by Rose Rushe
ELLEN Kent has been a formidable force in opera and ballet production for 40 years. On Wednesday April 15, Limerick has the opportunity to attend her acclaimed ‘La Traviata’, directed and designed by her. Essentially this Verdi is the partner opera to ‘Madama Butterfly’ on what has been a six month tour covering the UK, Europe and now, Ireland.
Looking back to October, the 2nd time visit by Lieut. Pinkerton and Co was even more fabulous on return to the concert hall, a properly thrilling night of sublime music.
La Traviata’s storyline is enlivened by a love triangle, gambling and letters best left unread. Violetta Valéry (Maria Tonina) is torn between lovers, Alfredo (Georgio Meladze), Baron Douphol (Stefan Danos) and an interfering in-law.
What can we expect?
Kent makes the point that this is ‘an Ellen Kent Production’, having handpicked the orchestra from the dissolved Ukrainian opera house as well as musicians from Moldova and other parts. There is no formal partnership with another company.
The stage will host several soloists and a big cast, it’s the nature of this 1840s French riot. The chorus is principally Moldovan. Kent returned to direction and design, driven by a wish to advance on production values, and is proud of reviews won in the starchy UK press.
“This is a fabulous production,” states the determined veteran. “It’s beautiful to look at with a very handsome set design by yours truly. Each costume is bespoke from my own collection and worth about £3,000. Over a lifetime I have built up sets, costumes”.
And of course, the refinement of eye, ear and management skills gleaned through working with opera and ballet companies, especially those state funded in eastern Europe.
Click on ww.uch.ie to book this gorgeous Verdi to which audience response has been wonderful.
N.B. The concert hall’s series of Monday night Music Appreciation talks continue with Verdi’s ‘La Traviata’ being given by Dr Michael Murphy, Monday 13, UCH.
Dr Murphy is a Lecturer in Music at Mary Immaculate College, teaching courses on classical opera and nineteenth-century music, among others. He is co-editor of ‘Music in Nineteenth-Century Ireland’, has contributed to ‘The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians’ and is a subject editor for the ‘Encyclopaedia of Music in Ireland’.
Attend his first of two talks on Monday next, April 13 from 7pm to 9pm. This MIC lecturer returns on April 20 to brief the assembly on ‘Opera in Ireland’ since pre-Famine times.
A previous note wrongly identified Michael Murphy who was director of and founder of UCH as the speaker; my apology in this.
Email enquiries to mairead.tierney@uch.ie; €12 for the Music Appreciation night for Friends of UCH and €15 otherwise.
