The Society aims to involve as many students as possible not only in the running and organisation, but also from the creative side of things (set design, tech, stage management). As far as possible we like to involve students in the direction and musical direction, although this is sometimes difficult with the latter as many students have little experience of opera. This is why we try where possible to have a young professional directors and musical directors taking overall responsibility for the production. The opportunity to work with professional artists is invaluable experience for our members, provides a richer final production for the audience, and helps further young professionals’ career paths.

Our production of The Rake’s Progress (Stravinsky) in 2003 saw a shift in the reputation of ESO. As The Herald said “…at no point did they seem to have taken on more than they could handle…”. And in 2009 our production of La Clemenza di Tito directed by the wonderful Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones received our best reviews yet, with a comment from the Scotsman nationally recognising our ‘wealth of outstanding young singing talent’. Our premiere production of Julian Wagstaff’s opera The Turing Test on the 2007 Edinburgh Festival Fringe was a sell-out success, becoming one of the hottest tickets on the Fringe. The production also received excellent reviews in the national and theatre press. Following on from this, in 2009 we decided to undertake another Fringe show, a fully-staged production of Karl Orff’s Carmina Burana, devised by fantastic director Antonia Alonzo.

In this case, Semele is in love with Jupiter, and seeks his help rather than accepting the mortal marriage arranged for her by her father. Jupiter whisks her away to a life of endless pleasure in Arcadia, but she increasingly wants more: immortality.

ESO’s talented cast will perform a modern adaptation of the opera which brings the plot into the modern world with references to the social climbing, sexual politics and media obsessed culture of the late twntieth century.

Friday 24th – Tuesday 28th February 2012

St. George’s West Church, Shandwick Place, EH2 4RT

7.30pm

Book Online – www.xtspro.com
By phone – 07543596155

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Director – Michael Richardson
Assistant Director – Amelia Smith
Musical Director – Wayne Weaver
Producer – Laura Reading

Cast -

Semele – Emily Goad (24th, 26th, 28th) Julie Moote (25th, 27th)
Jupiter – Joe Doody (24th, 26th, 28th) Ben Babington-Tambing (25th, 27th)
Juno – Fay Jennett
Iris – Amy Strachan
Cadmus – Paul Grant
Athamus – Iona Seligman
Ino – Marina Abel Smith
Somnus – Jerome Knox
High Priest – Geoffrey Chang

Chorus -

Irene Carter
Katy Kruman
Lucie Robathan
Monica Toll
Fiona Craib
Olivia Nathan
Eleanor Spolton-Dean
Eleanor Wolfe
Myriam Burr
Brendan Glen
Tim Martin
Jonty Poward
Francis Powlesland
Tom Cartwright
Alex Robarts

Please visit http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/musicals-operas/heroes-heroines-and-villains to book your tickets.

“Following sell-out shows, ESO returns with a daring performance of opera’s best-loved arias and scenes. Opera newcomers and connoisseurs alike will enjoy this year’s dramatic portrayal of the good, the bad, and the ugly. ‘ESO hold that rare ability to make every performance seem personal and more accessible … the wonder of ESO is the poised and professional performance they never fail to deliver’ (ThePublicReviews.com – Fringe 2010).”

‘ESO return to the Edinburgh Fringe after sell-out runs in 2007 and 2009 with a daring performance of opera’s best loved arias and scenes. Opera newcomers and connoisseurs alike will enjoy this year’s dramatic portrayal of the good, the bad and the ugly.’ 

 This will be an hour long show at St. Andrew’s and St. George’s West (George St.). The dates and times of the show are:

Wednesday 10th August, 12:30 – 13:30
Thursday 11th August, 12:30 – 13:30
Saturday 13th August, 19:30 – 20:30
Monday 15th August, 12:30 – 13:30
Tuesday 16th August, 19:30 – 20:30

We want YOU to audition for what will be a brilliant show.

Auditions will take place in Alison House (Edinburgh University Music dept.) on:

Friday 20th May, 14:00 – 18:00
Saturday 21st May, 14:00 – 17:00
Sunday 22nd May, 13:00 – 17:00

For the audition, please prepare two contrasting songs. These do not need to be arias or songs from operas.

Please email heroesproducer@edinburghstudioopera.com to sign up for an audition. Please also include a contact telephone number in the email.

We look forward to seeing you!

**The Okavango Macbeth**

Libretto by Alexander McCall Smith
Music by Tom Cunningham
Directed by Nicholas Ellenbogen

The Macbeth story as played out in a troop of baboons in Botswana? This fanciful idea inspired the writer Alexander McCall Smith and the composer Tom Cunningham to come up with their first opera, The Okavango Macbeth. Set in the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana, the opera deals with the efforts of an ambitious female baboon, Lady Macbeth, to encourage her husband, Macbeth, to murder the dominant baboon, Duncan. The opera was premiered in the No 1 Ladies’ Opera House, a tiny opera house in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, in a production mounted by the celebrated Cape Town director and producer, Nicholas Ellenbogen. The reception it received was ecstatic, and a charity performance of the opera was subsequently given in Edinburgh. The response again was extremely enthusiastic, leading many to conclude that in this extraordinary and unusual tale a new operatic gem has emerged.

Available from The Queen’s Hall: www.thequeenshall.net or 0131 668 2019

CALLING ALL Directors, Musical Directors, Stage and Costume Managers,

‘ESO return to the Edinburgh Fringe after sell-out runs in 2007 and 2009 with a daring performance of opera’s best loved arias and scenes. Opera newcomers and connoisseurs alike will enjoy this year’s dramatic portrayal of the good, the bad and the ugly.’

This will be an hour long show at St. Andrew’s and St. George’s West (George St.). The opera scenes can be discussed and selected by the production team under the heading of Heroes, Heroines and Villains.

We want all you talented Directors, Musical Directors, Stage Managers and Costume Managers to come forward and put in an application to our committee. We will not be holding interviews due to the short amount of time we have, please send in a C.V. and ideas before Friday 15th April 2011.

Please either email your C.V. to president@edinburghstudioopera.com or post to

Edinburgh Studio Opera
Alison House
12 Nicolson Square
Edinburgh, EH8 9DF

Edinburgh Studio Opera perform Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress in 2011 as their main season production.

Friday 25th February
Saturday 26th February
Sunday 27th February
Monday 28th February
Tuesday 1st March

St Cecilia’s Hall, Cowgate. 7.30pm.

BOOK NOW

Email tickets@edinburghstudioopera.com or call 07543596155 to reserve tickets.

Production Team

Director: Michael Richardson
Musical Director: Neil Metcalfe
Assistant Musical Director: Nick Fletcher
Producers: Heather Chalmers, Sarah Haddath and Rachel Timney
Publicity Designer: Jimi Mitchell

Principal Cast

Tom Rakewell: Joseph Doody/ Francis Powlesland
Ann Trulove: Julie Moote/ Jessica Leary
Nick Shadow: Jon Stainsby/ Jerome Knox
Baba the Turk: Laura Reading
Sellem: Ian Mcbain
Keeper of the Madhouse: Paul Grant
Mother Goose: Debbie Miller

Ensemble

Anna Churchill
Lusanda Donelly
Emily Goad
Alice Hunter-Johnson
Amelia Smith
Katie Tobin

Meghan Ghent
Christina Hall
Stella Merz
Emma Middleton
Debbie Miller
Olivia Nathan
Laura Reading
Iona Seligman
Emily Tyson

Matt Anastasis
Luka Bjelis
Tim Martin
Ian Mcbain
Victor Nyamse

Tim Cais
Geoffrey Chang
Chris Dawson
Paul Grant

‘ESO offers an enjoyable musical haven (BGT, Fringe 2009); ‘Musically it is superb… a vocally stunning performance.’ (Herald, 2009)

St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, George Street.

Thursday 19th August: 4.30pm
Friday 20th August: 4.30pm
Monday 23rd August: 4.30pm
Wednesday 25th August: 2.30pm
Thursday 26th August: 4.30pm

(Please note the performance on Wednesday 25th August at 2.30pm)

Tickets: £12.50 (£8.50)

Please book your tickets through the fringe box office or contact the venue directly
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Box Office: 0131 225 3847

Production Team

Director: George Ransley
Musical Director: Nick Fletcher
Assistant Musical Director: Tom Turner
Producer: Mairi Gray
Costume Designer: Claire Nicoll

Cast List

GREED 
Puccini, Gianni Schicchi

Gherardo: Lusanda Donnelly
Nella: Laura Reading
Zita: Rachel Timney
La Ciesca: Catriona Morison
Rinuccio: Joe Doody
Marco: Paul Grant
Simone: Gareth McGuigan
Betto: Jerome Knox
Buoco: Frankie Powlesland

PRIDE
Monteverdi, L’incoronazione Di Poppea

Nerone: Claire Turner
Poppea: Suzanne McGrath
Voiceless Servant: Jerome Knox

SLOTH

Mozart, The Marriage of Figaro

Figaro: Jerome Knox
Count: Paul Grant
Cherubino: Lauren Fraser
Susanna: Lusanda Donnelly

GLUTTONY
Humperdinck, Hansel and Gretel

Hansel: Rachel Timney
Gretel: Laura Reading
Witch: Debbie Miller

WRATH
Britten, Peter Grimes

Ellen: Suzanne McGrath
Peter: Joe Doody
Pastor: Frankie Powlesland
John: Ian McBain
Chorus

ENVY
Rameau, Zoroastre

Erinice: Lauren Fraser
Abramane: Gareth McGuigan

LUST
Vaughan- Williams, The Pilgrim’s Progress

Lord Leachery: Frankie Powlesland
Pilgrim: Jerome Knox
Madam Wanton: Laura Reading
Madam Bubble: Catriona Morison
Pontius Pilot: Paul Grant
Chorus

Thursday 13th May, 7.30pm

St. Cecilia’s Hall, Edinburgh

Book now: email secretary@edinburghstudioopera.com or 07551932767

Singers: Louise Alder, Suzanne McGrath

Programme to include: Strauss Der Rosenkavalier -Presentation of the Rose, Duets from La Clemenza di Tito and Cosi Fan Tutte, Arias from many well loved operas and beautiful songs by Debussy, Strauss and Berg.