Gualtiero – Il Pirata himself – was Imogene’s first love, but he has been a pirate on the high seas since a feud with Ernesto. Imogene was forced to marry Ernesto and together they have a son. The opera opens with a storm and Gualtiero is shipwrecked on the rocks of Ernesto’s island… the drama begins! As Gualtiero and Ernesto fight over Imogene, who will emerge victorious? You’ll have to come along and find out!
We’ve started rehearsals already, all my cast mates and the creative team are both talented and lovely (ideal!), already I can tell this is going to be a special show.
Performances are on 13th, 15th & 16th February at 5:30pm.
Gates open: 4:30pm
Dinner interval: 6.30 – 7.30pm.
CAST:
Imogene: Rebecca Ryan
Gualtiero: Zachary McCulloch
Ernesto: Kieran Rayner
Itulbo: Scott Biezett
Adele: Alexandra Appleby Woodhouse
Solitario: William McElwee
Director: Rhona Fraser
Conductor: Mark Carter
Repetiteur: Catherine Norton
Sung in Italian with chorus and orchestra.
Address:
Canna House
24 Moana Rd, Days Bay
Wellington
Gualtiero – Il Pirata himself – was Imogene’s first love, but he has been a pirate on the high seas since a feud with Ernesto. Imogene was forced to marry Ernesto and together they have a son. The opera opens with a storm and Gualtiero is shipwrecked on the rocks of Ernesto’s island… the drama begins! As Gualtiero and Ernesto fight over Imogene, who will emerge victorious? You’ll have to come along and find out!
We’ve started rehearsals already, all my cast mates and the creative team are both talented and lovely (ideal!), already I can tell this is going to be a special show.
Performances are on 13th, 15th & 16th February at 5:30pm.
Gates open: 4:30pm
Dinner interval: 6.30 – 7.30pm.
CAST:
Imogene: Rebecca Ryan
Gualtiero: Zachary McCulloch
Ernesto: Kieran Rayner
Itulbo: Scott Biezett
Adele: Alexandra Appleby Woodhouse
Solitario: William McElwee
Director: Rhona Fraser
Conductor: Mark Carter
Repetiteur: Catherine Norton
Sung in Italian with chorus and orchestra.
Address:
Canna House
24 Moana Rd, Days Bay
Wellington
Great Orchestra Experiment 2025
Bookings for the Great Orchestra Experiment 2025 are now open! Join us on an epic musical journey led by the fantastic Robin Hood Youth Orchestra on the 26th March 2025 at the Albert Hall, Nottingham.
Kieran will sing the Lead Judge in the court scene from Aida, leading a chorus of primary school students on a wonderful journey through what will be, for many of them, their first operatic experience.
GOE is an exciting interactive concert for pupils learning an instrument as part of our Whole Class Ensemble (WCE) Programme (usually year 4). This year the event will take place on 26th March 2025 in three separate sessions. If your school has not received an invitation to book yet, please email rebecca.hart@nottinghammusichub.org.uk
Great Orchestra Experiment 2024
1767 city pupils
41 primary schools
3 concerts in one day!
We had an absolutely smashing Great Orchestra Experiment this year, with more students than ever taking part in our live event at the Albert Hall on 20th March 2024. We are so proud of the Robin Hood Youth Orchestra (RHYO) for leading such an inspirational performance for primary school pupils from across Nottingham City. We hope to see many of the primary pupils in RHYO in a few years time!
A special and profound Good Friday church service in which Stainer’s iconic choral work, The Crucifixion, will be used to narrate the events of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. It is comprised of sacred music for choir and organ, and well-known congregational hymns. The solos will be sung by renowned professionals: Jeff Stewart (tenor) and Kieran Rayner (bass).
The Dowager’s Oyster – An Operetta
Presented by Cantata Dramatica
Music: Louis Mander
Lyrics: Jack Cherry & George Logan
Performance date: Thursday 8 th May, 2025
Venue: The Reform Club, Pall Mall, London
Production team
MD – Louis Mander
Director – Peter Champness
Producer/Designer – Louisa Petais
The Dowager’s Oyster is a comic operetta composed by Louis Mander with a
libretto by Jack Cherry. It premiered in 2016 at the Grimeborn Festival in
London’s Arcola Theatre. The operetta is set in 1924, blending murder mystery
with comedic farce, often compared stylistically to Agatha Christie’s intrigue
and the humor of Gilbert and Sullivan. The plot follows Lady Tindale (the
Dowager) and her daughter Cynthia as they travel to France for a holiday. The
trip is peppered with gossip, misunderstandings, and scandal involving
Cynthia’s fiancé, Freddy, who is secretly in Morocco with his lover. The story
takes a darker turn when the Dowager is murdered during a lunch, leading to a
whodunnit investigation by Dr. Gibaud, a pompous detective. The operetta
combines satire, wit, and social commentary, making it a lighthearted yet
sharp theatrical piece. Louis Mander’s composition received praise for its
engaging musical style, while the production was noted for its vibrant portrayal
of 1920s settings and eccentric characters.
What path will our river take to the sea?
England, 1914. Young bookseller Max and his best friend Sam have both fallen for Lily, a suffragette. As World War I unfolds, will Max follow patriotic Sam and enlist, or stay and campaign for social reform with Lily? Be it in cruel trenches or impoverished streets, turmoil is inevitable. Navigating war, politics, love, and brotherhood, Max must choose between desire and loyalty, between his duty and principles. What will he do? That’s where you come in…
Kieran Rayner’s moving and entertaining story, with himself singing and the wonderful Gamal Khamis on piano, combines live classical music with a branching narrative where the audience votes on what happens, shaping the plot and musical programme. Featuring songs by Finzi, Butterworth, Schubert, Robert &Clara Schumann, Ethel Smyth and more, What If? is an unforgettable evening of choose-your-own-adventure with song at its soul.
Suggested Age: 12+