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A Comic Opera in Two Acts
by Gioachino RossiniPerformed at The Haslemere Hall, May 1994 |
| Sopranos | Maureen Brigden Phyllis Burton Lindley Cockell Karyl Cragg Pamela Depledge Jane Hard Jenny Hill Elizabeth McNeillis Bea Phillips |
| Altos | Vanessa Blaber Dorothee Burton Moyra Finlay Evelyn Knight Diana Ramsden |
| Tenors | Graham Digby David Hayllar Robert Hill Michael Laird Anthony Ramsden Alan Taylor |
| Basses | John Braithwaite John Jones Stan Hoskin Tim Macer Bertie Mawer John Patrick Geoffrey Ramsden Owen Stafford |
| Actors | Alan Clarke Rick Clements |
| Musical director | David Wright |
| Producer | Susan Barber |
| Set design | John Braithwaite |
| Lighting | Ben Dare |
| Wardrobe manager | Linda Callingham |
| Wardrobe | Lindsay Brown, Alma Godwin, Karyl Cragg |
| Make up | Esther Jones, Lesley Clements, Maddy Binfield |
| Production manager | Moyra Finlay |
| Stage manager | Peter Sillick |
| Back stage crew | Peter Budd, Stephen Penney |
| Projector and screen | White Light |
| Set construction team | John Braithwaite, Ian P. Hudson, Sandy Livingstone |
| Set artwork | Tim Braithwaite |
| Set painting team | Mirren Cameron, John Jones |
| Hobby horses | Sandy Livingstone |
| Backcloth painting | Chris Forde |
| Chorus master | Erica Kollek |
| Repetiteurs | Nigel Foster, Tony McIntee |
| Properties | Opera Omnibus and friends |
| Prompt | Judith Reading |
| Publicity | Jenny Hill |
| Front of house | Win Paine |
The Story Behind The Sets (which won a NODA award)
adapted from the programme note by John Braithwaite
Rossini’s Count Ory takes place around a medieval castle, full of lovely ladies whose menfolk have gone off to the Crusades. The set design was inspired by a set of medieval illuminated manuscripts known as “Les Tres Riches Heures” and commissioned by the Duc de Berry in France. These manuscripts often depict a castle, an azure sky, rolling landscape, and framed borders consisting of text with coloured lettering and highlights.
The production continued this theme and the audience saw one of the illuminated manuscripts projected onto a gauze at the beginning of the opera, which takes place outside the castle. As the stage lights were brought up, the set was revealed through the transparent gauze to be a stylized version of the manuscript illustration, complete with model castle, green rolling landscape, and the blue sky. The ramps and rostra were specially commissioned and covered with bright green plastic “grass”, and the decorated proscenium borders replaced the usual stage tabs and curtains. To continue the stylized theme, knights rode hobbyhorses as they set off for the Crusades, waved on by their weeping ladies.
As the opera started, the gauze was removed to reveal the very brightly lit set and the colourful costumes. In the story, a lascivious young Count has disguised himself as a hermit as a ploy to inveigle himself into the castle of the lovely Countess Adèle and uses a “confessional” screen to hide and spy on the ladies before offering them advice and consolation. It is only just in time that the Count’s tutor unmasks him and he is forced to flee with his colleagues.
The action in the second Act takes place inside the castle. In this production, a blue and gold fleur-de-lys backdrop gave the effect of a rich wallcovering. Two large “stone” windows at the back of the stage were constructed to allow the Count and his men, now disguised as nuns, to spy on the ladies inside. The ladies are fearful of the storm outside — and the possible reappearance of the errant Count. After the Count and his men have become very drunk, having discovered the wine store in the castle, the men retire; then the Count, still in disguise, proceeds to make love to the Countess. This is complicated by the fact that Isolier, his page and also in disguise, also proceeds to woo the Countess. This scene takes place in semi-darkness and is difficult to set convincingly. A large triptych of three arched windows has been created to contain this scene and focus the different passions expressed by the three soloists.
The opera ends with the ignominious exit of the Count and his men and the timely return of the Crusaders, some on hobbyhorses of course, to the general acclaim — and relief — of all the ladies.