A Rich Variety of Semi-Staged Opera Scenes & Arias

Spring is here and with it heralds the annual ‘Masterclasses’, and the subsequent Spring Opera Showcase, which offer a rich variety of semi-staged opera scenes and arias, set into context and presented by a compère, to entertain opera novices of all ages and seasoned opera lovers in equal measure.

Visitors to the Opera Masterclass (Thu 14th May, 2 – 5pm) are able to follow a performance’s journey from rehearsal to production, offering a detailed insight into the workings behind a performance.

“My enjoyment (of the Spring Opera Showcase) was greatly enhanced by attendance of the Masterclasses in the days before, where we watched the singers being trained into dramatic ensembles by some of the best teachers in the world” – Clonter’s former Chairman, Patrick Furlong

Ryan Vaughan Davies

Welsh tenor Ryan Vaughan Davies is studying his Masters of Performance with Russel Smythe at the Royal College of Music. He is the Ivor Llewelyn Foster Scholar generously supported by Monika Saunders Award. Ryan made his professional debut as Second Priest in Longborough Festival Opera’s production of Die Zauberflöte, conducted by Anthony Negus and directed by Thomas Guthrie. He has since worked with the La Serenissima for their production of Tisbe in The Buxton International Festival and at The Grange Festival for their productions of Falstaff and Belshazzar, whilst also understudying the role of Don Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro. Ryan also enjoys singing on the concert platform with recent performances in the USA and Norway. He has recently worked with Dennis O’Neill, Roger Vignoles and Stuart Burrows on performance and repertoire. He looks forward to performing in the ensemble of Puccini’s Il Tabarro at the BBC Proms.

Emyr Lloyd Jones

Emyr Lloyd Jones is a 23 year old baritone studying with Quentin Hayes. Emyr is the winner of the Elsie Thurston Prize, the James Martin Oncken Song Prize,  the Alexander Young Prize and the Manchester Welsh Society prize at the RNCM, and the Joyce Budd Prize at the Kathleen Ferrier Society Bursary for Young Singers. He has performed in the RNCM opera chorus in productions of Handel’s Theodora, Massenet’s Cendrillon and Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, and recently Pinellino in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Obstinate in Vaughan Williams’ The Pilgrim’s Progress and Officier in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmelites. During the summer of 2018, Emyr appeared at Buxton Festival Opera in a semi-staged performance of Brescianello’s Tisbe with La Serenissima. Recently Emyr was a finalist in the Frederic Cox Award. Upcoming performances include the role of Edmund Bertram in Dove’s Mansfield Park at the RNCM and Adonis in Venus and Adonis with Mid Wales Opera. Emyr will be joining Buxton Festival Opera Young Artist Program in the summer.

Emily Scott

Emily Scott is a 23 year old Soprano from the North of England. She is currently studying her Masters at the Royal College of Music with Tim Evans-Jones as her voice teacher and Gary Matthewman as her vocal coach. She is the proud recipient of the Karaviotis scholarship. Her roles performed include, Donna Anna from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Miss Jessel Turn of the Screw, the title role of Rodelinda by Handel, First Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Countess from Le Nozze di Figaro and Hero from Beatrice et Benedict. She was cast as a Hen and Voice of the Forrest in the Royal College of Music Opera School’s production of Janacek’s ‘Cunning little vixen’ and was a chorus member in the Royal Academy of Music’s production of Semele. As of April this year, Emily will studying at the Rodolfo Celletti Bel Canto Academy in Martina, Italy as a young artist.

Daniella Sicari

Daniella is an Australian/British soprano who completed her postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music under the tutelage of Mary Plazas. Performed roles include Despina (Cosi fan Tutte), La Fée (Cendrillon) and Gretel (Hansel & Gretel). She previously trained at The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts with Patricia Price. Daniella is the recipient of numerous awards such as the WA Young People & The Arts International Award, Amanda Roocroft Prize, Joyce & Michael Kennedy Strauss Prize, John Cameron Award for Lieder, Elizabeth Harwood Prize and Robin Kay Memorial Prize. She most recently came second place at the Bampton Opera Competition. She has worked with Clonter Opera for various projects including their Opera Prize (2018) School Workshops (2018), Touring Opera Gala (2018) and is delighted to be back. Recent performances include ‘Sticks’ in the UK premier of The Orphans of Koombu (Buxton International Festival) and Chorus/step out roles in Sweeney Todd with Bergen Nasjonale Opera. Upcoming engagements include Anne Egerman (A Little night Music) with Buxton International Festival and Gianetta (The Elixir of Love) with Waterperry Opera Festival in collaboration with English National Opera.

Shakira Tsindos

This year, Australian mezzo soprano Shakira Tsindos will performance Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Jill in a newly commission opera Little England, and the title role in Carmen. Shakira has been an active performer in the national and state opera companies in Australia, performing the roles of Agatha in By the Light of the Moon for Opera Australia; Dorothée in Cendrillon, Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor and Il Cucolo in La bella dormente nel bosco for Victorian Opera. Her European credits include; Second Witch in Dido and Aeneas in Maulbronn, Germany, Dorabella in Così fan tutte in Sicily and the Daughter in HERA’s production of Generation in the UK. Shakira is currently completing the Guildhall Artist Masters in Performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and has held a scholarship with the Melba Opera Trust, the Acclaim Awards and Opera Scholars Australia.

Masterclass
Thu 14th May

Tickets £5, FREE for Friends & Students
Masterclass 2 – 3.30pm

BOOK THROUGH BOX OFFICE ONLY 01260 224 514 or boxoffice@clonter.org

Spring Opera Showcase
Sat 16th May

Tickets £23, £29, £34, Students £10, Children (under 16) £8, Group discount (10%) available for parties of 10+, Early Bird discount (10%) available until 31st January

Doors Open 6pm
Performance Starts 7pm
Interval 70-minute supper interval, or bring your own (indoor) picnic

There is a fully licensed bar.

FREE parking, and you are welcome to leave your car overnight.

To help contain the spread of the Coronavirus, we have made the very difficult decision to close to the public with immediate effect until further notice. This includes ceasing to take bookings for any event prior to the Summer Opera Production at this time. We will be in touch with ticket holders in due course.