Many of the leading roles of Handel, Mozart and even Rossini have been written for castrati – the singing ‘super-stars’ of the 17th and 18th century, who often commanded outrageous salaries, lavishly detailed contracts and even enjoyed great political influence. Their roles, now usually sung by various voice types, are famous for their technical difficulty and show-stopping arias. This lecture covers the history of the castrati in opera as well as an analysis of the most famous roles created for them.
Opera is for everyone whether you are new to opera or a seasoned aficionado! You do not need to be an expert to enjoy our performance based lectures. Of course, the more you know, the more there is to enjoy! With that in mind we aim to make each class informative, interactive and entertaining, offering singer’s insights illustrated with live performance and well known recordings. These lectures form the bridge across the footlights, bringing you nearer to opera singers and their diverse, enriching art form; increasing your knowledge and enjoyment of opera.
No qualifications are necessary to attend. The audience is not required to sing!
A light-hearted talk with soprano Rosalind Coad who helps compare the well-known story of Cinderella with the opera La Cenerentola, and the enduring appeal of the enchanted fairytale for all ages.
Mezzo Adriana Festeu takes the mystery out of opera criticism and reviews, covering definitions and exemplifications of widely used technical and operatic terms with live demonstration.
Adriana Festeu explores Donizetti's historic trilogy, the surge in their performance practice and how the title roles are intrinsically linked to the strong characters portrayed.
Ricardo Panela explores the impact of censorship on the development of opera; the political and personal agendas of the ruling classes or theatre owners that were often brought to bear on composers...
A very special masterclass led by renowned mezzo Della Jones, with Adriana Festeu, Aidan Coburn and Ricardo Panela performing works by Rossini and Mozart.
Goethe's Faust has captivated composers across the years. Callie Swarbrick focuses on three works by Gounod, Berlioz and Busoni and how each portrays the tale and how the ideas of devilish greed...
A lecture examining how Shakespeare could be adapted for the operatic stage, Verdi’s experience of doing so throughout his life, and why his Shakespearean operas have lasted where other composers'...
Although a secondary role will never get the last bow, opera is full of essential and important smaller roles often involved in pivotal moments in the plot and providing contrast to the leading lady...
At the time of Tosca's premiere in 1900, a time of very strong Italian nationalism, it was fully expected that Puccini would follow in Verdi's footsteps as the godfather of Italian opera, and deliver...
The great Joan Sutherland was once quoted as saying, 'If I weren’t reasonably placid, I don’t think I could cope with this sort of life. To be a diva, one has to be absolutely like a horse!' With...
This morning’s lecture discusses how the operetta genre came about. After their initial popularity, operettas declined in public appeal, being considered less 'serious' than 'real' operas....
A journey with some of opera's most remarkable Bad Boys! The ones that everybody loves to hate and who, more often than not, have some incredible music to sing, all of which happens to be sung by...
Exploring all elements of the tenor voice, this lecture features examples from the greats of the past, discussion on the particularities of certain voices and repertoire, and light-hearted...
A poster from the Covent Garden in 1900 salutes the great soprano Nellie Melba, come to sing the role of Rosina in The Barber of Seville. But the title of the opera is squeezed in one corner of the...
There are singers and there are Wagnerian singers! That daunting difference will be highlighted as Adriana describes her first attempt at introducing Wagner to her audition repertoire. In November,...
Beethoven’s inspirational masterpiece delves deep into the universal themes of love, liberty and freedom. He once said of Fidelio, 'Of all my children, this is the one that caused me the worst...
The surviving heroine of the Romantic period, the mezzo is often the negative character or the catalyst of the soprano heroine's demise. A look back at the sort of roles she portrays shows a...
Mark Austin explores the process of putting on an opera from the conductor’s point of view. This talk will give an insight into the role of the conductor in all areas of opera: casting, the process...
As principal composer for the Royal Academy of Music, Handel was already a success in London during the early part of the 18th century. With the premiere of Giulio Cesare in 1724 however, he shot to...
Paola Cuffolo and Nicholas Simpson and friends bring you a Handel concert-lecture, exploring the diversity of Handel's repertoire and the history of how it has been performed.
