A Night at the Opera

BRISTOL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 
and
 CITY OF BRISTOL CHOIR


Featuring

Rebecca Evans | Soprano

Hanna-Liisa Kirchin | Mezzo-Soprano

William Wallace | Tenor

Edward Jowle | Baritone


Peter Wilde | Narrator
William Goodchild | Conductor

Aimée Cottam | Guest Leader




From Beethoven to Bizet, from Verdi to Wagner, come and hear some of the greatest overtures, arias and choruses ever composed, and experience the operatic story as never before.

A Night at the Opera, presented by Bristol Symphony Orchestra, the City of Bristol Choir and a quartet of professional operatic soloists, will create its own unique operatic story using the music of the great operatic composers. With over 150 performers this will be an operatic extravaganza the like of which Bristol has never seen before.
Our story will not be logical, operatic tales never are, but the audience will enjoy a journey of great intensity, allowing our performers to share all the most powerful human emotions. Few will avoid a tear or a tingle down the spine during our switchback ride through the world of opera.
The magic of opera lies in the telling of a story. Opera was the original complete art form with musicians and singers combining to act out the story in the most powerful and passionate way possible.
Opera lovers will recognise much familiar music but there will be some less familiar moments too. If you think you don’t like opera, come and try it out – we’re sure you’ll be converted by the end of the evening!

Experience a rare and exciting performance full of mystery, passion and drama!

Part I: A Story, Love and Celebration

Bizet | Carmen, Act 1: Prelude

Verdi | La Traviata, Act 1: Prelude

Wagner | Der fliegende Hollander: Spinning Chorus

Tchaikovsky | Eugene Onegin, Op. 24: Waltz with Chorus, "Vot tak syurpriz!”

Donizetti | Don Pasquale, Act 3: "Tornami a dir che m’ami"

Mozart | The Marriage of Figaro, Act 2: "Voi, che sapete che cosa è amor”

Verdi | La Traviata: "Libiamo ne'lieti calici” 

Borodin | Prince Igor, No.12 Polovtsian Dances and Chorus: "Uletaj na kryl'jach vetra”


Part II: Intrigue, Doom and Redemption

Verdi | Rigoletto: Quartetto. "Un di, se ben rammentomi" leading to, "Bella figlia dell'amore" (Duca, Maddalena, Gilda, Rigoletto)

Donizetti | L'elisir d'amore: "Una furtiva lagrima”

Beethoven | Fidelio, Op. 72, Act 1: "O welche Lust" (Chorus of Prisoners)

Verdi | Nabucco, Introduzione: "Va Pensiero, Sull'ali Dorate”

Bizet | Carmen, Act 2: No. 11 Chanson: "Les tringles des sistres tintaient avec un éclat métallique”

Mascagni | Cavalleria rusticana: Intermezzo sinfonico

Purcell | Dido and Aeneas, Act 3, Scene II: "When I am laid in earth”

Wagner | Tristan und Isolde: Liebestod

Bizet | Carmen, Act 4: No. 25 Choeur et scène, " Les voici! Voici la quadrille!”