach’s Coffee Cantata at the New England Bach Festival and, before leaving Australia, Rebekah was a finalist in the MacDonald’s Performing Arts Challenge. Subsequently she has performed at the National Portrait Gallery and was invited to perform in Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem in association with the Jerusalem Academy of Music. Most recently, Rebekah has sung as a soloist in her first performance of Handel's Messiah and has performed the role of Angelinain Trial! A Footballer’s Tale for the Minotaur Music Theatre. Rebekah loves good coffee, dark chocolate and any and all things musical. Rebekah is currently under the tuition of Jeffrey Stewart.
Benjamin Gray (Don Alhambra del Bolero)
Having started in musical theatre, Ben swiftly defected to the extravagant world of Gilbert and Sullivan at University, rising to a modest yet picturesque calling on the committee of the King’s College London G&S Society. He has performed in various musicals, concerts and shows, including two appearances as Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre (The Sorcerer), Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof), Fagin (Oliver!) and chorus in Patience. This is his second visit to Louth with newLOG.
He recently completed a BA in War Studies at King's College London and hopes to go on to law school, where he intends to put his Grand Inquisitorial skills to good use.
Steve Greenwood (Production Manager / Lighting Design)
As well as being one of the founding directors of newLOG, Steve has also worked with the University of London Opera Group and Imperial Opera. He enjoys having his finger in as many theatrical pies as possible, having produced, designed or stage managed (sometimes all three) a variety of shows with the three companies including The Sorcerer, The Pirates of Penzance, Patience, Iolanthe, Princess Ida, The Mikado, Ruddigore, Cheryomushki, Cinderella, Divorce Me, Darling!, Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Nine, Something’s Afoot, Here’s a How-de-do!, The Shakespeare Revue, A Viennese Soirée, La vie Parisiènne, Never mind the why or wherefore!, Around the World in Eighty Minutes, Bethlehem and The Bohemian Girl. During his spare time he is also an Inspector with the Metropolitan Special Constabulary.
Edward Hughes (Marco Palmieri)
Edward is highly-rated by some of the top singing professors of Great Britain. Since the age of eight, he has sung as a soloist at St. Nicholas Church, Chislehurst, and began studying singing at 15, with Elizabeth Adams before progressing on to Richard Cooke in 2007.
He has an extensive opera and concert repertoire and has performed as soloist with many choirs, amateur opera groups and ensembles in the South East as well as at university. He has been invited to Berlin to perform a set of Delius songs with Imperial College Sinfonietta in September and will be performing Handel’s Dixit Dominus and Purcell’s Ode to St. Cecilia with Gravesham Choral Society.
Edward completes his MEng in Aeronautical Engineering at Imperial College London this summer. In September, he will be starting full-time vocal postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Music, having been awarded a full scholarship and an award from the Henry Wood Trust. He cannot wait to start and will be studying with Tim Evans-Jones! The role of Marco will always be close to Edward’s heart as it was his first stage role and he hopes you enjoy his performance this evening.
Seb Junemann (Luiz)
Seb is a new member of newLOG and visits Louth for the first time, making the move from musical theatre to his first Gilbert and Sullivan Opera for six years, his last G&S role being Ben Hashbaz (The Grand Duke). As a veteran of Imperial College’s Musical Theatre Society, Seb’s acting credits include Stephen Baker (Showboat), Henry T Dobson and sailors’ quartet (Anything Goes), Ozzie (On the Town), J. Pierrepont Finch (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying), Bernardo (West Side Story), Orin(Little Shop of Horrors), Dr. Parker (Batboy), plus roles in Personals, Chess and A Slice of Saturday Night.
Seb has recently dabbled in directing and is pleased to have directed a very successful production of Stephen Sondheim’s first musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum earlier this year. Having been bitten by the directing bug, he is considering his next project… once he has recovered from the last one, of course.
When not exercising his creative streak on the stage, Seb works as the Sustainability Officer for a major UK social housing organisation, helping people to live greener, more sustainable lifestyles and helping improving the homes they live in.
Fiona Nash (Chorus)
Fiona is delighted to return to Louth for her third newLOG production. She was previously a member of the King’s College London Gilbert and Sullivan Society, performing in seven productions including HMS Pinafore, Iolanthe, The Mikado and Ruddigore. She is also a member of the Southwark Cathedral Merbecke Choir and the choir of St Michael’s church, Wimbeldon. In her spare time Fiona is an overworked junior doctor.
Nicole Oppler (The Duchess of Plaza-Toro)
Nicole studied English Literature at Durham University and Opera at Birkbeck
College, where she graduated from the Diploma course in 2006. Previous roles include Second Witch (Dido and Aeneas)and Counsel for the Defence (Trial! A Footballer's Tale) for Minotaur Music Theatre; Annio (La Clemenza di Tito), Third Lady (Die Zauberflöte) and Prince Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus) for Opera Express and Dorabella (Così fan Tutte), Romeo (I Capuleti e i Montecchi), Olga (Eugene Onegin), Hänsel (Hänsel und Gretel),Lucretia (The Rape of Lucretia) while atBirkbeck College. She has since sung Cherubino and Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro),Tisbe (La Cenerentola) and Nicklaus (Les Contes d'Hoffmann)with Ad Hoc Opera, as well as Lady Sangazure (The Sorcerer), Ruth (The Pirates of Penzance), Lady Angela (Patience),Lady Psyche(Princess Ida), Katisha (The Mikado) and Tessa and the Duchess of Plaza-Toro (Gondoliers). Nicole is currently studying with Paula Anglin.
Jamie Patterson (Chorus)
Jamie Patterson is delighted to be returning to Louth after a brief break. Previous newLOG performances which Jamie has appeared in the bass chorus for include The Pirates of Penzance, Patience, The Mikado and Ruddigore. Tonight is a rare opportunity to hear Jamie performing as a baritone rather than in his usual role as a countertenor. A former choral scholar at St. Martin-in-the-Fields and St. George’s RC Cathedral, Southwark, Jamie is an alto Lay Clerk at Ealing Abbey and regularly deputises as an alto in most major London Cathedrals and churches. Jamie has studied singing with Anita Morrison, Ashley Stafford and David Lowe and has appeared as a soloist in works such as Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s St. John and St. Matthew Passions. Jamie will next be singing in Lincolnshire as alto soloist in the premiere of Jessica Curry’s setting of the requiem mass, to be performed in the nuclear bunker at the Lincolnshire County Emergency Centre in May 2010.
Megan Pearson (Giulia)
This is Megan’s first production with newLOG, having been a member of King’s College Gilbert and Sullivan Society for their last two productions: The Sorcerer and Patience. Megan is currently training to be a barrister, having previously graduated from Cambridge University with a degree in Law. At Cambridge she was a choral award holder and member of Robinson College chapel choir, where she broadcast on the BBC and, somewhat oddly, on Slovakian Radio. She now sings in the Merbecke Choir at Southwark Cathedral. Having succumbed to the charms of G&S two years ago, Megan is now addicted and looks forward to coming back to Louth next year!
David Pim (Giuseppe Palmieri)
Dave journeyed Louth with newLOG for The Sorcerer last year, and he is delighted to be returning for a second year. Since graduating with a music degree from King’s College London last summer, Dave spent this year training to be a music teacher, and has just secured a job at the Tiffin Girls’ School in Kingston – one of the best performing schools in the country. Dave loves G&S, enough to study them for his undergraduate dissertation. He has performed many roles, including Alexis (The Sorcerer), Bunthorne, Major Murgatroyd (Patience), Ko-Ko (The Mikado), Robin Oakapple (Ruddigore) and Luiz (The Gondoliers). Next year, in his spare time, Dave will also be studying for a Masters degree in Musical Performance Studies at City University and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Playing Giuseppe has realised one of Dave’s fondest ambitions, and he hopes you enjoy this show as much as he has.
Graham Rogers (Musical Director)
Graham has appeared regularly at the Riverhead Theatre since 2003, and has come to think of Louth as his second home. He is very pleased to be back for tonight’s performance! Last summer he conducted newLOG’s highly successful production of The Sorcerer here; previously he conducted Ruddigore (2006) and The Pirates of Penzance (2005). Stage appearances in Louth include Archibald Grosvenor (Patience 2007), Mr Cox (Cox and Box 2006), the eponymous Mikado of Japan (2004), Strephon (Iolanthe 2003), and concerts including Around the World in 80 Minutes earlier this year, La Vie Parisiènne (2007), A Night at the Savoy (2006), and A Viennese Soirée, (2005).
A passionate G&S devotee (or, depending on your viewpoint, anorak) Graham has conducted many other performances with newLOG and other companies, most recently Trial by Jury, The Pirates of Penzance and Utopia Limited at a non-stop 31-hour charity “G&S Marathon” of all 13 extant operas with Imperial College Music Theatre Society, London. In November he will conduct The Yeomen of the Guard with newLOG in London.
Graham works for BBC Radio 3, and also writes on music: he contributed to the recently published book 1001 Classical Recordings to Hear Before You Die, has written several “red button” programme notes for TV broadcasts of BBC Proms, and regularly reviews concerts and CDs for the website ClassicalSource.com.
Rachel Stack (Chorus)
Rachel is a student at King’s College London and had just completed her final year studying German. She has enjoyed watching the Gilbert and Sullivan operas from a very young age and started getting involved in them at the age of 13 by performing in the chorus of The Mikado. Since then she has performed in many operas including The Sorcerer, Patience and Iolanthe. Rachel has also enjoyed performing in other shows such as My Fair Lady, A Musical Revue and many pantomimes where she once played the role of the fairy godmother in The Sleeping Beauty. As well as singing she has a passion for Irish dancing and ice skating. She recently participated in a Gilbert and Sullivan marathon with Imperial College Musical Theatre Society, singing in the chorus for every opera they wrote together which totalled nearly 31 hours of singing and raised lots of money for charity.
Fiona Steele (Vittoria/Inez)
Having been named after a character her mother was playing whilst pregnant, it can truly be said that Fiona has spent her whole life singing, dancing and truly showing off. Usually to be found bossing the good people of Surrey around in a directorial/choreographic capacity, Fiona is delighted to find herself back in Louth performing in her ninth G&S opera this year - I guess you could call her a fan.
Bob Vaughan (Chorus)
Bob Vaughan is delighted to return to Louth for his eighth appearance on the stage of the Riverhead Theatre and is once again entrusted with the duties of properties master. In real life Bob is a Radar systems engineer and for relaxation vanishes into the Chiltern Hills were he is a volunteer station master on the award winning Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway.
Eirian Walsh Atkins (Wardrobe)
Eirian has been costuming shows since she first admitted that she possessed a sewing machine in the last century. Since then, she has been through several sewing machines in an effort to keep the theatrical types of London in lovely and not so lovely costumes. Eirian has specialised in Gilbert and Sullivan operas, but has also turned her hand to West Side Story, On The Town, The Biograph Girl and a number of new musicals. She was costume designer on a number of independent films, and has worked with such actors as Kevin McCloud, Norman Lovett, Dominic Monaghan and Alison King. Delightful as the company of such eminent thespians was, Eirian has since turned her back on the world of cinema to work at the Ministry of Justice.
