UCOpera

08/03/2023

We are immensely excited to formally introduce UCO2023!
As many of you know, Rory & Harry have been hard at work to produce Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah, a dramatic retelling of the apocryphal tale ‘Susannah and the Elders’.
Floyd wrote this opera in the height of the McCarthy era in the USA, it’s premiere being in 1955. UCOpera bring the tale into the present day, highlighting the pervasiveness of it’s powerful themes
We cannot wait for you all to come and watch!

https://ucopera.co.uk/current-production

08/03/2023

Introducing: Your two Producers for this year's UCOpera!

Rory Benton and Harry Robinson are thrilled to be this year’s UCO producers, final year undergraduates studying Law and History & German respectively.
Harry’s musical experience began as a chorister at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster, leading to singing in the Wi******er College Chapel Choir, where he met Rory. He was all set to sing the principal role of ‘Creonte’ in Haydn’s L'anima del filosofo, 2020’s UCOpera, but Covid got in the way, so he’s very pleased to be back.
Rory also grew up in a musical family, singing in choirs through his schooling and beyond, culminating in a leading role in last year’s University College Opera, Rameau’s La Naissance D’Osiris.
The thrill of elite stardom has, for both, matured into a wholehearted love of administration. Both have indeed realized that there is no greater happiness to be found on this earth.

Rory and Harry have been working on the Susannah project for close to a year, and are very excited to present this rich and thrilling production.

27/04/2020

UCOpera 2020 may have not been crowned with what would most definitely have been a dazzling performance. However, our chorus cannot be deterred from making and even though we are confined to our homes and scattered around the globe. Thanks to the tireless effort and enthusiasm of our choristers and the production skills of Balázs Dura-Kovács and Ben Harding, we are thrilled to share this heartwarming piece of vocal music!

UCL Music Society Symphony Chorus performs Thomas Tallis' 16th century motet during the 2020 lockdown. https://uclmusicsociety.co.uk/

14/03/2020

It is with great sadness that we have to inform you about the cancellation of this year's production 'L'anima del filosofo ossia Orfeo ed Euridice'. We have sincerely struggled with the decision but the health and safety of the company and audience need to take priority.

We will be making information available shortly about refunds of tickets which have already been purchased.

12/03/2020

With less than two weeks to go till our opening night, we will be introducing some of our production team and student principals involved in UCOpera's 2020 production of Haydn's L'anima del filosofo!

First up - a very very important person in this opera-tion...

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My role:
Producer - I create conditions for things to happen

My favourite moment in the opera:
The wedding dance which is somewhere between reeling and raving

Why should you come to watch:
Because it's the best-value opera in London, full of talented UCL students and absolutely magical music and set

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Performances: 23rd, 25th, 27th and 28th March 2020, Bloomsbury Theatre

Ticket:
Standard: £25
Concessions (60+, U18): £17
Students + UCL Staff: £9

Tickets can be bought online or by calling 020 3108 1000.

02/03/2020

At UCOpera, we prove that opera can happen anywhere, so it's no surprise that Creonte's heartfelt aria about his daughter's future is performed with a full string section and flute in halls of residence. Who said it was difficult to find rehearsal space in Central London anyway? You just have to huddle up a bit ;)

Make sure to get your tickets for L'anima del filosofo:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/event-ticketing/booking?ev=19128

Camera and Editing
Hal Pilkington

Creonte (Bass)
Harry Robinson

Flute
Helen Xinwei Chen

First Violin
Daniella Wu
Selina Yog

Second Violin
Meg Obata
Ralf Michael Yap

Viola
Zewei Jin

Cello
Emma Stallard
Áine Madden

Double Bass
Wing Koon

Production
Fabian Helmrich

30/03/2019

And here are the last three reviews of UCOpera's 2019 production. See you all in 2020!

https://pimediaonline.co.uk/arts-culture/ucl-shows-review-ucopera-presents-libuse/

https://www.spectator.co.uk/2019/03/the-most-glorious-singing-anyone-born-after-1970-will-ever-have-heard-la-forza-del-destino-reviewed/

http://www.savageonline.co.uk/our-journal/libuse/

SOPHIE PARKER reviews UCOpera’s Libuše at the Bloomsbury Theatre. University College Opera masterfully presented the British premiere of Bedřich Smetana’s 1872 opera, Libuše, at the newly refurbished Bloomsbury Theatre. As is traditional for the company, the cast and orchestra both consiste...

23/03/2019

Tonight will be our last performance of Smetana's Libuše. We would like to thank everyone involved for dedicating their time and effort to make this a truly wonderful experience.

ONLY FEW TICKETS LEFT
https://www.thebloomsbury.com/event/run/18099

Get to know the Libuše team!

ANANYA SAMUEL - STUDENT PRINCIPAL

• Who’s your character and what’s their role in the opera?

My character is Radmila. She’s one of the suits at the law firm; Libuse’s PA, Krasava’s confidant, sister to Chrudos and Stahlav + all-round excellent human being

• Favourite scene in the opera?

Ah this is so hard!! Right at the end of the first scene, Krasava is meant to drop her bag and the contents are sent flying everywhere for me to tidy up. This scene is both terrifying and refreshing because you never know how much stuff is going to fall out of the bag or where it’s going to go, so it’s really a new adventure every times we do it.

• Favourite musical moment to listen out for?

Ummmm the opening, obviously! (When Radmila gets her time to SHINE)

• Favourite Czech word you’ve learnt? … (or not learnt…….)

Look out for all a beautiful and totally accurate Czech poetry that William Bennett will undoubtedly spout on the night.

• What do you think makes this opera special?

THERE ARE NO DEATHS!!!!

• What’s it like working with the pros?

So terrifying but also SO, SO fun! We all just had a massive Disney singalong in our break, which it exactly the kind of rehearsal vibes we have going. They’re all incredibly talented, supportive, and kind.

• Why, according to you, should people come and see the opera?

Honestly, our reimagined Libuse has so much more relatable content than your average opera. It’s got a Suits vibe going on for lots of it, and then you’ve got the more hippie, eco-community stuff going on. I think a lot of the themes about technology and the speed of city life will be verrry familiar to anyone living in London. Also, lots of talented people have poured loads of time and effort into it, so you know it’s going to be a really great show.

22/03/2019

We have another review!

Still a few tickets left for TONIGHT and TOMORROW
https://www.thebloomsbury.com/event/run/18099

Smetana Libuše Libretto by Josef Wenzig, translated by Ervin Špindler. Sung in Czech with English surtitles Libuše – Kirstin Sharpin (soprano) Přemysl – Robert Davies (baritone) Krasava – Eve Danie…

20/03/2019

Get to know the Libuše team!
SECOND PERFORMANCE TONIGHT
https://www.thebloomsbury.com/event/run/18099

BEN HARDING - STUDENT PRINCIPAL

• Who’s your character and what’s their role in the opera?

I play Št’áhlav in the opera, he is the younger and more reserved brother of Chrudoš, with whom I am involved with in a dispute over the inheritance of our late father. Št’áhlav is a hard-working member of the firm and gets on well with his sister, Radmila; he generally wants the best for everyone and the firm, how nice!

• Favourite scene in the opera?

My favourite scene is probably Act 1 scene 2 for the simple reason that I get to shout at James (Chrudoš) a lot; although I do have to act scared of him which I’m not, obviously… no really, I’m not… ok maybe a little bit.

• Favourite musical moment to listen out for?

It would be silly if I didn’t say the “Št’áhlav tune”. It’s difficult to describe in words however there are some alternative lyrics which I’m sure, if you ask him, John (Lutobor) will indulge to sing them to you.

• Favourite Czech word you’ve learnt? … (or not learnt…….)

Na-na-na, as sung by Will Bennett (Radovan) when he can’t remember his words; I’m yet to hear of a translation, any help welcome. Love you Will.

• What do you think makes this opera special?

This opera is special to me because it’s my first but also because it’s an amazing opportunity to perform the UK premier meaning the chances are that the vast majority of the audience won’t have seen it, which is good for when you get stuff wrong! But also creates an exciting blank canvas for us and our director to work with.

• What do you think makes UCO special?

UCOpera is special because it gives students at UCL the opportunity to perform great, relatively undiscovered or forgotten, operas with highly qualified professionals to a standard that would otherwise only be possible in a fully professional production.

• What’s it like working with the pros?

It’s a really great experience getting to work with the professional principals; I have learnt a lot from rehearsing with them. They are very supportive and a great laugh as well!

• Why, according to you, should people come and see the opera?

People should come to see Libuše, because it’s a rare opportunity to see it and I think the music is knockout and so is the rest of the cast, crew and production team.

20/03/2019

Many thanks to Mark Ronan for his review!

Our thanks also go to Embassy of the Czech Republic, London for attending our opening night, who were "truly delighted with our performance and with the perfect pronunciation of the semi-ancient Czech language".

Three more performances this week, tonight, Friday and Saturday! Get your tickets here: https://www.thebloomsbury.com/event/run/18099

The wise Libuše, mythical founder of the Czech people, is the subject of this ‘festival’ opera that Smetana originally composed for the planned coronation of Austrian emperor Franz-Jose…

19/03/2019

First review!

★★★☆☆Productions of Smetana’s The Bartered Bride are common enough. Folksy and charming, if you ignore the sexual politics, it fits the cliché of 19th-century Czech music, all ribbons, flowers and...