The history of Italian opera is often considered as a continuously developing artistic tradition lasting some 300 years, with the first half of the 19th century considered to be one of the ‘Golden Ages’ of opera; from Rossini through to Bellini and Donizetti. We will spend an indulgent morning reflecting on the glories of this ‘Golden Age’, featuring sung excerpts from famous and obscure works of the above composers. We will also discuss how uniformity of compositional styles and broader geo-political and cultural changes may have precipitated the crisis in Italian opera.
Opera Prelude works with some of the country’s finest young singers at the start of their careers, hosting lecture recitals, concerts, operas and masterclasses. Every ticket sold, subscription or donation made directly supports Opera Prelude’s chosen singers. Thanks to the generosity of our friends and supporters we have inaugurated The Opera Prelude Song Prize and in 2015 we will be launching our Singer’s Friends Fund helping our young singers with small grants. We simply couldn’t do any of this without the help of our friends and supporters who are a vital part of our story. If you would like to champion our work, every penny counts and every donation is appreciated more than it is possible to say.
A masterclass led by the renowned mezzo-soprano Della Jones with Opera Prelude’s young singers Paola Cuffolo, Phoebe Haines and Callie Swarbrick.
Opera Prelude works with some of the country's...
In this lecture Becca Marriott will explore the concepts of Exoticism and Orientalism in verismo opera and how Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and Turandot uphold and defy our ideas of the exotic East.
Paola has been passionate about Rossini from a very young age, so you can imagine her excitement when she first discovered it was something she might be able to sing. From trying to tackle _Una voce...
This lecture discusses one of Verdi's most famous operas, Il trovatore. Usually dismissed because of its silly, intricate and over-the-top plot, Il trovatore is one of Verdi's musically more inspired...
This morning's lecture examines Puccini's masterpiece and Leoncavallo's version published only a year apart. Puccini's well-loved work has found long-lasting fame and is part of the staple repertoire...
When producing operas decades, often centuries after they were written, there are a seemingly endless number of conceptual, musical and directorial decisions that the creative team and cast need to...
In preparation for our high profile event on 30 April at Leighton House, we invite you to join us behind-the-scenes! Observe a portion of a working rehearsal, with Opera Holloway’s conductor Lewis...
Romeo and Juliet has inspired some of the greatest composers, opera producers and ballet directors throughout centuries. Tyler considers the differing roles of Romeo in some of the most well-known...
Alex focuses on the male relationships in Mozart’s Da Ponte operas, with an exploration of some of our favourite characters and the ones we love to hate.
Ferrier semi-finalist, Anna Harvey has played many roles in her burgeoning and varied career including a man, boy, dog, bodily substance and a psychedelic messenger (!)
In today’s talk she will...
Mark Austin discusses La traviata and considers its music and drama from a conductor's point of view. He will survey some of the questions the conductor must ask when performing the opera.
In this light hearted, fast tempo lecture, Alex will explore the history and origins of the Patter songs, in opera and beyond; a journey from 480BC to the present day. He will take us from the...
