THE NEW LONDON OPERA GROUP
presents
I have a song to sing-o
A celebration of the operas of Gilbert and Sullivan
Kirsty Bennett (Mezzo-Soprano)
Kirsti Whitlocke (Mezzo-Soprano)
Robert Felstead (Tenor)
Chris Cann (Baritone)
Graham Rogers (Bass-Baritone)
Paul Guinery (Piano)
Devised by Graham Rogers & Chris Cann
Lighting Designer: Steve Greenwood
Stage Management: Tony Bannister
Poster Design: Tony Bannister
Programme: Chris Cann
The New London Opera Group
Welcome to this evening’s concert celebrating the ever-popular Savoy Operas of WS Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. This is the seventh annual Spring concert given in Louth 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 has a very happy second 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 calendar. Since then, The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, Cox & Box, Ruddigore, Patience, The Sorcerer and The Gondoliers have been given in Louth, together with concerts of G&S, Viennese and French operetta. In addition, newLOG has given acclaimed concert performances in London, including Rutland Boughton’s Nativity opera, Bethlehem, Michael Balfe’s beautiful romance The Bohemian Girl and Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Yeomen of the Guard.
We hope you enjoy this evening’s performance. For more information about newLOG, or to join our FREE mailing list, please 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
The Yeomen of the Guard or The Merryman and his maid by WS Gilbert
& Arthur Sullivan
I have a song to sing-o
Part I
“Climbing over rocky mountain” – Thespis
“I’m called Little Buttercup” - HMS Pinafore
“I am the Captain of the Pinafore” - HMS Pinafore
“Cheerily carols the lark” - Ruddigore
“You understand?” - Ruddigore
“Now wouldn’t you like to rule the roast” - Princess Ida
“If you’ll give me your attention” - Princess Ida
“O false one, you have deceived me” - The Pirates of Penzance
“Oh better far to live and die” - The Pirates of Penzance
“When maiden loves, she sits and sighs” - The Yeomen of the Guard
“I have a song to sing-o” - The Yeomen of the Guard
“When a wooer goes a wooing” - The Yeomen of the Guard
“Love feeds on many kind of food” - The Sorcerer
“I rejoice that it’s decided” - The Sorcerer
“If Saphir I choose to marry” - Patience
INTERVAL – 20 minutes
Part II
“Am I alone and unobserved?” - Patience
“A lady fair of lineage high” - Princess Ida
“Would you know the kind of maid” - Princess Ida
“I am a maiden cold and stately” - Princess Ida
“Things are seldom what they seem” - HMS Pinafore
“Kind captain I’ve important information” - HMS Pinafore
“I once was a very abandoned person” - Ruddigore
“My eyes are fully open to my awful situation” - Ruddigore
“Brightly dawns our wedding day” - The Mikado
“As some day it may happen” (The little list) - The Mikado
“See how the fates their gifts a lot” - The Mikado
“The flowers that bloom in the spring, tra-la!” - The Mikado
“Dance a bolero” - The Contrabandista
“Oh joy, oh rapture unforeseen” (Act II Finale) - HMS Pinafore
Synopsis of Musical Numbers
Thespis or The Gods Grown Old
(Premiered at the Gaiety Theatre, 1871)
Daphne Kirsti Whitlocke
Nicemis Kirsty Bennett
The first Gilbert and Sullivan collaboration concerns a theatrical company that swaps places with the olympian gods. The troupe arrive for a picnic on Mount Olympus singing the chorus “Climbing over rocky mountain” – later re-used as the entrance of the Major-General’s daughters in The Pirates of Penzance.
The Sorcerer
(Premiered at the Opéra Comique, 1877)
Aline Sangazure Kirsty Bennett
Mrs Partlet Kirsti Bennett
Alexis Pointdextre Robert Felstead
Dr Daly Chris Cann
Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre Graham Rogers
On his wedding day, Alexis Pointdextre is carried away with his love (“Love feeds on many kind of food”). He hires the sorcerer John Wellington Wells to distribute a love potion to the inhabitants of the village, in order that they may be similarly overjoyed. However, Alexis is dismayed at the consequences, when his father Sir Marmaduke takes up with the decidedly plebeian widow Mrs Partlet. He does his best to disguise his disappointment (“I rejoice that it’s decided”).
HMS Pinafore or the Lass that Loved a Sailor
(Premiered at the Opéra Comique, 1878)
Little Buttercup Kirsty Bennett
Hebe Kirsti Whitlocke
Ralph Rackstraw Robert Felstead
Captain Corcoran Graham Rogers
Sir Joseph Porter / Dick Deadeye Chris Cann
Aboard HMS Pinafore, anchored at Portsmouth, Little Buttercup plies her wares to the sailors (“I’m called Little Buttercup”). She is secretly in love with the Captain, who comes on deck and greets the crew (“I am the Captain of the Pinafore”). Later, when he rejects her, Buttercup warns the Captain that she knows a secret about his past (“Things are seldom what they seem”).
Meanwhile, the captain is warned by the bitter old seadog Dick Deadeye that his daughter loves a common sailor, Ralph Rackstraw, rather than her father’s chosen suitor, Sir Joseph Porter. The two plot to forestall the elopement (“Kind captain I’ve important information”). Buttercup reveals that the Captain and Ralph were swapped in infancy. Sir Joseph is no longer interested in such a low-born bride and transfers his attention to his cousin Hebe. Ralph and Josephine and Buttercup and the ex-captain are also united (“Oh joy, oh rapture unforeseen”)
The Pirates of Penzance or The Slave of Duty
(Premiered at the Royal Bijou Theatre, Paignton and the 5th Avenue Theatre, New York 1879)
Ruth Kirsty Bennett
Frederic Robert Felstead
The Pirate King Graham Rogers
Frederic has been brought up as a pirate, by his nursemaid Ruth, who has convinced him that she is a model of maidenly beauty. When he catches sight of the youthful daughters of Major-General Stanley, he realises that he has been misled and turns on Ruth (“O false one, you have deceived me”). Meanwhile, Frederic’s leader, the Pirate King refuses to give up his profession in the celebrated song “Oh better far to live and die”.
Patience or Bunthorne’s Bride
(Premiered at the Opéra Comique, 1881)
Lady Saphir Kirsty Bennett
Lady Angela Kirsti Whitlocke
Lieutenant, The Duke of Dunstable Robert Felstead
Colonel Calverly Graham Rogers
Major Murgatroyd / Bunthorne Chris Cann
The aesthetic poet Bunthorne takes the audience into his confidence and reveals that his artistic persona is merely a front to attract the admiration of young ladies, whom he charms away from their former fiancés, the officers of the 35th Heavy Dragoon Guards (“Am I alone and unobserved?”). In a vain attempt to win back their affections, the officers also assume the guise of aesthetes and succeed in attracting the attention of ladies Angela and Saphir. The arithmetic of two ladies between three suitors is worked out in the sparkling quintet “If Saphir I choose to marry”.
Princess Ida or Castle Adamant
(Premiered at the Savoy Theatre, 1884)
Lady Psyche / Melissa Kirsty Bennett
Lady Blanche Kirsti Whitlocke
King Gama / Prince Hilarion Chris Cann
Cyril Rob Felstead
Florian Graham Rogers
The misanthropic King Gama introduces himself in the celebrated patter song “If you give me your attention”. His daughter, Princess Ida was betrothed in infancy to Prince Hilarion, but she has forsworn men and now rules a women-only university at Castle Adamant.
Hilarion and his friends Cyril and Florian sneak into the castle disguised as women. (“I am a maiden, cold and stately”). They are given a lesson in female superiority by Lady Psyche (“A lady fair of lineage high”). Ida’s second in command, Lady Blanche wishes to overthrow the princess, and her daughter Melissa persuades her to join Hilarion’s plot in the waspish duet “Now wouldn’t you like to rule the roast”. Their plans are thrown into confusion, however, when Cyril gets drunk and gives the game away by singing a raucous kissing song (“Would you know the kind of maid”)
The Mikado or The Town of Titipu
(Premiered at the Savoy Theatre, 1885)
Yum-Yum / Pitti-Sing Kirsty Bennett
Katisha / Pitti-Sing Kirsti Whitlocke
Nanki-Poo / Poo-Bah Robert Felstead
Ko-Ko Chris Cann
Pish-Tush / The Mikado Graham Rogers
Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner of Titipu reveals who is on his “little list” of victims (“As some day it may happen” *). When an imperial order comes to have an execution, Ko-Ko pretends to have executed Nanki-Poo, and his claim is supported by Pitti-Sing and Pooh-Bah. Nanki-Poo is then able to marry his true-love and Ko-Ko’s reluctant fiancé, Yum-Yum. They look forward to their marriage in the charming madrigal “Brightly dawns our wedding day”. However, Nanki-Poo turns out to be the fugitive son of the Mikado and the three conspirators are condemned to death (“See how the fates their gifts a lot”). The only way to save the prisoners from certain death is for Ko-Ko to marry Nanki-Poo’s erstwhile fiancé Katisha, thus enabling him to “come to life”. The reactions of Nanki-Poo and Ko-Ko to this solution are contrasted in the duet “The flowers that bloom in the spring, tra-la!”
* New words by Chris Cann after WS Gilbert
Ruddigoreor The Witch’s Curse
(Premiered at the Savoy Theatre, 1887
Mad Margaret Kirsti Whitlocke
Richard Dauntless Robert Felstead
Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd Graham Rogers
Sir Despard Murgatroyd Chris Cann
Margaret has been driven mad by her unrequited love for Sir Despard Murgatroyd (“Cheerily carols the lark”). He is the wicked Baronet of Ruddigore, cursed to commit a crime every day or perish in agony. However, the sailor Dick Dauntless reveals that he actually has an elder brother, who is the rightful owner of the title. Despard is overjoyed to be rid of the curse (“You understand?”) Once free of enchantment, Despard marries Margaret and they embark on a life of sober respectability (“I once was a very abandoned person”). They attempt to persuade Despard’s brother, Ruthven to abandon his life of crime in the fiendish patter trio “My eyes are fully open to my awful situation”.
The Yeomen of the Guardor The Merryman and his Maid (Premiered at the Savoy Theatre, 1888)
Elsie Maynard Kirsty Bennett
Phoebe Meryll Kirsti Whitlocke
Colonel Fairfax Robert Felstead
Jack Point Graham Rogers
Phoebe Meryll sings of her love for the prisoner, Colonel Fairfax (“When maiden loves, she sits and sighs”). The strolling players Jack Point and Elsie Maynard perform the tale of The Merry Man and his Maid to entertain the crowds (“I have a song to sing-o”). However, Colonel Fairfax soon takes and fancy to Elsie, whom he successfully woos, leaves Point and Phoebe in the depths of despair (“When a wooer goes a wooing”).
The Contrabandista or The Law of the Ladrones
Music by Arthur Sullian. Words by FC Burnand
(Premiered at St. George’s Opera House, 1867)
Mr Peter Adolphus Grigg Chris Cann
Sancho the Lion Robert Felstead
José the Wolf Graham Rogers
The Ladrones, a tribe of Spanish brigands are without a chief. Two of their number, Sancho and José stand guard at the entrance to their camp, on the understanding that the first stranger to arrive will be acclaimed as the new chieftain. At that moment, Mr Peter Grigg, an English traveller arrives on a walking holiday. He is accosted by the Brigands, who force him to join them in a wild Spanish Bolero (“Dance a bolero”).
An illustration by Dudley Hardy of the Bolero from the 1894 revival of The Contrabandista (re-titled The Chieftain)
Other cartoons in the programme are by WS Gilbert, under his
pen-name of “Bab”
Cast Biographies
Kirsty Bennett (Mezzo-Soprano)
Kirsty studied at Trinity College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music and has spent the last ten years working as a freelance actor, director and singer. Her company, Cabaret Direct, has recently been touring with their stage production of George and Wheedon Grossmith’s Diary of a Nobody, (in which Kirsty plays Carrie playing most of Mr Pooter’s friends and relations!) and received excellent reviews at the Edinburgh Festival. For more information about this show see www.cabaretdirect.co.uk
Previously, Kirsty was a member of the University of London Group where she created the role of Flora Poste in a musical version of Cold Comfort Farm and directed Fiddler on the Roof. She first appeared with newLOG four years ago in A Viennese Soirée, returning to play Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance and for La Vie Parisiènne. In November 2008, Kirsty sang the role of Eliza Smith, the manager of the refreshment stall in The Zoo by Arthur Sullivan and Bolton Rowe. Other Gilbert and Sullivan roles include the Fairy Queen (Iolanthe), Pitti-Sing (The Mikado) and Mad Margaret (Ruddigore). In between theatrical productions she looks after her three sons, Tom, Felix and Arthur.
Chris Cann (Baritone)
Since coming to London as a student in 1992, Chris has performed in all the extant Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Principal roles include The Judge and Defendant (Trial by Jury), Alexis Pointdextre (The Sorcerer), Major-General Stanley (The Pirates of Penzance), Bunthorne (Patience), all the male principal roles (Iolanthe), Cyril (Princess Ida), Pooh-Bah (The Mikado), Dick Dauntless (Ruddigore), Wilfred Shadbolt (The Yeomen of the Guard) The Duke of Plaza-Toro (The Gondoliers), King Paramount (Utopia Limited) and Ludwig (The Grand Duke).
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). This summer he will direct Princess Ida in Louth. He has also directed the newLOG spring concerts of G&S, Viennese and French operetta and has also appeared as Mr Box in Cox and Box.
As founding Artistic Director of newLOG, Chris is very interested in rediscovering rarely performed British operas. He produced an acclaimed concert performance of Rutland Boughton’s Bethlehem in December 2005, in which he also sang the dual roles of Jem the Shepherd and Zarathustra the Wise Man. This was followed in 2006 with a performance of Michael Balfe’s beautiful romantic opera The Bohemian Girl.
Robert Felstead (Tenor)
Robert is very excited about performing in his second spring concert in Louth having performed three times before in the summer shows playing Samuelin The Pirates of Penzance (2005),Dick Dauntlessin Ruddigore (2006), Alexis Pointdextre in The Sorcerer (2008) and performing in the spring concert last year. Other G&S roles include Ralph Rackstraw (HMS Pinafore) and Marco (The Gondoliers) for King’s College G&S society and Fredericin The Pirates of Penzance with the Centenary Opera Company. Robert also organised a G&S marathon in May last year where all thirteen Savoy operas were played back to back in a time of 30 hours and 51 minutes raising around £2000 for charity. Robert is also a fan of choral music and has recently enjoyed solo parts in Handel's Messiah, Walton’s Belshazaar's Feast and a performance of Finzi's Dies Natalis in Southwark Cathedral. When not singing or acting, he works as a postgraduate researcher at Imperial College, working in the field of Chemical Biology where he will be for the next two years when he hopes to have completed his PhD.
Paul Guinery (Piano)
Paul studied the piano at the Royal College of Music where he was awarded an ARCM and won the Accompanist’s Prize (adjudicated by Gerald Moore). He was also a coach/répétiteur for the RCM Opera School. From there he went on to read for a Degree in Modern Languages at Queen’s College, Oxford, performing regularly in the Holywell Music Room; taking part in master classes with Jacqueline du Pré; and coaching the first UK performance of Verdi’s Giovanna d’Arco for the Opera Club.
Paul has worked extensively with the wind quintet Harmoniemusik as their regular pianist. For the last twelve seasons he’s taken part in their annual summer festival at St.Columb in Cornwall where his many performances include that of soloist in piano concertos by Mozart. Paul
has also been on tour with the group at home and abroad, notably in Belgium and Germany but also in France where the group have been invited to play twice at this year’s Oloron Festival. He made his first CD with Harmoniemusik in 2007.
Recently Paul gave a piano recital for the Delius Society of music by 20th century English composers; and has been involved with theatre companies on a range of opera and operetta productions.
For many years Paul was a staff announcer and presenter for the BBC, working latterly for Radio 3 and hosting a wide variety of long-running classical music programmes, including Concert Hall, Your Concert Choice, Sacred and Profane and Choirworks, as well as live Proms and concerts with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Singers at home and abroad. He can still be heard on air as a radio newsreader.
Paul has been under the spell of Gilbert and Sullivan since the age of nine and so was delighted to find kindred spirits in newLOG. He has now worked with them on several previous productions, most notably the annual spring concerts in Louth.
Graham Rogers (Bass-Baritone)
Graham read music at the University of York, where he also became ensnared by the magic of Gilbert and Sullivan. He has conducted performances at York and Cambridge universities, and has been Music Director of newLOG since the group’s foundation in 2003. Most recently he conducted performances of The Yeomen of the Guard with full orchestra at Holy Trinity Church, South Kensington. A regular at the Riverhead Theatre, Graham most recently appeared here conducting newLOG’s hugely successful production of The Gondoliers last June, and he is extremely pleased to be back tonight. Previously he has conducted newLOG productions in Louth of The Pirates of Penzance (2005), Ruddigore (2006) and The Sorcerer (2008).
Graham is also an experienced choral singer and stage performer. Recent roles include Sergeant of Police (The Pirates of Penzance), Archibald Grosvenor (Patience), Mr Cox (Cox and Box), Count Arnheim (Balfe’s The Bohemian Girl), Dick Deadeye (HMS Pinafore), Strephon (Iolanthe) and the eponymous Mikado of Japan. He has performed in all of newLOG’s annual spring concerts in Louth, including La Vie Parisiènne, A Viennese Soirée and Around the World in 80 Minutes. He
regularly sings with London chamber choir Pegasus.
Graham works for BBC Radio 3, and writes on music: he contributed to the recently published book 1001 Classical Recordings You Must Hear Before You Die, has written programme notes for the BBC Proms and record label Music Preserved LIVE, and regularly reviews concerts and CDs for the BBC Classical website and www.classicalsource.com.
He is greatly looking forward to his next trip to Louth in June when he will conduct newLOG’s exciting new production of Princess Ida.
Kirsti Whitlocke (Mezzo-Soprano)
Kirsti completed her tertiary qualifications in 1999 with distinction for her Graduate Diploma of Opera at Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She has performed principal roles in conjunction with Opera Australia, Opera Queensland and The D’Oyly Carte Opera Company. Kirsti has most recently performed the roles of Hebe, (HMS Pinafore), Fleta (Iolanthe) and Pitti-Sing (The Mikado) for the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company at the Savoy Theatre in London. Other roles include Olga (The Merry Widow) with the Queensland Philharmonic, Orlovsky (Die Fledermaus)and Suzuki (Madama Butterfly) for the 4MBS Festival of Fine Music. In conjunction with Opera Australia Kirsti sang the role of Giacinta in the Australian première of Mozart’s La finta semplice in 1996 and the role of Penelope in Monteverdi’s Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria. For Opera Queensland Kirsti was a touring principal in the Australian opera The Serpent. As a concert artist Kirsti has appeared with The Sydney Symphony Orchestra at The Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and in recital for the Bach, Mozart and Schubert Societies of Australia.
Kirsti made her Louth debut as Phyllis in the University of London Opera Group’s production of Iolanthe in 2003. Her first appearance with newLOG was in the concert A Night at the Savoy at the Riverhead Theatre in March 2006. She has subsequently given a “wickedly comic” (Grimsby Telegraph) performance as Mad Margaret in Ruddigore and also appeared in the spring concerts of French operetta (2007) and G&S (2008). In London, Kirsti has sung the roles of the villainous Queen of the Gypsies in Balfe’s The Bohemian Girl and Phoebe Meryll in The Yeomen of the Guard.
The New London Opera Group would like to thank the following for their assistance with this concert:
The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
&
Holy Trinity Church, South Kensington
for their generous provision of rehearsal spaces
All at Louth Playgoers’ Riverhead Theatre for their warm welcome and great assistance
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