Difference between revisions of "University of Cape Town Opera Company"
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==Productions== | ==Productions== | ||
| − | The Opera School was prolific in staging opera performances, and within its first decadee, the students had performed in forty different operas in 650 performances in the [[Little Theatre]], with [[Erik Chisholm]] as conductor of the [[University Orchestra]]. This company also travelled the countryside to towns like Swellendam, Riversdale, King William’s Town, Grahamstown, Cradock, Graaff-Reinet, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Kimberley, Bloemfontein, Pretoria, and the former Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). | + | The Opera School was prolific in staging opera performances, and within its first decadee, the students had performed in forty different operas in 650 performances in the [[Little Theatre]], with [[Erik Chisholm]] as conductor of the [[University Orchestra]]. This company also travelled the countryside to towns like Swellendam, Riversdale, King William’s Town, Grahamstown, Cradock, Graaff-Reinet, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Kimberley, Bloemfontein, Pretoria, and and Namibia and the former Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). |
Works performed included Mozart’s ''[[Le nozze di Figaro]]'', ''[[Die Zauberflöte]]'' and ''[[Don Giovanni]]'', Puccini’s ''[[Tosca]]'' and ''[[Turandot]]'', Verdi’s ''[[Falstaff]]'', and Rossini’s ''[[Il barbiere di Siviglia]]''. Among the other Italian works staged were Donizetti’s ''[[Don Pasquale]]'', Bellini’s ''[[La sonnambula]]'', Puccini’s ''[[La bohème]]'', and in the early years Gluck’s ''[[Orfeo ed Euridice]]'' and ''[[Iphegenia in Tauris]]''. Other works included Humperdinck’s ''[[Hänsel und Gretel]]''. A number of English-language operas were performed, especially the works of Menotti, including ''[[The Telephone]]'', ''[[The Medium]]'' and ''[[The Consul]]''. | Works performed included Mozart’s ''[[Le nozze di Figaro]]'', ''[[Die Zauberflöte]]'' and ''[[Don Giovanni]]'', Puccini’s ''[[Tosca]]'' and ''[[Turandot]]'', Verdi’s ''[[Falstaff]]'', and Rossini’s ''[[Il barbiere di Siviglia]]''. Among the other Italian works staged were Donizetti’s ''[[Don Pasquale]]'', Bellini’s ''[[La sonnambula]]'', Puccini’s ''[[La bohème]]'', and in the early years Gluck’s ''[[Orfeo ed Euridice]]'' and ''[[Iphegenia in Tauris]]''. Other works included Humperdinck’s ''[[Hänsel und Gretel]]''. A number of English-language operas were performed, especially the works of Menotti, including ''[[The Telephone]]'', ''[[The Medium]]'' and ''[[The Consul]]''. | ||
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Productions included: | Productions included: | ||
| − | 1952: ''[[Dark Sonnet]]'', ''[[Tafelberg se Kleed]]'' ("Table Mountain’s Cloth"), performed in Afrikaans | + | 1952: ''[[Dark Sonnet]]'', ''[[Tafelberg se Kleed]]'' ("Table Mountain’s Cloth"), performed in Afrikaans; on tour (April): ''[[Suor Angelica]]'', ''[[La serva padrona]]'', ''[[The Telephone]]'' and ''[[The Medium]]''. |
1953: ''[[The Inland Woman]]'' | 1953: ''[[The Inland Woman]]'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1956/1957: Tour to London and Glasgow with Bartok's opera ''[[Bluebeard]]'', with [[Desiree Talbot]] as Judith and [[Gregorio Fiasconaro]] as Duke Bluebeard at Chisholm's Festival of South African Music and Musicians performed by College of Music staff and students. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1960: ''[[Die Zauberflöte]]'' in Afrikaans (at the Union Festival in Bloemfontein) | ||
1961: ''[[Silas Marner]]'' | 1961: ''[[Silas Marner]]'' | ||
| − | + | 1962: ''[[The Portuguese Inn]]'', ''[[La serva padrona]]'' | |
| + | |||
| + | 1963: ''[[Don Pasquale]]'' in Afrikaans; ''[[Tosca]]'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1964: ''[[Otello]]'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1965: ''[[Otello]]''; ''[[Turandot]]'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1973: ''[[The Contract]]'' | ||
| − | + | 1975: ''[[Die Noodsein]]'' | |
Other prodoctions performed in Afrikaans include: | Other prodoctions performed in Afrikaans include: | ||
* ''[[Klutaimnestra]]'' | * ''[[Klutaimnestra]]'' | ||
| − | + | ||
* the operetta ''[[Lentelief]]'' ("Spring Love") | * the operetta ''[[Lentelief]]'' ("Spring Love") | ||
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[[Wayne Muller]]. 2018. A reception history of opera in Cape Town: Tracing the development of a distinctly South African operatic aesthetic (1985–2015). Unpublished PhD thesis. | [[Wayne Muller]]. 2018. A reception history of opera in Cape Town: Tracing the development of a distinctly South African operatic aesthetic (1985–2015). Unpublished PhD thesis. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Sjoerd Alkema]]. 2012. "Conductors of the Cape Town Municipal Orchestra, 1914-1965: a historical perspective". [[University of Cape Town]]. Unpublished PhD thesis. | ||
== Return to == | == Return to == | ||
Latest revision as of 18:06, 8 March 2024
The University of Cape Town Opera Company was the affiliated performance company of the University of Cape Town Opera School.
Purpose and History
Established in 1951.
Productions
The Opera School was prolific in staging opera performances, and within its first decadee, the students had performed in forty different operas in 650 performances in the Little Theatre, with Erik Chisholm as conductor of the University Orchestra. This company also travelled the countryside to towns like Swellendam, Riversdale, King William’s Town, Grahamstown, Cradock, Graaff-Reinet, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Kimberley, Bloemfontein, Pretoria, and and Namibia and the former Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
Works performed included Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Die Zauberflöte and Don Giovanni, Puccini’s Tosca and Turandot, Verdi’s Falstaff, and Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia. Among the other Italian works staged were Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, Bellini’s La sonnambula, Puccini’s La bohème, and in the early years Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice and Iphegenia in Tauris. Other works included Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel. A number of English-language operas were performed, especially the works of Menotti, including The Telephone, The Medium and The Consul.
The UCT Opera Company also performed operas in Afrikaans, and Afrikaans operas were composed for this company.
Productions included:
1952: Dark Sonnet, Tafelberg se Kleed ("Table Mountain’s Cloth"), performed in Afrikaans; on tour (April): Suor Angelica, La serva padrona, The Telephone and The Medium.
1953: The Inland Woman
1956/1957: Tour to London and Glasgow with Bartok's opera Bluebeard, with Desiree Talbot as Judith and Gregorio Fiasconaro as Duke Bluebeard at Chisholm's Festival of South African Music and Musicians performed by College of Music staff and students.
1960: Die Zauberflöte in Afrikaans (at the Union Festival in Bloemfontein)
1961: Silas Marner
1962: The Portuguese Inn, La serva padrona
1963: Don Pasquale in Afrikaans; Tosca
1964: Otello
1973: The Contract
1975: Die Noodsein
Other prodoctions performed in Afrikaans include:
- the operetta Lentelief ("Spring Love")
Sources
Wayne Muller. 2018. A reception history of opera in Cape Town: Tracing the development of a distinctly South African operatic aesthetic (1985–2015). Unpublished PhD thesis.
Sjoerd Alkema. 2012. "Conductors of the Cape Town Municipal Orchestra, 1914-1965: a historical perspective". University of Cape Town. Unpublished PhD thesis.
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