OFFENBACH’S
Sunday 4 October 2026, 4.00pm BRIDGEWATER HALL MANCHESTER
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Welcome Welcome to today’s UK premiere of Offenbach’s sparkling satire, Barkouf. As ever, the characteristic wit and sharpness of Offenbach’s storytelling is as relevant today as it was in 1860 when it was first performed in Paris. We would have never guessed that the months leading up to this performance would have provided such a timely moment to present this piece to British audiences for the first time. It is a mark of Offenbach’s ability to connect with audiences centuries later, bringing some much-needed humour alongside a dash of absurdity to our everyday lives. When Larry the Cat, Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office for more than 15 years, is the longest-serving (and arguably most popular) public figure at 10 Downing Street, we invite you to enter a (not so unbelievable) world where Barkouf the Dog, Mayor and man’s best friend, saves the day. Leading us through today’s political satire is someone uniquely suited to the role of Narrator, from his time on Spitting Image, the Olivier Award nominated comic and actor, Alistair McGowan. He is joined by an international cast of soloists, many making their Opera Rara debuts and some enjoying a long-standing relationship with the company. Anne-Catherine Gillet sings the role of Maïma, Barkouf’s closest friend, with Loïc Félix as the corrupt Bababeck. They are both returning to Opera Rara, as is Katia Ledoux, working with conductor Paul Daniel once again following their multi-award-winning recording of Offenbach’s La Princesse de Trébizonde, Opera Rara’s last Offenbach recording release. Making their Opera Rara debuts tonight are Mathias Vidal, François Piolino, Philippe Talbot, Valerie Eickhoff and Thibault de Damas, completing the cast of eccentric characters. It is a pleasure for Opera Rara and the Hallé Orchestra to join forces once again. For nearly 15 years, we have enjoyed a productive partnership, beginning in 2012 with Donizetti’s Rita. Since then, we have made six award-winning recordings together. Our latest collaboration, the first-ever studio recording of Verdi’s 1857 Simon Boccanegra was named on The New York Times’ “Best Recordings of 2025” list. Alongside singers from the Royal Northern College of Music, we are delighted to welcome the Chorus of English National Opera, Opera Rara’s featured chorus of their 56th season, to join us as we bring Offenbach’s world in Barkouf to life. We hope you enjoy this riotous romp of an opera and what promises to be a dazzling, memorable performance.
David Butcher Chief Executive The Hallé
Henry Little Chief Executive Opera Rara
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JACQUES OFFENBACH
Sunday 4 October 2026 4pm | The Bridgewater Hall
Opéra bouffe in three acts sung in French with English narration adapted from the original libretto by Jeremy Sams Co-produced by Hallé Orchestra and Opera Rara
ACT 1 ACT 2 INTERVAL ACT 3
35’ 45’ 20’ 40’
*TIMINGS ARE APPROXIMATE THE PERFORMANCE WLL END AT APPROXIMATELY 6.30PM
Libretto by Eugène Scribe and Henry Boisseaux
Paul Daniel Conductor Alistair McGowan Narrator Anne-Catherine Gillet Maïma Loïc Félix Bababeck Mathias Vidal Saëb François Piolino Kaliboul Philippe Talbot Xaïloum Valerie Eickhoff Balkis Katia Ledoux Périzade Thibault de Damas Le Grand Mogol Hallé Orchestra
Roberto Ruisi Leader
Chorus of English National Opera Matthew Quinn Chorus Master
Royal Northern College of Music Opera Chorus Kevin Thraves Chorus Master Edward Wenborn Porte-parasol / 2nd Conjuré Jay Broadhurst Porte-pipe / 1st Conjuré Alex Riddell Porte-tabouret / 3rd Conjuré Sam Rose Porte-épée Charlie Barker Porte-éventail / 4th Conjuré Eden Devaney Porte-mouchoir Benjamin Finnie 1st Coryphée Chephren Parker 2nd Coryphée
Premiered on 24 December 1860 at Opéra-Comique, Paris Critical edition by Jean-Christophe Keck With permission from Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Limited
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Martin Fitzpatrick Assistant Conductor Steven Maughan Repetiteur Nicole Tibbels French Language Coach Damien Kennedy Surtitles
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Synopsis Barkouf, a comic opera in three acts by Jacques Offenbach (libretto by Eugène Scribe and Henry Boisseaux, based on a tale by Abbé Blanchet), premiered at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 24 December 1860.
Act 1 The colourful, bustling market of Lahore is in full swing despite the government’s chronic instability. Savvy traders, Maïma, a vivacious flower-seller, and Balkis, a fiery orange vendor, cheerfully tout their wares. The Grand Vizier Bababeck, a vain, greedy, ludicrous character, shamelessly flirts with the two market women, all the while plotting the marriage of his unmarriageable daughter, Périzade, to a young officer whom he is blackmailing. Yet another riot has just deposed the incumbent governor by throwing him out of a window, “which is becoming a nuisance to passersby.” Exasperated by the constant uprisings, the Great Mogul decides to inflict a punishment on his subjects that is both humiliating and absurd: he appoints his own dog, Barkouf – a ferocious and unpredictable animal – as the province’s new ruler. Bababeck, who had hoped to secure the position for himself, must now obey or face a severe punishment. But Maïma recognises the new “ruler” as her faithful companion who had been abducted years earlier.
Act 2
Maïma is the only one who can approach Barkouf without being attacked. Bababeck appoints her official interpreter and secretary to the canine governor. The astonished population witnesses the establishment of the new regime. Bababeck, enraged to see his
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authority thwarted, attempts to regain control by forcing Saëb – Maïma’s former lover, who had been forcibly conscripted into the army – to marry Périzade. But Maïma, now at court, turns this absurdity into an instrument of justice. By “translating” Barkouf’s barks with benevolence, she secures measures that are unexpected, to say the least: a reduction of the taxes crushing the poor and the release of political prisoners, including the rebellious Xaïloum, who is in love with Balkis and a figurehead of popular opposition. The delighted populace welcomes this curious reign that has turned out to be surprisingly benign. For the first time, Lahore seems to be governed fairly – and the people rejoice. The vizier plots his revenge and seeks Barkouf’s approval of the forced marriage between his daughter and Saëb.
Act 3 With his privileges under threat, Bababeck conspires with external enemies, the Tartars, and hatches a treacherous plot to poison Barkouf during a lavish banquet at the palace. Warned in time, Maïma turns the tables on the conspirators by forcing them to be the first to drink to Barkouf’s health. The conspirators are unmasked and will be punished. But in exchange for pardoning Bababeck, Maïma asks Périzade to sign a divorce contract, thus giving Saëb back his freedom. Amid the turmoil, the Tartars attack the city. Saëb and Barkouf rush into battle. In a final burst of courage, the canine governor repels the assault but is killed in battle. On his return, the Great Mogul takes stock of the situation: he appoints Saëb as the new governor and authorises his marriage to Maïma. While the city celebrates the lovers’ union, the people of Lahore mourn the loss of their four-legged ruler – the wisest, fairest and most beloved they have ever known. English translation © Ros Schwartz
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Paul Daniel Conductor Paul Daniel was Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Galicia from 2012 to 2022 and Music Director of the Orchestre National de Bordeaux Aquitaine from 2013 to 2021. He has held several permanent positions: at the West Australian Symphony Orchestra in Perth (2009-2013), English National Opera (1997-2005), Opera North (19901997), English Northern Philharmonia (1990-1997) and Opera Factory (19871990). Operatic guest engagements have included invitations from the Royal Ballet and Opera; the Opéra de Paris; La Monnaie in Brussels; the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich; the Semperoper Dresden; and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Paul Daniel’s orchestral engagements have included performances with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (with whom he recorded Mendelssohn’s Elijah for Decca), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, Leipzig Gewandhausorchester, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, New York Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. His many recordings include a hugely successful album of Elgar’s Symphony No. 3 on Naxos and his discography with the Orchestre National de Bordeaux Aquitaine includes recordings of Wagner, Mahler and Tchaikovsky. His performance of Alban Berg’s Lulu for La Monnaie with Barbara Hannigan has been released as an awardwinning DVD. In 1998 he received an Olivier Award for outstanding achievement in opera and was awarded the CBE in the 2000 New Year Honours list. His previous work with Opera Rara includes the award winning recording of Offenbach’s La Princesse de Trébizonde in 2022, recorded with the company in collaboration with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. OFFENBACH’S LA PRINCESSE DE TRÉBIZONDE
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Alistair McGowan Narrator
‘Accomplished’ is the word for Alistair McGowan: a multi-award-winning actor, writer, and stand-up comedian, as well as a poet and a skilled pianist. But Alistair is perhaps best known for his extraordinary impressions. He provided voices for eight series of Spitting Image and earned a BAFTA for his BBC One television series The Big Impression, with Ronni Ancona.
As an actor, Alistair has been a regular on Radio 4 dramas and comedies (e.g. Elvenquest and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane Austen? ), took the lead role in BBC One’s detective series Mayo, and appeared on stage in roles ranging from the depraved dentist in Little Shop of Horrors (for which he was nominated for an Olivier) to Jimmy Savile in the Park Theatre’s weighty post-scandal play An Audience with Jimmy Savile. On the big screen, he featured in the Nia Vardalos film My Life in Ruins and has just voiced My Name is Alfred Hitchcock. Alistair is also an acclaimed writer – alongside writing his own stand-up and much of The Big Impression, Alistair has also written the stage play Timing (nominated for ‘Best New Comedy’ in the 2009 Whatsonstage Awards), three Radio 4 plays, a non-fiction book (A Matter of Life and Death Or How to Wean A Man off Football, Faber and Faber, 2010) and two collections of poetry - Not What We Were Expecting (Flapjack Press, 2024), and Like Never Before (Flapjack Press, March 2026). Alistair has also enjoyed a later-life love affair with the piano. He started playing seriously in 2015, and just two years later released The Piano Album through Sony Classical, which reached number one in the classical charts. He has since toured with The Piano Show – a first-of-its-kind blend of stand-up comedy and classical piano music. In 2023, he set up the first Ludlow Piano Festival.
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Anne-Catherine Gillet Maïma
Born in Belgium, Anne-Catherine Gillet began her career at a very young age in the Ensemble of the Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège. She sang her first principal roles at the Capitole de Toulouse, then at the most prestigious international houses including Opéra de Lausanne, the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Opernhaus Zürich, La Monnaie in Brussels, Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège, Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Théâtre des ChampsElysées, Opéra National de Paris and Opéra National de Bordeaux.
Recently she was Hero (Béatrice et Bénédict) in Brussels and at the Glyndebourne Festival; Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Blanche (Les Dialogues des Carmélites) and Norina (Don Pasquale) in Brussels and Québec; Mélisande (Pelléas et Mélisande) in Oviedo and in Strasbourg; Angèle (Le Domino noir) in Liège and at the Opéra Comique in Paris; Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) in Marseille; Suzanne (Madame Favart) and Jacqueline (Fortunio) at the Opéra Comique and in Nancy; Marguerite (Faust) in Liège, Cologne and Québec; Servilia (La clemenza di Tito) in Barcelona; Clairette (La Fille de Madame Angot) at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris; Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte) in Toulouse; Micaëla (Carmen) in Luxembourg; Blanche (Les Dialogues des Carmélites), Point d’Orgue and La Voix humaine in Bordeaux; and Gabrielle (La Vie parisienne) in Liège and Toulouse. Anne-Catherine Gillet made her Opera Rara debut as Zanetta in the award winning recording of Offenbach’s La Princesse de Trébizonde in 2022.
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Loïc Félix Bababeck
French-Guyanese tenor Loïc Félix was noticed from a young age as a member of the Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois before studying at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris with Christiane Eda-Pierre and Christiane Patard. He also participated in masterclasses with Michel Sénéchal, Régine Crespin and Renata Scotto.
His rich voice and theatrical talents have led to a varied repertoire on major French and European stages, from Mozart and Britten to Berlioz, Bizet, Massenet, Poulenc and Verdi. Particularly drawn to operetta, he has sung Offenbach roles including the Brazilian in La Vie parisienne, Piquillo in La Périchole, Aristée/Pluton in Orphée aux enfers and roles in Les Brigands and La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein. Recent highlights include Carmen at Glyndebourne, the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples and La Scala, Falstaff in Montpellier, and Fauré’s Pénélope at the Bayerische Staatsoper. At the Opéra national de Paris, his roles have included Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte, Tacmas and Valère in Les Indes galantes, Thespis in Platée, the Fourth Jew in Salome and the Prince of Mantua in Les Brigands. For Opera Rara, Loïc Félix features on recordings of Offenbach’s Vert-Vert and La Princesse de Trébizonde, as well as Rossini’s Ermione, and Donizetti’s Catarina Cornaro and Maria di Rohan.
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Mathias Vidal Saëb
After studying musicology in Nice, Mathias Vidal studied singing with Christiane Patard and entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. He has taken part in numerous productions of operas by Monteverdi, Rameau, Lully, Campra and Boismortier. He has also sung Aristée and Pluton (Orphée aux enfers), the Brazilian (La Vie parisienne), Piquillo and Don Pedro (La Périchole), Lorenzo (Fra Diavolo), Orestes (La Belle Hélène), Camille de Coutançon (La Veuve joyeuse), the title role in Offenbach's Barbe-Bleue, Médor (Les Chevaliers de la Table Ronde).
He performs Italian bel canto roles such as Ernesto (Don Pasquale), Elvino (La Somnambule), Count Almaviva (ll barbiere di Siviglia), Ramiro (La Cenerentola), as well as those of the modern and contemporary repertoire, including the title role in Zemlinsky's Le Nain, Pécou's L'Amour coupable, Sauguet's Les Caprices de Marianne, and the premiere of Menut's Fando et Lis. Last season, he sang the title roles of Platée at the Opernhaus Zürich and the Opéra Royal de Versailles, Atys at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and on tour, Nadir (Les Pêcheurs de perles) at the Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse, Abaris (Les Boréades) in Oldenburg, Aristée et Pluton (Orphée aux enfers) in Berlin, Don Quichotte (Don Quichotte chez la duchesse), Abaris (Les Boréades) and Belmonte (L'Enlèvement au sérail) at the Opéra Royal de Versailles. In the 2024-2025 season, he sangTamino (Die Zauberflöte) at Versailles, the title role in Persée at the Théâtre des ChampsÉlysées, Valère at the Teatro Real in Madrid, at La Seine Musicale and then in Lyon, and Aristée et Pluton (Orphée aux enfers) at the Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse. At the Opéra national de Paris, Vidal’s previous highlights have included Die Zauberflöte (Monostatos), 2019; Les Indes galantes (Tacmas, Valère), 2019; Platée (Thespis), 2022; Salomé (Vierter Jude), 2022; Les Brigands (the Prince of Mantua), 2024. Barkouf is Mathias Vidal’s Opera Rara debut. FOLLOW THE ADVENTURE
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Valerie Eickhoff Balkis
German mezzo-soprano Valerie Eickhoff is quickly establishing herself as an artist of intense musicality and brilliant vocalism. Winner of the 2024 OPUS KLASSIK Award for New Talent of the Year, she is a featured ensemble member of the Semperoper Dresden, where she continues to appear in a wide range of repertoire.
Highlights of the 2026/27 season include her role debut as Balkis in Offenbach’s Barkouf with Opera Rara and the Hallé, as well as her house and role debut as Nicklausse/Muse in Les Contes d’Hoffmann at Oper Köln. At the Semperoper, she returns as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Blumenmädchen in Parsifal, alongside her role debut as Anaide in Rota’s Der Florentiner Hut. Recent operatic highlights include her US and role debut as Idamante in Mozart’s Idomeneo with Boston Baroque and her return to the Bayerische Staatsoper as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro. Other recent roles include Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Mercédès in Carmen with Royal Danish Opera, Cléone in Fauré’s Pénélope, Ramiro in La finta giardiniera with Theater an der Wien, Meg Page in Falstaff at the Verbier Festival, Dryad in Ariadne auf Naxos at the Hong Kong Arts Festival, and Stallmagd in Humperdinck’s Königskinder at the Tiroler Festspiele Erl. A sought-after concert and recital artist, Eickhoff has performed with the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, Orchestra della Toscana and the Kurpfälzisches Kammerorchester, as well as at the Konzerthaus Berlin, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, Heidelberger Frühling and Schumannfest Düsseldorf. Her awards include third prizes at the ARD International Music Competition in 2021 and the Concours Musical International de Montréal in 2022, as well as winning the Südwestrundfunk competition Junge Opernstars. Barkouf is Valerie Eickhoff’s Opera Rara debut. DISCOVER MORE OPERAS, COMPOSERS AND SINGERS
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Philippe Talbot Xaïloum French tenor Philippe Talbot is highly regarded for his performances in French repertoire, Mozart, Italian bel canto, opéra comique and operetta. Born in Nantes, he began his vocal studies there and was awarded the Prize for Most Promising Tenor at the Pavarotti International Voice Competition in Modena in 2008. His repertoire includes Nadir in Les Pêcheurs de perles, Gérald in Lakmé, Ferrando in Così fan tutte, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Ramiro in La Cenerentola and the title role in Rossini’s Le Comte Ory. He has appeared at major houses including the Opéra national de Paris, Opéra Comique, Opéra Royal de Versailles, Teatro di San Carlo, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bayerische Staatsoper and Semperoper Dresden. His French repertoire includes Piquillo in Offenbach’s La Périchole, Gloria-Cassis in Les Brigands and Orphée in Orphée aux enfers. Barkouf is Philippe Talbot’s Opera Rara debut.
François Piolino Kaliboul
François Piolino is a Swiss tenor who has
developed a wide repertoire of character roles across France and Europe. His roles include Monostatos (Die Zauberflöte), Goro (Madama Butterfly), Caius (Falstaff), Pang (Turandot), Monsieur Triquet (Eugene Onegin) and the four servants in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann. He has appeared at major venues including the Opéra national de Paris, Glyndebourne, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Aix-en-Provence, Staatsoper Berlin and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Barkouf is François Piolino’s Opera Rara debut. CELEBRATING OFFENBACH
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Katia Ledoux Périzade
French mezzo-soprano Katia Ledoux is celebrated for her rich, versatile voice and compelling stage presence. Her repertoire ranges from the Baroque to contemporary music, with roles including Carmen, Dorabella (Così fan tutte), Suzuki (Madama Butterfly), Olga (Eugene Onegin), Hänsel (Hänsel und Gretel), Charlotte (Werther) and Baba the Turk (The Rake’s Progress). She has appeared at major European houses and festivals including the Staatsoper Hamburg, Dutch National Opera, Opéra national de Paris, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Opernhaus Zürich and Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Katia Ledoux made her Opera Rara and recording debut in Offenbach’s La Princesse de Trébizonde.
Thibault de Damas Le Grand Mogol Thibault de Damas is a French bass-baritone
whose career spans more than 14 years on the French and European operatic stages. His repertoire ranges from Baroque music to contemporary opera, with a particular affinity for Offenbach and Rossini’s opera buffa. Roles include Don Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Don Profondo in Il viaggio a Reims, Brander in La Damnation de Faust, the Doctor in Pelléas et Mélisande, Snug in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Comte Oscar in Offenbach’s Barbe-bleue. Barkouf is Thibault de Damas’ Opera Rara debut.
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Jeremy Sams English Narration
Theatre director, lyricist and translator of plays and opera libretti as well as a composer, orchestrator and musical director, Jeremy Sams is the ultimate polymath. His work has garnered a BAFTA award, a Director’s Fortnight at Cannes and an Ivor Novello award. Jeremy's directorial credits include The Wizard of Oz (London Palladium), The Sound of Music (London Palladium, Princess of Wales Theatre Toronto) and Noises Off (National Theatre), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (London Palladium) and Little Britain. He wrote the libretto for This Enchanted Island (Metropolitan Opera, New York), and his translations include Mozart’s Figaro’s Wedding, La Boheme, The Magic Flute and Wagner’s The Ring Cycle (ENO); The Merry Widow (Covent Garden); and Les Parents Terribles, The Miser and Mary Stuart (Royal National Theatre) and his translations include Figaro’s Wedding, La bohème, The Magic Flute and The Ring Cycle (ENO); The Merry Widow (Covent Garden); and Les Parents Terribles, The Miser and Mary Stuart (Royal National Theatre). Jeremy previously collaborated with Opera Rara on the award winning recording of Offenbach’s in La Princesse de Trébizonde.
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The Troubled Genesis of Barkouf by Jean-Christophe Keck
“Is it possible to imagine a work more wretched... than Barkouf, a three-act doggery, invented by M. Scribe?”
Paul Scudo, L’Année musicale (1860)
Following the resounding success of his opéra bouffe Orphée aux enfers (Orpheus in the Underworld), which had become a genuine social phenomenon, Jacques Offenbach (1819–80), a newly naturalised French citizen and Chevalier of the Legion of Honour – aptly nicknamed the “Mozart of the Champs-Élysées” by Rossini – was one of the most celebrated figures in Parisian artistic life. Against this favourable backdrop, Alfred Beaumont, recently appointed Director of the OpéraComique, decided to commission an original work from the composer. For the libretto, he turned to another renowned figure of the time, Eugène Scribe, who already had an existing text, initially intended for the Théâtre Lyrique and the composer Louis Clapisson: Le Sultan Barkouf, soon shortened to Barkouf. Delphine Ugalde, one of France’s leading sopranos, was approached to create the principal female role of Maïma. Offenbach, however, felt that this role overshadowed the role of Balkis, which he considered just as important, upsetting the balance between the two. The difficulties began almost as soon as the contracts were signed. The composer and the librettist had no shared dramatic vision and Scribe even privately expressed his regrets about their collaboration. The atmosphere of the rehearsals which began in the summer of 1860 was unusually antagonistic. Some performers, probably encouraged by jealous rival composers, thought it intolerable that Offenbach, whom they dismissed as totally inexperienced at writing for the second most prestigious opera house in France, should presume to introduce his frivolous music there. Spurred on by Madame Ugalde, they made no secret of being scandalised by the work.
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Although Scribe reworked his text and Offenbach revised his score, the hostility continued. There was an atmosphere of casual indifference at the rehearsals which worried the director. The French censors were also causing grave problems: the opera was initially banned then cleared for performance only after extensive modifications – unheard-of for an opera at that time. To Offenbach’s comparative relief, Delphine Ugalde then fell pregnant. She was replaced by Mlle Saint-Urbain, forcing the composer to make cuts and significant revisions. The French censors continued to ask for changes to both the libretto and the music. The date for the premiere was constantly being put back. In a final stroke of bad luck, Mlle Saint-Urbain had to pull out due to illness. The role of Maïma then passed to Marie Marimon, which led to another two weeks of rehearsals and further changes to the score. Barkouf finally received its premiere on Christmas Eve, 1860. Although the audience was enthusiastic enough to demand encores of three numbers, the opera could not be called an unqualified success. Members of the audience were divided between supporters and critics of Offenbach, some of whom even booed during the curtain calls. The second performance boded well, given the packed auditorium. Unfortunately, though, the production was plagued with one problem after another: singers fell ill, last-minute replacements turned up with score in hand and one performance even had to be cancelled. Barkouf quickly disappeared from the bill never to return again. Although this rapid fall from grace is sometimes attributed to the lacklustre reception by Paris audiences, the spate of vicious attacks in the press was largely to blame. Some critics felt that allowing the opéra bouffe genre to infiltrate the Opéra-Comique was insufferable, even outrageous. Paul Scudo wrote of a “chiennerie in three acts created by M. Scribe”, referring to its “contorted rhythms” and “outlandish harmonies”. Hector Berlioz published a lengthy article in the Journal des débats, criticising the younger composer for a lack of musical craftsmanship, especially in his use of harmony. This particularly scathing and unfair review deeply wounded Offenbach, who was a great admirer of Berlioz. How could such a sudden lapse occur in the work of a composer who had, for years, adhered to the strictest rules of academicism, as shown so masterfully by his Orphée aux enfers, premiered two years earlier? Berlioz, with customary bad faith, claimed that he had not heard any of Offenbach’s music before because he never attended operetta theatres. Four years later, Offenbach briefly considered reusing parts of Barkouf in his grand opera Les Fées du Rhin, before deciding against it. It was only after the FrancoPrussian war of 1870 that he presented Boule de neige, an opéra bouffe whose libretto was a lighter adaptation of Barkouf for audiences at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens. Several numbers were recycled from the original score but this new opera achieved no more lasting success than its predecessor. LIVES IN SONG: DONIZETTI
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As was customary, Heugel had not published a complete piano-vocal score of Barkouf, just ten or so individual numbers and a quadrille by Isaac Strauss on the catchiest themes. Two versions of the censored libretto are held in the French National Archives, and there are several sketches at the French National Library. Another version of the libretto appeared in the complete works of Scribe published by his widow. The orchestral parts and working manuscripts from the premiere were probably lost in the fire at the Opéra-Comique in 1887. If indeed they had not been destroyed before that… In any case, they have not resurfaced since. The publication of a modern edition of the score was only made possible by the rediscovery of the almost complete autograph orchestral score in the Offenbach family archives some ten years ago. The missing pages were miraculously found and identified by our researchers in an American library, miscatalogued under the title of another opéra comique by the composer, Vert-Vert. It does seem that most Offenbach scores pose a challenge for musicologists wanting to prepare a critical edition. Barkouf is almost certainly one of the most complex due to its scarce and fragmentary source material. The discovery of the autograph score in its entirety (or almost) provided the incentive for a revival of this key work in Offenbach’s musical career. However, the project was beset by a growing number of difficulties. The score was in many respects a work in preparation, containing numerous different versions arising from the cast changes, while there are gaps in the libretto text, which also differs in places from other available sources (handwritten librettos, printed version, individual published numbers). The main obstacle that stood in the way of a faithful reconstruction of the opera performed at the premiere and at the handful of subsequent performances – with all the successive revisions – was the missing piano and vocal rehearsal score prepared for the performers at the Opéra-Comique. This document does not appear to have survived the blaze of 1887. The autograph manuscript, liberally revised in pen and pencil by both composer and conductor, raises further questions. The role of Saëb, for example, although being written for a baritone (in the key of F), was created by the tenor Warot, who was swiftly replaced by Laget. Although Offenbach notated certain transpositions for the main arias, necessary modifications to the ensembles are not clearly shown. In the manuscript, the role of Balkis is occasionally given more prominence than that of Maïma, particularly in terms of the tessitura, which meant that we had to rebalance the vocal parts. Some of the ensemble pieces had music but no words, and these texts were not found in any known libretto so they had to be reconstructed. The manuscript did not include all the revisions made during the final rehearsals and performances. These changes were also not included in the LIVES IN SONG: PUCCINI
Our latest Opera Insider series has just begun, this season exploring Puccini’s life and works Scan the QR code to watch on YouTube 20
numbers published by Heugel since, for practical and commercial reasons, they would have gone to print before the premiere. Despite these difficulties, we have been able to produce a highly credible reconstruction of what is a major work in Offenbach’s oeuvre and, more generally, in French opera during the latter half of the 19th-century. For some years now, audiences have been rediscovering that Offenbach’s talents extend far beyond the five or six operettas for which he is famous, in particular Les Contes d’Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann), his crowning musical legacy. We are left with the impression of a multifaceted genius able to compose works of romantic grandeur (Les Fées du Rhin, Fantasio), concertante pieces for cello, symphonic passages, chamber music, sacred and profane choral compositions, and more than 130 musical stage works in a variety of genres. His rich output often combined tender emotion with buffoonery, an inspired alchemical blend of contradictory feelings which was all his own. And yet, listening to Barkouf, it is easy to understand the hostile reactions and bewilderment of Offenbach’s contemporaries. At times the music has the air of an experimental score in which classicism and innovative, sometimes showy modulations, head off in surprising directions. The composer was even bold enough to include some openly polytonal instrumental passages – something that few composers of the time allowed themselves to do, including Berlioz. The vocal writing, which is particularly demanding, calls for exceptional performers. A striking example of this is the conspiracy scene in which Offenbach excels in achieving a brilliant fusion of buffoonery and unease. The caustic atmosphere of this scene calls to mind the composer himself with his pince-nez and his reputation as a jettatore or someone possessed of the evil eye. There are also pronounced harmonic shifts in this farce which suddenly make the blood run cold. Offenbach had never explored this musical vein before and never would again, with the exception of Les Contes d’Hoffmann, which is very different in treatment. This is clearly a composer who still has many surprises up his sleeve. English translation © Sue Rose
DISCOVER OUR 2026/27 SEASON
Mercadante’s never performed Il campo de’ crociati is just one of the highlights of Opera Rara’s season Scan the QR code to explore our upcoming season 21
MERCADANTE’S
One woman pays the highest price in a profoundly human struggle for dignity, agency and compassion. Rosa Feola stars in Mercadante’s electrifying opera Il campo de’ crociati, with powerful, moving music that will be heard for the first time in over 170 years at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall in May 2027. Filled with sweeping choruses, heroic vocal writing and raw emotional power, Il campo de’ crociati is an opera that deserves to be heard. The drama centres on Lea who is caught between two worlds. Driven by passionate love but trapped by forces beyond her control, she navigates danger and faith in a war-torn land shaped by violence, the ruthless pursuit of power and the certainty of righteousness on all sides.
Wednesday 5 May 2027 | 7PM Carlo Rizzi Conductor Rosa Feola Lea Iván Ayón-Rivas Carlo Germán Enrique Alcántara Ismaele Giorgi Manoshvili Goffredo di Buglione London Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus of English National Opera
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Celebrating Opera Rara & The Hallé’s last collaboration
“
Verdi’s initial version of this opera has had its defenders... My verdict: It’s electric.
”
THE NEW YORK TIMES VERDI’S 1857 SIMON BOCCANEGRA BEST CLASSICAL ALBUMS OF 2025 10
LISTEN TO VERDI’S 1857 SIMON BOCCANEGRA
Enjoy our lastest acclaimed recording collaboration conducted by Sir Mark Elder. Scan the QR code to listen
Hallé Orchestra Kahchun Wong, Principal Conductor & Artistic Advisor
In 1858, Sir Charles Hallé held a strong belief: that music should be for everyone. This simple idea turned into a wonderful gift when Hallé founded his groundbreaking orchestra right here in Manchester, bringing world-class music to people’s doorsteps. A lot has changed since then, but we’re still committed to sharing Hallé’s incredible vision with our great city and beyond. Every year, we change lives, connect communities and enrich the world around us through the power of music.
Our people
Many any music legends have shaped us over the years: Hans Richter, Hammilton Harty, John Barbirolli … to name a few. After almost 25 years as Music Director, Sir Mark Elder is now our Conductor Emeritus. The baton has now been passed onto Kahchun Wong, who started a new chapter in our history as Principal Conductor & Artistic Advisor.
Our players
At the heart of the Hallé, our players create the unique sound that moves audiences every day. These extraordinary artists come from across the globe, combining their skills as soloists, chamber musicians, educators and more. At their helm are our dynamic Leaders; the amazingly talented Roberto Ruisi and Emily Davis.
Our shared passion
Today, we’re an orchestra of over 80 professional musicians, a youth orchestra of 70 young people, over 500 singers across a family of choirs and a core team of more than 50 passionate music lovers. Together, we’re dedicated to honouring Hallé’s legacy and to leaving a lasting impact, long after the music stops.
Join us
We are the players and the people, the composers and the conductors, the choirs and the communities. We hope our listeners, new and old, near and far, join us for the journey. halle.co.uk
THE LATEST HALLÉ NEWS
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First Violins Roberto Ruisi, Leader Emily Davis Tiberiu Buta Dan-Iulian Drut'ac Steven Proctor Nicola Clark Victor Hayes John Gralak Anya Muston Sarah Whittingham
Second Violins Lowri Porter Rosemary Attree Caroline Abbott Christine Davey Elizabeth Bosworth Yu-Mien Sun Sian Goodwin Charlotte Dowding
Violas Justin Julian Carol Ella Martin Schäfer Piero Gasparini Timothy Pooley Emily Rose Clark Cellos Reinoud Ford Simon Turner David Petri Jane Hallett Double Basses Billy Cole Yi Xin Han Richard English
Flutes Sarah Bennett Karen Wong Piccolo Karen Wong
Horns Laurence Rogers Matthew Head Julian Plummer Richard Bourn Andrew Maher
Oboes Stéphane Rancourt Virginia Shaw
Trumpets Tom Osborne Emily Mitchell
Clarinets Sergio Castelló López Beñat Erro Díez Bassoons Arvid Larsson Simon Davies
Tenor Trombones Katy Jones Rosalyn Davies Bass Trombone Christian Jones Timpani John Abendstern Percussion David Hext Riccardo Lorenzo Parmigiani Erika Öhman Connor Lyster Harp Marie Leenhardt
DISCOVER SIMON BOCCANEGRA
Experience Opera Rara and the Hallé’s latest collaboration - Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra Scan the QR code to stream
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The Hallé is a registered charity (no.223882)
Hallé Orchestral Chair Endowments CONDUCTOR EMERITUS
VIOLAS
Mr Martin McMillan OBE & Mrs Pat McMillan
Dr Susan M Brown
SIR MARK ELDER CH CBE
TIMOTHY POOLEY
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
MARTIN SCHÄFER
Hamish & Sophie Forsyth
PIERO GASPARINI
DAVID BUTCHER
David & Beryl Emery
ROBERTO RUISI & EMILY DAVIS Penny Moore GUEST LEADER
in memory of Liz Glynn
CHRIS EMERSON Bolton Opus Group
GEMMA DUNNE
in memory of Geoffrey Robinson
In memory of Diz Shirley & happy days at Chipping Camden
ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
AKU SORENSEN
ROBERT CRISWELL
PZ Cussons, Sir Mark & Lady Elder, The Garrick Charitable Trust
in memory of Brian Plumb
CHORAL DIRECTOR
MATTHEW HAMILTON
W H Whitehead Family Trust
CELLOS
FIRST VIOLINS
Sandra Stone & in memory of Martin Stone
RACHEL HELLEUR-SIMCOCK SIMON TURNER
TIBERIU BUTA
In memory of Mrs G E Whitehead
Dr Anne R Fuller
DAVID PETRI
ZOE COLMAN
K & S Coen
in memory of Howard Horsley
JANE HALLETT
VACANT
Professor Sir Netar Mallick
in memory Jennifer MacPherson
CLARE ROWE
HELEN BRIDGES
Nina Harris
Professor Chris Klingenberg
VACANT
In loving memory of Kaye Tazaki, from his family & the Hallé
KATIE JACKSON
JONATHAN PETHER Charlotte Westwood
LUCY ARCH
Philip & Helen Wiles
in memory of Chris Wood – In loving memory of Dorothy Hall
SECONDS
DOUBLE BASSES
Patrick & Tricia McDermott
Edmundson Electrical Ltd
BILLY COLE
VACANT
YI XIN HAN
PAULETTE BAYLEY
in memory of Stella & Harold Millington
Karen Farquhar
ROSEMARY ATTREE
in memory of the late Marie & Jack Levy
JOHN PURTON
NATASHA ARMSTRONG John & Pat Garside
RACHEL MEERLOO
In loving memory of Hilmary Quarmby, a lifelong lover of music & friend of the Hallé
in loving memory of Michael Hall
OPERA RARA & THE HALLÉ’S FIRST COLLABORATION
Hear Donizetti’s rarely heard opera, Rita, conducted by Sir Mark Elder
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FLUTES
TIMPANI
in loving memory of Mrs Anna Drackley
In memory of Alan & Vivian Glass
SARAH BENNETT PICCOLO
VACANT in memory of Ronald Marlowe OBOE
VIRGINIA SHAW
JOHN ABENDSTERN PERCUSSION
DAVID HEXT
Rosemary Whitesman
ERIKA ÖHMAN
Alison Wilkinson
in memory of Becky & Jim Russell, brilliant parents & missed every day
COR ANGLAIS
HARP
In loving memory of Douglas Crawford
Mr John D Owens
THOMAS DAVEY CLARINETS
MARIE LEENHARDT
SERGIO CASTELLÓ-LÓPEZ
HALLÉ YOUTH ORCHESTRA
BASS CLARINET
BASSOONS
Shared Trust
PERCUSSION
The Hallé Choir
Mr C R & Mrs E Anslow
VACANT
BASSOON
SECTION LEADER VACANT
in memory of Miss Amy Alexandra Morris
ELENA COMELLI Anonymous
I & E Brett CELLOS
The Holland-Frickes Mr John Summers OBE WOODWIND & CELLOS
in memory of Arthur Bevan & Enid Roper
In memory of Peter & Helen Pearce Alastair Nuttall Anonymous
in memory of C K Andrews
HALLÉ YOUTH CHOIR
Shared Trust
Mr and Mrs Smith
HORNS
LAWRENCE ROGERS RICHARD BOURN
MATTHEW HEAD
Roger Wolstenholme TRUMPET
SOPRANOS & ALTOS HALLÉ CHOIR
Jane Hampson
ALTOS
Shared Trust TOM OSBORNE Penny Moore
Chris Hughes In memory of Malcolm Blackburn
TROMBONE
KATY JONES
Sylvia Kendal in memory of Ivor Rowe
ROSALYN DAVIES
Richard Binch & in memory of Audrey
Sincere thanks also to all those who have made general donations to the Chair Endowment programme during the last twelve months.
TUBA
EWAN EASTON MBE in memory of Carol Ray
GOUNOD’S LA COLOMBE
“Mark Elder conducts the Hallé with finesse... allows La Colombe to gracefully take flight.” - Opera Stream now by scanning the QR code
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Hallé Concerts Society PATRON
PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR & ARTISTIC ADVISOR
HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO
Kahchun Wong
VICE PRESIDENTS
A. Martin McMillan OBE Edward Pysden
CONDUCTOR EMERITUS
BOARD ELECTED DIRECTORS
ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR, POPS
Sir Mark Elder CH CBE Stephen Bell
Debbie Francis OBE [CHAIR] Darren Drabble Sir Nicholas Kenyon Juergen Maier CBE Professor Linda Merrick CBE Alastair Nuttall Merryl Webster
ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
Aku Sorensen
CHORAL DIRECTOR
Matthew Hamilton
YOUTH CHOIR DIRECTOR
Stuart Overington
NOMINATED DIRECTORS GREATER MANCHESTER COMBINED AUTHORITY
Councillor Rachel Massey
YOUTH TRAINING CHOIR DIRECTOR
Matthew Roughley
MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL
Councillor Azra Ali
CHILDREN’S CHOIR DIRECTOR
Shirley Court
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
David Butcher
COMPOSER EMERITUS
Colin Matthews
FINANCE DIRECTOR
Sindy Goldstone
CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S OFFICE
David Butcher * David Major
ORCHESTRAL NOMINEE
Tom Osborne David Petri
MICHAEL SPYRES’S DEBUT RECITAL ALBUM
Hear Michael Spyres’s debut recital album, Espoir, with The Hallé and Carlo Rizzi Scan the QR code to purchase the album 31
FINANCE AND HR
STAGE MANAGEMENT
Sindy Goldstone * Lyndsey Priestley Raymond Mangwiro Jacqueline Vesperinas Henry Page Jennifer Stevens
Dan Gobey David Barker
HALLÉ CONNECT
Naomi Benn * † Clare Webster Alex Munro Jessica Harper Rosie Sutton Katherine Attong-Mendes Tabitha Kobine Rachel Graff Kate Lloyd
VENUES
Martin Glynn * † Tyrone Holt Imogen Fahey Lawrie Bebb Liam Burke Karon Knapman
SPONSORSHIP AND FUNDRAISING
Kath Russell * Susanna Caudwell Caragh Rooney Louise Harvey Beth Wright
ARTISTIC PLANNING
Anna Hirst * Louise Hamilton Dan Egdell Toby Marshall Andrea Stafford
COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL
Bonnie Turnbull * Peter Naish † Liz Barras Anna Shinkfield Alex Burns David Hughes Sofia Marincic Harriet Hall †
CONCERTS
Jenny Nicholls * Lucy Turner (maternity leave) Georgina Hazell Tom Dale ORCHESTRA MANAGEMENT
Chris Lewis Osian Dance Maisie Stewart
ARCHIVE
Eleanor Roberts † Heather Roberts Charlie Booth Stuart Robinson †
LIBRARY
Hannah Bellamy Emily Crichton
† 20 years service * HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
DISCOVER THE HALLÉ’S 2026/27 MANCHESTER SEASON
With something for everyone, this season is packed with stunning orchestral music performed by internally renowned artists in one of the world’s finest concert halls. 32
Scan the QR code to find out more
The Hallé would like to thank ... We’d like to thank the following trusts for their ongoing support: The Monument Trust The Oglesby Charitable Trust The Victoria Wood Foundation American Friends of Hallé Concerts Society, Inc. The Beaverbrooks Charitable Trust The Laufey Foundation The National Heritage Memorial Fund The National Lottery Heritage Fund The Zochonis Charitable Trust The Foyle Foundation Granada Foundation The Kirby Laing Foundation Garfield Weston Foundation The Wolfson Foundation The Boshier Hinton Foundation Church Burgesses Educational Foundation D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund DWF Foundation Fenton Arts Trust Fidelio Charitable Trust Garrick Charitable Trust The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation The Greater Manchester High Sheriff’s Police Trust High Lee House Trust John Thaw Foundation J Paul Getty Jr Charitable Trust McLay Dementia Trust Michael Tippett Musical Foundation Peter Cunningham Memorial Fund The Cecil Pilkington Charitable Trust Pilkington General Charity The Radcliffe Trust RUSI (The Royal United Services Institute) The Sobell Foundation Thriplow Charitable Trust and others who wish to remain anonymous
JOYCE EL-KHOURY’S ECHO
Discover Joyce El-Khoury’s recital album, Écho, recorded with The Hallé Stream now by scanning the QR code
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Hallé Patron Programme CONDUCTOR’S CIRCLE
John & Margaret Allen Dr Anne R Fuller Pat Kendall-Taylor Professor Chris Klingenberg Patrick & Tricia McDermott David & Mary McKeith Dr & Mrs Ian McKinlay OBE Penny Moore, for Terry, who loved the Hallé Carole Nash OBE Mike & Joanna Sambrook In memory of Lynne In memory of Alfred & Brenda Burley MAESTOSO
Dr Susan M Brown Mr David A Budgett Mrs S. Davnall Valerie & Peter Dicken Mrs Juliet Gibbs Andrew Hay & Nicola Kitching Dr Adrian Head-Rapson & Dr Stephanie Brown Dr Alexander Marsland Mr Vincent Marsland Alastair Nuttall John & Pat Turner Ian & Janet Wiseman CRESCENDO
Michael Allen in memory of Yvonne Mr Jon & Dr Carol Ashley Mr Keith A Bevan Richard Binch & in memory of Audrey David & Maggie Blackburn Clair Boyes Dr Christopher Brookes Laura & Peter Carstensen Diana Cavanagh & the late Dr Michael Cavanagh wrence David Cody & in memory of Mr & Mrs L. J. Cody Mr A Fowell Mr & Mrs J. Fox Mr Richard Garnett Miss Lynne Hamilton Dr Andrew Hardman Mrs C. A. Harmer Ms Val Hawkin David Haworth
Margaret Heaton Mr John Hopwood & Dr Julia Morrison Chris Hughes, to mark 47 years with the Hallé Choir Professor Nicholas & Dr Mary Jones Dr Keith Jeffery & Patrick Geary Kenneth Kay Mark Kenrick Mr Michael Leach Mr Colin Lomax Sir Charles Nightingale Mr John D Owens Mr D Pritchard AC & CJ Riddington T. G. Roberts Will Roddy Judith & Patrick Rutter John & Susan Schultz Dieter Senn Mr David Shipley Mrs E. G. Tonge Sheila Tonge Mr John Turner Lynne Waterfield Philip & Helen Wiles Judi Winterson & David Hoyle Craig & Margaret Wright
Ann Flowerday Jeremy & Gillian French Mr John Hannah Mrs Bessie Harper Mr & Mrs D Hawkes Mr Peter Hocking Mr Simon Hutchence Mrs Wendy Jeffs Clare Knight Mr J G Knox Mr & Mrs R W Lee Mr Alan Lowe Mr Kevin Lyons Mr T Marsden Mary McPeake & in memory of John Stephen & Jacqueline Miley
FOR MUSIC
In memory of Jean Dowling In memory of B H Lawrence In memory of Albert Mesrie In memory of Arthur Newton, from his family and friends In memory of Andrew Walker
In memory of Brenda Owens In memory of Father David Peters In memory of Miss Julie Cussons and also Mr Alex & Mrs Wendy Cussons In memory of Brian Plumb In memory of Walter Spinks
Mrs Alison Milford Miss Maire Morton Joan & Graham Rogers Dr T & P E Schur Sandra Stone & in memory of Martin Stone Phil Thornley Mrs M Warrener Mr J C White Professor Richard Whitley Mr John Wildman
SCHERZO INTERMEZZO
Dr D Yvonne Aplin & in memory of G. Clive Sheppey Joan Ball Tony Bates Professor Tony Berry Mrs Margaret Bradshaw Barbara & Anthony Butcher Pamela Craig Sarah Crouch Peter J Dawson Mr Anthony Doust Rev’d & Mrs J F Ellis Charlie Fleischmann
Mr Peter Adamson Mr Timothy R Ades Dr Katherine M Adler Mrs J Ainsworth Mr Roger Ainsworth Vin Allerton J Aslan Canon Keith Bamber Dr Peter Barberis Mr Michael Barley Mr & Mrs Melvyn Bathgate Mrs J E Baxendale Mr Steve Best Mr D J Bird Mr Stuart Bishop
DONIZETTI’S LE DUC D'ALBE
Discover Donizetti’s Le Duc d’Albe, recorded with The Hallé Scan the QR code to discover more
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Pat & Roger Bolton Mr & Mrs E J Booth Dr Howard Booth Mr David Bradley Arnold & Brenda Bradshaw Philip Broughton Mr Andrew Bryan Peter Burgess Tina Bywater iss Christine S Catherall Mrs B Y Chubb Mrs Kathleen Cleary Mrs Gina Collison Joanne Columbine Mr David Cooke Mrs Frances Critchley Hilary & Adrian Curtis Dave Darwent & in memory of Mrs Joan Darwent Dr D Dawson Dr Jeffrey J Dean & Dr Penelope M Gouk Mr & Mrs B A DeSousa Mrs Marie Dixon Mr Paul Durham Mr E Alan Eaves Chloe Eissa-Hoyos Miss E Evans Margaret Fancy Professor Patrick Farrell David Farrow Dr Tim Gartside Mrs Elaine M Gavin Mr Adrian Gerrard Mrs J Gill Mr Christopher Grafham Mr & Mrs R Green Mr & Mrs S R Lancelyn Green Mrs Caroline Greenwood Mr John D Gregory Dr R Gregory Mr J B Haddow Dr I M Hall Paul & Amanda Hamblyn Richard Hamilton Mr C W Hampson Brian & Bridget Harris Mr Simon Harrison Patrician Hart Mrs J M Hartley Mr N V Haynes Mrs Dorothy Heaton Mr Cliff Heckle Mrs G Hewitt Miss Pauline Hickey Mrs Sheila Hill Peter & Charlotte Hill
Mrs Shelia Hill Mrs J M Hindshaw Mrs Janet Holwill Dr W Hoyle Mrs Glynys Hunter Dr Steven Hurst Donald & Carolyn Henderson Joyce Hytner Alma Jones, & in memory of Frank David & Fae Jones Christine & Michael Jones Miss Brunhilde Kay Clare Knight Jennifer & Paul Lingwood Mr Harry Lipson Mrs Dorothea Livesey Virginia & Peter Lloyd Mr Chris Adams & Professor Rosemary Lucas Mr & Mrs I Lumsden Mr F P S & Mrs D A B Marriott Dr & Mrs P J Marriott Mr P Marsh & Ms H M Bennett Mrs C Mason Dr Michael Mattison Mrs E McCrone Mrs Angela McMenemy Dr David Miers Mr David Milner Mr Jeff Milner Mrs Jean Moorhouse & in memory of the late Mr Peter Moorhouse Ms Kathleen Morris Miss Jean Motler Mr P K Murphy Mr David Odling Mr & Mrs Damian O’Doherty William & Janet Ollier Mr John Peaker Dr John Pearson David & Elizabeth Pioli Mr D Radley Mr Peter Ramsden Mr Stuart Ramsden Mrs Beryl Ratcliffe Kathleen & Alasdair Renfrew Mr Paul Reynolds David & Elly Roberts Elizabeth & Hugh Roberts Mrs A Rose Mrs Susan Rowlands Professor Michael G Rusbridge Mr I & Mr M Sandiford-Turnock John & Jackie Say Mrs Jan Schofield Mr James A Scott Mr Simon Shelbourn
Mr C & Mrs T Shepherd Thomas Shevchuk, violinist Mr Michael J Shiels Mr & Mrs G R Slater Charles & Helen Smith Mr & Mrs C Smith Mr Roger Smith Mr Alan Spier Mr & Mrs R T Stafford Stephen Stockton Mr Frank Stoner & Mrs Margaret Dudley-Stoner Mrs Norma Swan Mr and Mrs R L Taylor Mrs M. E. Thompson Mr John Thomson Mrs Jean Tracy Tom Uprichard Mrs Barbara Upton Mr Peter & the late Mrs Diana van der Feltz Jeffrey & Judith Wainwright Mr Brian Walker Mrs Pam Walker & in memory of Andrew Walker Mr R B Walsh F T Walters Mrs Anne Ward Mr & Mrs J M Watson J Christopher Whitehead Mr A Whittaker Gladys Williams & in memory of Dennis Dodge Roger Williams Mr Thomas Williams Mr Chris Wilson Ron Wilson Barry Wood Hilary & the late Noel Woodhead Mrs Ann Woolliscroft Dr J M Worth D & M Wright David & Veronica Yates Dr David Yorke A music lover In memory of my parents In memory of Margaret Brailsford In memory of O Calvert In memory of Mr Tom Chadwick In memory of Liz Glynn In memory of D S Goodes In memory of Dr D B Jones In memory of Meinir McDonald In memory of Patsy Pringle In memory of Dr Barbara Smith In memory of Arthur Stanley Thompson In memory of John Wallace Tonge
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Chorus of English National Opera About the Chorus of English National Opera (ENO)
The Chorus of ENO is one of the finest operatic ensembles in the UK. Tracing its roots to the founding of the Sadler’s Wells Opera Company by Lilian Baylis in 1931, the Chorus of ENO is committed to bringing opera sung in English to the widest possible audience in theatrically inventive productions. The Chorus is a key part of ENO's ensemble, performing repertoire from Henry Purcell to Philip Glass. Notable recent successes include major new productions of Glass’s Akhnaten, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe, Britten’s War Requiem and Ruders’ The Handmaid’s Tale. At the 2016 Olivier Awards, the Chorus and Orchestra of ENO won the award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera, and the Chorus were named Chorus of the Year at the 2016 International Opera Awards. Excelling in new repertoire, the Chorus of ENO have helped create works including Ryan Wigglesworth’s The Winter’s Tale, Nico Muhly’s Marnie, and Iain Bell’s Jack the Ripper: The Women of Whitechapel. They have performed Death in Venice at Het Muziektheater, Amsterdam, an acclaimed Peter Grimes at the BBC Proms, and sung at the Aldeburgh Festival, the Royal Festival Hall and the Barbican. At the centre of ENO’s mission to connect with new audiences through innovative programming, the Chorus participated in the UK's first drive-in opera Drive & Live: La Bohème at Alexandra Palace, broadcast Mozart’s Requiem and Handel's Messiah on BBC Two, and performed Tosca at the South Facing Festival at Crystal Palace, and an original concert of ENO Does Eurovision in Liverpool at the Eurovision Village Festival. www.eno.org Soprano Joanne Appleby Fiona Canfield Gloria Crane Karla Grant Ella Kirkpatrick Claire Mitcher Claire Pendleton Jane Read
Mezzo-soprano Tenor Morag Boyle Allan Adams Deborah Davison George Curnow Annabella-Vesela Ellis Philippe Durrant Karen Foster Samuel Kibble Sophie Goldrick Graeme Lauren Helen Johnson David Newman Amy Sedgwick Pablo Strong Susanna Tudor-Thomas Adam Sullivan Nathan Vale Dominic J. Walsh
Bass Robert W. Anderson Michael Burke David Campbell Bartholomew Lawrence Christopher Nairne Ronald Nairne David Porter-Thomas Paul Sheehan Andrew Tinkler Sam Young
COMING LATER THIS SEASON
The Chorus of the English National Opera join Opera Rara in Mercadante’s Il campo de crociati Scan the QR code to explore
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Royal Northern College of Music Opera Chorus Kevin Thraves - Chorus Director The Royal Northern College of Music Opera Chorus is led by Chorus Director Kevin Thraves and is made up of selected undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in the School of Vocal Studies and Opera. All the students study on a combined vocal and opera course in which they are provided with unparalleled opportunities to develop their musicianship and communication skills. The Manchester based conservatoire has professional links with orchestras and choruses, opera companies, opera studios, and Young Artist programmes, and many international prize-winning graduates of the RNCM are now performing in opera houses and concert halls all over the world. Recent collaborations with professional companies include concerts and recordings of Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder, Britten’s Peter Grimes, Berlioz’s Grande Messe des Morts and Roméo et Juliette, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, Wigglesworth’s Magnificat, Puts’ Silent Night, Cellier’s Dorothy, and with Opera Rara, Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra (original, 1857 version). Edward Wenborn Porte-parasol / 2nd conjuré Jay Broadhurst Porte-pipe / 1st conjuré Alex Riddell Porte-tabouret / 3rd conjuré Sam Rose Porte-épée Charlie Barker Porte-éventail / 4th conjuré Eden Devaney Porte-mouchoir Benjamin Finnie 1st coryphée Chephren Parker 2nd coryphée
Discover the Original Simon Boccanegra. Experience Opera Rara’s recording of the original 1857 version of Simon Boccanegra stream or purchase now.
BEHIND THE SCENES OF SIMON BOCCANEGRA
See students from the Royal Northern College of Music join the Hallé and Opera Rara in the studio 38
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Registered Charity No. 261403
To learn more about leaving a lasting legacy at Opera Rara, please contact Zachary Vanderburg, Development Director zachary@opera-rara.com 29| 020 7613 2858
About Opera Rara Opera Rara’s mission is to restore, record, perform and promote the lost operatic heritage of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Opera Rara is a unique combination of opera company, recording label and live operatic archaeologist. We search for neglected operatic masterpieces and restore them to life for contemporary audiences to enjoy and other opera companies to explore. Our work has led to a fundamental revaluation of composers such as Donizetti, Pacini, Offenbach, Rossini and Mercadante, changing the way in which these figures are perceived internationally. Opera Rara was named Label of the Year at the 2024 Gramophone Classical Music Awards. Our catalogue comprises over 100 titles, including 66 complete opera recordings. Our artistic success has been recognised through many major awards over the last decade alone, including at the International Opera Awards (Best Opera Recording) for Mercadante’s Il proscritto (2023), Rossini’s Semiramide (2019), Donizetti’s Les Martyrs (2016) and Offenbach’s Fantasio (2015). Our label has also been recognised at the International Classical Music Awards with Semiramide (Best Opera, 2019), Ermonela Jaho’s debut recital album Anima Rara (Best Vocal Music Recording, 2021) and the Donizetti Songs Vols. 5 & 6 with Ermonela Jaho and Carlo Rizzi (Best Vocal Music Recording, 2026). In addition, we have won the Best Recording category at Germany’s Opus Klassik awards with Offenbach’s La Princesse de Trébizonde (2024) and Semiramide (2019). At the OPER! international opera awards, we won the award for Best Recording with for La Princesse de Trébizonde (2024), Donizetti’s L’Ange de Nisida (2019) and our complete collection of the Donizetti Songs (Best Complete Edition, 2026). Opera Rara’s Artistic Director Carlo Rizzi was appointed in 2019. Since then he has recorded the original 1912 version of Leoncavallo’s Zingari and Donizetti’s L’esule di Roma as well as Mercadante’s Il proscritto, whose discovery and restoration he championed, and seven new volumes of Donizetti Songs. Internationally renowned soprano Renée Fleming, who made her complete opera recording debut with Opera Rara in 1994 in Donizetti’s Rosmonda d’Inghilterra, is our Honorary Artist Patron. In 2022, marking Donizetti’s 225th birthday, we announced Ermonela Jaho and Michael Spyres as Artist Ambassadors, commemorating their long and acclaimed work with the company. Our ground-breaking work is only made possible by the generosity of our supporters. Opera Rara is a charity that receives no public funding. Nearly £1M needs to be raised annually. By supporting Opera Rara, you become an essential member of the Opera Rara family and join us on a journey of operatic discovery. Learn more at opera-rara.com. OUR ARTIST AMBASSADORS IN OPERA NOW MAGAZINE
Ermonela Jaho and Michael Spyres speak about Opera Rara and more upcoming great discoveries Scan the QR code to read more 40
OPERA RARA’S SALON SERIES Tuesday 23rd February | 7PM CARLISLE PLACE, LONDON
Laurence Kilsby tenor Anna Tilbrook piano
Join Opera Rara for a special Spring Salon featuring acclaimed British tenor Laurence Kilsby and pianist Anna Tilbrook. Together, they bring an evening of song and musical discovery as part of Opera Rara’s intimate Salon Series. Kilsby has been praised as “the ultra refined tenor” by The Guardian, while Tilbrook is renowned for her artistry and long-standing collaborations with leading singers. Together, they promise a captivating evening of music, bringing together two exceptional artists for an intimate celebration of song.
Tickets: £35
Tuesday 15th June | 7PM MANSFIELD STREET, LONDON
Eleonora de Prez soprano Anna Tilbrook piano
Join Opera Rara for a special Summer Salon featuring acclaimed soprano Eleonora de Prez and pianist Anna Tilbrook. Together, they explore the expressive range and storytelling power of the song repertoire as part of Opera Rara’s Salon Series. De Prez, who is praised for her expressive performances and distinctive musicality, appeared the Donizetti Opera Festival in Bergamo last season as part of Opera Rara’s Donizetti Songs collaboration. Together with Tilbrook, they promise an evening of musical discovery and fresh insight.
Tickets: £35
OPERA-RARA.COM/EVENTS
Opera Rara’s Trustees, Patrons and Staff ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Carlo Rizzi
STAFF
CHIEF EXECUTIVE Henry Little
FINANCE DIRECTOR
LABEL and PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
Aurelie Baujean Irene Cook
DEVELOPMENT and COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Zachary Vanderburg
SENIOR PHILANTHROPY MANAGER
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Natasha Hastings
Charles Alexander CBE, Chairman Philip Eisenbeiss Anthony Freud OBE Glenn Hurstfield Adolfo Laurenti Bruce Mauleverer KC Alison Nicol Islée Oliva Salinas Gerry Power Marc A Scorca Terence Sinclair Nicholas Thomas
DEVELOPMENT and EVENTS COORDINATOR
Orlando Querobino Vas DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER
Matt Parsons
CONSULTANTS
SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTANT
Beth Costley
PRESS & PR CONSULTANT
Moë Faulkner
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
CASTING CONSULTANT
David Hall Glenn Hurstfield Islée Oliva Salinas Terence Sinclair Lucy Stout John Tierney
Jesús Iglesias Noriega REPERTOIRE CONSULTANT
Roger Parker
ARTIST AMBASSADORS Ermonela Jaho Michael Spyres HONORARY ARTIST PATRON Renée Fleming DONIZETTI PATRON His Excellency, Inigo Lambertini the Italian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
Opera Rara’s Donizetti Patron, His Excellency Inigo Lambertini, Ambassador of Italy to the United Kingdom awards Opera Rara’s Artistic Director Carlo Rizzi with the Star of Italy
DISCOVER OUR 56TH SEASON
From rare operatic treasures to extraordinary live performances, there’s plenty to discover in Opera Rara’s 56th season
Scan the QR code to explore our 56th Season 42
Opera Rara’s Supporters THANK YOU!
Opera Rara’s work is only made possible by the generosity of our supporters, who believe in our mission to restore, record, perform and promote the forgotten operatic heritage of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. We would like to take this opportunity to thank those individuals and foundations who have made a gift to our Annual Fund. Your continued support is vital to our success. A full list of Opera Rara’s current Annual Fund supporters can be found at: www.opera-rara.com/list-of-supporters. GUARDIANS Carlo Grosso Stefan Olsson & John Tierney Andrea Pessino∞
PATRONS BENEFACTOR
Jon & Julia Aisbitt Yvonne Horsfall Turner◊ David & Janet McCue∞ Sara Naudi & Prof. Mark Layton Peter Rosenthal Terence & Sian Sinclair
CIRCLE MEMBERS OPERA RARA CIRCLE
Anonymous
DEVOTEE
ARTIST’S CIRCLE
Timothy Congdon Sir Vernon Ellis Harry Hyman Alan Jackson Leslie & Peter Macleod-Miller◊ Joseph Mari∞ Bruce & Sara Mauleverer John Nickson & Simon Rew Imogen Rumbold Peter Thompson
Philip Eisenbeiss† Seifi & Ellen Ghasemi† Jenny Hodgson Islée Oliva Salinas & Michael Buckley Ditlev Rindom & Enrique Sacau Carlo Rizzi & Lucy Stout† Sir Simon & Lady Virginia Robertson Gerry Wakelin & and the late Ivor Samuels* The Annual Fund list is comprised of donors who gave at the Connoisseur level or higher from April 2025 to September 2026 ◊Gift in Kind ∞American Friend †International Circle *Opera Rara at 60 Society
in honour of Carmen Giannattasio
Mark Walker AFICIONADO
Claus Ambos Malcolm Barnett Sir David Bean Mackenzie Brown Anonymous Marco Compagnoni Eleanor Cranmer & Nick Thomas Jeff & Emily Fergus Howard Gatiss Paul Giles Guido Gläser & Nelly Frei Jane Gross∞ Malcolm Herring Nicole Hoechli
MAKE A GIFT Donate online: www.opera-rara.com For more information, to discuss your gift in more detail or to arrange a bank transfer, contact a member of our development team on +44 (0)20 7613 2858 or info@opera-rara.com.
YOUR GENEROSITY GIVES NEW VOICES THEIR RECORDING DEBUTS
Germán Enrique Alcántara made his acclaimed recording debut in Verdi’s 1857 Simon Boccanegra
Scan the QR code to hear about it from Germán 43
TRUSTS & FOUNDATIONS
PATRONS AFICIONADO continued
Marie-Louise Jungels Kathryn Langridge Adolfo Laurenti & Juliet Petrus Michele Leuenberger & Martin Hatzinger Louis Levene Henry Little & Prof. Maria M. Delgado Chris & Dominique Moore Simon Mortimore KC Alison Nicol Nicole & Martin Ostwald Gerry Power & Pawan Dhillon Christian & Myrto Rochat Jackie & John Rothenberg Anonymous Mark Shaw Zachary Vanderburg & Felipe Ramos Barajas Arne Wasmuth
LIFETIME GUARDIANS Opera Rara is particularly grateful to those individuals and organisations who have been exceedingly generous and have been guardians of our work since 1970.
FRIENDS ENTHUSIAST
Charles Alexander CBE Foyle Foundation Carlo Grosso Michael Hartnall Glenn Hurstfield The Monument Trust Sir Peter Moores & the Peter Moores Foundation Stefan Olsson & John Tierney Sir Simon & Lady Virginia Robertson
Anthony Freud & Colin Ure Lesley Garrett & Peter Christian Marian Gilbart Read David Hall Glenn Hurstfield Sir Timothy & Lady Lloyd Janet McLeavy Catherine Roe Lady Judith Swire Richard Anwyl Williams CONNOISSEUR
Ignacio Álvarez-Rendueles & Marivi Lorente Christopher FitzGerald Julien Herveau Sarah & Christopher Knight Janetta Lee∞ Christopher Leslie Jonathan & Fangmin Macdonald David Macfarlane Peter Gerald Malone Sarah Mason Lady Carolyn Newbigging David Pease Deborah Roslund Alan Sainer Lucie & Christopher Sims Joseph Valone & Michael Paul∞
Members of the Opera Rara team with Artist Ambassador Ermonela Jaho, Artistic Director Carlo Rizzi and Chairman Charles Alexander at the Italian Embassy in London.
and special thanks to our many Contributor and Member Friends
YOUR SUPPORT HELPS US SHOWCASE EMERGING ARTISTS
Soprano Ellie Neate makes her recording debut last season in Puccini’s 1921 version of La rondine Scan the QR code to watch an interview with Ellie 44
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BBC Singers BBC Symphony Orchestra
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Starring
Ermonela Jaho Iván Ayón-Rivas, Juan Francisco Gatell, Ellie Neate, Nicola Alaimo, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers
Conductor Carlo Rizzi
World Premiere Recording of the Final 1921 Version
LA RONDINE FINAL 1921 VRSION ALBUM RELEASE
PRE-SAVE NOW ON SPOTIFY ALBUM AVAILABLE TO BUY & STREAM:
13
30th October LISTEN
BBC Radio 3’s Opera on 3 broadcast of Opera Rara and the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s studio recording of Puccini’s final 1921 version of La rondine is available to stream for 30 days via BBC Sounds.
AVAILABLE ON STREAMING
AND ALL OTHER STREAMING SERVICES
www.opera-rara.com
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