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amateur and semi-professional groups to make new performances (like our Bach cantatas last season).

I guess this has made me think a lot about the repertoire we choose — already challenging enough, as we try not to clash with any of the other opera companies, and because we have to think first about what we can do with particular excellence.

That’s part of the reason for these special Autumn seasons — the baroque season in �0��, the very unusual �0th century season coming up (see page 50), and the Venetian extravaganza planned for �0��. There are some remarkable operas coming up in the Spring of �0�� and �0�4, too — some rare and wonderful Donizetti, we hope, some ambitious Verdi, some fantastic Gluck, and a new production of Tippett’s great King Priam.

To make these happen, we have launched Syndicates of supporters for individual shows and seasons. The syndicate members are invited to attend a series of talks and events, to meet the production teams and singers, to attend rehearsals and to feel a part of the preparation of productions. Members of the Tatyana Syndicate this season even learnt the mazurka with the cast! If you can join a syndicate, please do — our Johnny Langridge is waiting to speak to you.

James ConwayGeneral Director

At first glance, I thought this season would be easy. A revival of one of our strongest productions (Eugene Onegin) with a new cast, and a new production of Rossini’s flawless comedy The Barber of Seville looked manageable, especially with such a fine crop of singers available for the season. But the season is much bigger than this.

In fact we are touring 5 operas — two in theatres, and three others in schools, halls and studio theatres. In the Belly of a Horse (for children aged 7-��), The Feathered Ogre (4-7) and RedBlueGreen (a multidisciplinary piece for infants and children with profound learning difficulties) are being performed by artists from the company at almost every stop on tour (see page 8). The special challenges and rewards are enormous — and the liveliness and delicacy of the performances have to be seen to be believed. ETO on tour requires a lot of its artists, in terms of versatility and robust good health, but each tour is a celebration of the special talents of everyone in the company.

These days I am thinking about the ways in which our performances are different from the cinema relays of performances. Certainly this varied programme of activity for people of all ages is unlike anything on offer, anywhere else — and certainly it is a completely different kind of experience, and a different kind of attention, live in the theatre. Of course our artists are actually resident in the city/ town for a week, or part of it, sometimes collaborating with

Welcome

David Elliott (Chairman)

Judith AckrillMark BeddyBill BushVerena CornwallAmanda EchalazTim IngramJoseph KaraviotisRobin LeggateBill MasonUrsula OwenLucy Wylde

James ConwayMichael RosewellTim YeallandAlex DarbyshireSteve HawkinsShawn McCroryCaroline TressAlexa CareyJohnny LangridgeAislinn RyanJohn HolmesAndrea PerseuJohn Walker

General Director

Music Director

Artistic Associate, Education

Administrative Director

Production Manager

Artistic & Planning Administrator

Senior Finance & Administration Officer

PA to the Executives

Head Of Partnerships & Development

Partnerships & Development Officer

Marketing Manager

Senior Marketing Officer

Press & Marketing Officer

“Concert with the english Touring Opera and Crediton church choir was amazing :) great experience!!”A member of Choir of the Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross on singing Bach cantatas with ETO in Crediton.

ETO staff

ETO board of directors

�0 ��

The Barber of Seville SynopsisCount Almaviva, a Spanish nobleman, is in love with Rosina, the rich ward of Dr Bartolo, an old doctor, who plans to marry her himself.

ACT ONeScene One: Outside Dr Bartolo’s house in SevilleThe Count serenades Rosina, with the help of a group of actors and musicians. He enlists the help of Figaro, a barber, who prides himself on his ability to manage the affairs of the city. The Count makes himself known to Rosina as a poor student called Lindoro, and Figaro suggests that in order to gain admittance to the house he should pretend to be a drunken soldier billeted on Dr Bartolo.

Scene Two: Inside the houseRosina has fallen in love with her unknown admirer but Dr Bartolo has heard rumour about Almaviva’s interest in her and decides to marry her immediately. Rosina’s singing teacher, an unscrupulous priest — Don Basilio — is his confidant. Almaviva, disguised as a solider, arrives to take up his ‘billet’ with the Doctor. Rosina is delighted when he reveals that he is really her admirer. The Doctor’s annoyance at Almaviva’s behaviour causes such a row that the militia are called by the neighbours. The Count narrowly escapes arrest much to Bartolo’s annoyance.

ACT TwOLater the same dayThe Count assumes yet another disguise and enters the house as Don Alonso, a music teacher who says he has come to give Rosina her music lesson in place of Don Basilio, who, he says, has suddenly fallen ill. The Count tells Rosina that he will elope with her at midnight. To their consternation, Don Basilio unexpectedly appears and Dr Bartolo penetrates Almaviva’s disguise. He confronts Rosina with a letter she addressed to Lindoro and catches her by surprise when he makes out that Lindoro is the agent of Count Almaviva, who only wants to marry her for her money. She agrees to marry Bartolo at once and tells him about the planned elopement. After a thunderstorm, Figaro and the Count climb out of the room, through the window. Rosina repulses ‘Lindoro’ until she learns that he is himself Count Almaviva and falls into his arms. They are unable to escape, however, because Bartolo has removed the ladder. Basilio arrives with a notary to marry Rosina to her guardian, but a bribe easily persuades him to witness the marriage of Rosina to the Count instead. Bartolo and the magistrate appear too late: he is obliged to acknowledge that he has lost her.

Opposite: The Barber of Seville singers Nicholas Sharratt and Kitty whately

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�0 ��

The Barber of Seville SynopsisCount Almaviva, a Spanish nobleman, is in love with Rosina, the rich ward of Dr Bartolo, an old doctor, who plans to marry her himself.

ACT ONeScene One: Outside Dr Bartolo’s house in SevilleThe Count serenades Rosina, with the help of a group of actors and musicians. He enlists the help of Figaro, a barber, who prides himself on his ability to manage the affairs of the city. The Count makes himself known to Rosina as a poor student called Lindoro, and Figaro suggests that in order to gain admittance to the house he should pretend to be a drunken soldier billeted on Dr Bartolo.

Scene Two: Inside the houseRosina has fallen in love with her unknown admirer but Dr Bartolo has heard rumour about Almaviva’s interest in her and decides to marry her immediately. Rosina’s singing teacher, an unscrupulous priest — Don Basilio — is his confidant. Almaviva, disguised as a solider, arrives to take up his ‘billet’ with the Doctor. Rosina is delighted when he reveals that he is really her admirer. The Doctor’s annoyance at Almaviva’s behaviour causes such a row that the militia are called by the neighbours. The Count narrowly escapes arrest much to Bartolo’s annoyance.

ACT TwOLater the same dayThe Count assumes yet another disguise and enters the house as Don Alonso, a music teacher who says he has come to give Rosina her music lesson in place of Don Basilio, who, he says, has suddenly fallen ill. The Count tells Rosina that he will elope with her at midnight. To their consternation, Don Basilio unexpectedly appears and Dr Bartolo penetrates Almaviva’s disguise. He confronts Rosina with a letter she addressed to Lindoro and catches her by surprise when he makes out that Lindoro is the agent of Count Almaviva, who only wants to marry her for her money. She agrees to marry Bartolo at once and tells him about the planned elopement. After a thunderstorm, Figaro and the Count climb out of the room, through the window. Rosina repulses ‘Lindoro’ until she learns that he is himself Count Almaviva and falls into his arms. They are unable to escape, however, because Bartolo has removed the ladder. Basilio arrives with a notary to marry Rosina to her guardian, but a bribe easily persuades him to witness the marriage of Rosina to the Count instead. Bartolo and the magistrate appear too late: he is obliged to acknowledge that he has lost her.

Opposite: The Barber of Seville singers Nicholas Sharratt and Kitty whately

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�� ��

ETO Education is known in particular for its inclusive work in the area of special needs regularly, supported by the Equitable Charitable Trust. Over the last few years we have created bespoke multi-sensory operas for children with severe learning needs, many of whom are on the autistic spectrum. Last year The Fox of the Moon toured schools around the country, and travelled to Luxembourg in the summer. RedBlueGreen continues this work, and has an experiential story that takes us to the sea, to fields of sunflowers, to a blue sky made of elastic, to a hot summer’s day and a snowy night. Five highly skilled ETO performers (both singers and players) perform the opera, which has music arranged by Jonathan Kitchen, and a story devised by Tim Yealland along with designer Ruth Paton. The opera is totally interactive, and meets the needs of the individuals in the audience. As well as travelling to schools across the UK the piece travels to the Philharmonie in Luxembourg in July, under the auspices of the EME Foundation.

RedBlueGreen

Tim YeallandJonathan KitchenAbigail KellyCatrine KirkmanDavid LeoneJonathan KitchenRachel Harwood WhiteOliver Platt

dIR eCTOR

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SINgeRS

Cel lO

OBOe

ASST. dIR eCTOR

This season and last ETO has worked creatively with large numbers of students and adults in a variety of contexts. In the autumn our major project Spirit Level saw us collaborate with the Freewheelers Theatre Company in Surrey and with Sir Tom Finney Community High School in Preston. Both projects led to high profile performances (including at The Leatherhead Theatre) of a piece that explored the twin arrival of a speechless man and a white stork on a beach, and the strange relationship between man and bird. Professionals included composer Rachel Leach, percussion duo Helix Ensemble, singers Caroline Kennedy and David Leone, and designer Jude Munden.

In London meanwhile a big project with secondary schools in Barnet based on The Fairy Queen led to some 80 teenagers performing their own work at the Arts Depot in Finchley. Mad Spirits reworked ideas from Purcell’s opera and from ETO’s production. In Devon our partnership with Channings Wood Prison continued

ETO in the community

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with a powerful week with two groups of men, led by jazz composer Pete Letanka and writer Cheryl Moskewitz. Our work with Alzheimer’s sufferers in partnership with Turtle Key Arts continued in the autumn with a highly successful residency in Cambridge, hosted brilliantly by Clare College, and continues this summer in Suffolk, at the Wardens, just north of Aldeburgh. The Cambridge project followed the regular template, with �0 sessions in which dementia sufferers were joined by students and professionals, leading eventually to a performance at the West Road Concert Hall. We perform at the Wardens in Suffolk in June. Meanwhile school projects this spring and summer see us delivering workshops at the National Portrait Gallery and residencies in schools in Ealing, Chingford, Bath and Chipping Sodbury.

Tim Yealland,Artistic Associate, Education

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�� ��

ETO Education is known in particular for its inclusive work in the area of special needs regularly, supported by the Equitable Charitable Trust. Over the last few years we have created bespoke multi-sensory operas for children with severe learning needs, many of whom are on the autistic spectrum. Last year The Fox of the Moon toured schools around the country, and travelled to Luxembourg in the summer. RedBlueGreen continues this work, and has an experiential story that takes us to the sea, to fields of sunflowers, to a blue sky made of elastic, to a hot summer’s day and a snowy night. Five highly skilled ETO performers (both singers and players) perform the opera, which has music arranged by Jonathan Kitchen, and a story devised by Tim Yealland along with designer Ruth Paton. The opera is totally interactive, and meets the needs of the individuals in the audience. As well as travelling to schools across the UK the piece travels to the Philharmonie in Luxembourg in July, under the auspices of the EME Foundation.

RedBlueGreen

Tim YeallandJonathan KitchenAbigail KellyCatrine KirkmanDavid LeoneJonathan KitchenRachel Harwood WhiteOliver Platt

dIR eCTOR

A R R A NgeR

SINgeRS

Cel lO

OBOe

ASST. dIR eCTOR

This season and last ETO has worked creatively with large numbers of students and adults in a variety of contexts. In the autumn our major project Spirit Level saw us collaborate with the Freewheelers Theatre Company in Surrey and with Sir Tom Finney Community High School in Preston. Both projects led to high profile performances (including at The Leatherhead Theatre) of a piece that explored the twin arrival of a speechless man and a white stork on a beach, and the strange relationship between man and bird. Professionals included composer Rachel Leach, percussion duo Helix Ensemble, singers Caroline Kennedy and David Leone, and designer Jude Munden.

In London meanwhile a big project with secondary schools in Barnet based on The Fairy Queen led to some 80 teenagers performing their own work at the Arts Depot in Finchley. Mad Spirits reworked ideas from Purcell’s opera and from ETO’s production. In Devon our partnership with Channings Wood Prison continued

ETO in the community

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ndre

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with a powerful week with two groups of men, led by jazz composer Pete Letanka and writer Cheryl Moskewitz. Our work with Alzheimer’s sufferers in partnership with Turtle Key Arts continued in the autumn with a highly successful residency in Cambridge, hosted brilliantly by Clare College, and continues this summer in Suffolk, at the Wardens, just north of Aldeburgh. The Cambridge project followed the regular template, with �0 sessions in which dementia sufferers were joined by students and professionals, leading eventually to a performance at the West Road Concert Hall. We perform at the Wardens in Suffolk in June. Meanwhile school projects this spring and summer see us delivering workshops at the National Portrait Gallery and residencies in schools in Ealing, Chingford, Bath and Chipping Sodbury.

Tim Yealland,Artistic Associate, Education

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