Fairest Isle
Jewels of British Song
A weekend of majestic British music
April 2023
A weekend of dazzling performances in beautiful Oborne, what better time to celebrate the best of British composers, poets and artists than a Coronation year.
The jewels in our Cameratina crown included a diamond team of artists and a true national treasure, the baritone Roderick Williams, as they joined Susanna Stranders on stage to explore British repertoire from across the isles and the ages.
Sir Lennox Berkeley’s one-act opera A Dinner Engagement opened our programme - directed by Roddy, it starred six of the very brightest talents in British opera and an appearance from an exciting young local talent. There was an open workshop with Roddy working closely with our artists to take their repertoire from page to stage which lead into the final song recital featuring works from Purcell to Judith Weir, the current Master of the King’s Music, bringing the weekend to a sparkling close.
A new opera for our time
HIKIKIMORI!
April 2022
During the first lockdown, young composer Zygmund de Somogyi was commissioned to write a piece that was ‘of our time’. Zyggy chose Hikikomori, the modern Japanese phenomenon in which people withdraw completely from all society for years at a time.
The new piece, a chamber opera for four voices and a piano, will be performed by Katy Thomson, Kieran Rayner, lúnó Connolly and Liam Bonthrone, with Michelle Santiago playing the piano. They will be directed by Susanna Stranders.
Not strictly speaking a Cameratina Production, but nonetheless one which we were delighted to host and help it to see its first performance in Oborne.
VIARDOT200
Pauline Viardot
Prima Donna - Composer - Muse - Inspiration
April 2022
A household name across Europe during the late 19th century, Pauline Viardot was an international opera star by 18, studied the piano with Liszt, played duets with Chopin, charmed Saint-Saëns, Berlioz, Gounod and the writer Turgenev, and hosted the greatest musical salon of her day.
Cameratina and its new artistic director, Susanna Stranders, have created a weekend combining some of the finest music of Belle Epoch Paris, Taking as its theme the bicentenary of Pauline Viardot.
With a recital by the winner of the Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize at Cardiff Singer of the World 2019, an open workshop where two young British composers will be work with with musicians to rehearse their newly-commissioned pieces, a new English translation of Viardot’s comic operetta Cinderella, culminating with an invitation into Viardot’s salon, where the audience will hear music, poetry and readings from Pauline’s circle of friends, this is Cameratina's most ambitious weekend yet.
'VIARDOT200 Taster'
Cameratina hosted a lunchtime concert at 1901 Arts Club in Waterloo. Performed by new Artistic Director, Susanna Stranders, and three rising stars of opera, Claire Lees, Katy Thompson and Kieran Rayner, the concert gave a taster of the highlights to be expected at the Viardot200 event scheduled for April 2022.
Cameratina 2019
The Bear
Williams Walton’s one-act opera, full of witty parodies, wa performed by Flora McIntosh, Pauls Putnins, Nick Fowler, Siobhan Chapman, Kelvin Lim and Nick Fowler
The Recital
Flora McIntosh and Kelvin Lim performed a varied programme, including the Wesendonck Lieder, Rachmaninov’s 2nd Piano Sonata and Pictures at an Exhibition.
Rita
The music is pure Donizetti – charming, witty, inhabiting the same world as L’elisir d’amore and Don Pasquale. Mariya Krywaniuk, Bonaventura Bottone, Pauls Putnins, Nick Fowler, and Kelvin Lim did a beautiful job giving the audience just that.
Lee Bissett
Lee was joined by Flora McIntosh and accompanied by Kelvin Lim. Pieces included Leonora's Recitative and Aria, Chrysothemis's aria and Isolde and Brangäne.
Cameratina 2018
Beggars Opera
John Gay’s treasury of satire, wit and joyful ribaldry; The Beggar´s Opera was a sensation in its day. Performed by Malcolm Rivers, Pauls Putnins, Lynsey Docherty, Flora McIntosh, Kevin West, Harriet Williams, Jon Valender and Emma Watkinson
Acis and Galatea
Handel's most popular dramatic work in his lifetime, performed by Lynsey Docherty, Flora McIntosh, Pauls Putnins.
Yaniv D’Or
A baroque recital form the renowned Israeli counter-tenor. Accompanied by Dan Tidhar, Harpsichord
