Kieran will sing the villainous Sorcerer in Waterperry’s Double Bill of Dido & Aeneas and Acis & Galatea.
Acis and Galatea. The ethereal nymph, Galatea, is in love with a youthful shepherd, Acis. All seems serene, until their love is threatened by the jealousy of the monstrous Polyphemus. Directed by Rebecca Meltzer (Svadba, Hansel and Gretel, Ariel, Mansfield Park) this new production celebrates the beauty of Handel’s music coupled with Waterperry’s natural spaces.
Dido and Aeneas. Tribal Queen Dido struggles to keep power in her court as Prince Aeneas comes to ask for her hand in marriage and an alliance between factions. Treachery and sedition threaten to tear a nation and a marriage asunder. Directed by Guy Withers (Peter and the Wolf, The Diary of One Who Disappeared), this beloved English operatic gem takes a dark turn in a bold new production.
Ivor Novello (tenor): Alfred Mitchell
‘Mad’ Frankie Fraser (baritone): Kieran Rayner
Clara Novello Davies, Ivor’s mother (soprano): Olivia Bell
Prison Warder (bass-baritone): Anthony Lloyd
The idol and the thug: well-known Queer Ivor Novello was the most successful composer and matinee idol of the 30s and 40s. In 1944 he was banged up in Wormwood Scrubs for fiddling his petrol coupons. He shared a cell with a homophobe: 20-year-old ‘Mad’ Frankie Fraser, the terror of South London gangland. What could possibly go wrong?
This almost-true story explores class war, electric shock treatment, the nature of masculinity – and how to rebuild a life you think is in ruins.
Music: Robert Ely
Words: Peter Scott-Presland
Director: Emily Beech
Music Director: Joe Tobin
Repetiteur: Jack Campbell
Lighting Design: John Brand
Ivor Novello (tenor): Alfred Mitchell
‘Mad’ Frankie Fraser (baritone): Kieran Rayner
Clara Novello Davies, Ivor’s mother (soprano): Olivia Bell
Prison Warder (bass-baritone): Anthony Lloyd
The idol and the thug: well-known Queer Ivor Novello was the most successful composer and matinee idol of the 30s and 40s. In 1944 he was banged up in Wormwood Scrubs for fiddling his petrol coupons. He shared a cell with a homophobe: 20-year-old ‘Mad’ Frankie Fraser, the terror of South London gangland. What could possibly go wrong?
This almost-true story explores class war, electric shock treatment, the nature of masculinity – and how to rebuild a life you think is in ruins.
Music: Robert Ely
Words: Peter Scott-Presland
Director: Emily Beech
Music Director: Joe Tobin
Repetiteur: Jack Campbell
Lighting Design: John Brand
Music: Omar Shahryar
Words: Hannah Kumari
Created by PJ Harris and Hannah Kumari
A work-in-progress performance.
In the shadow of international unrest, the increasingly militant Suffragettes plan an attack which could change the history of Woolwich Arsenal FC forever.
Annie is a football fan, and a Suffragette. Francis is a munitions factory worker, and a father. William is a Scottish immigrant and a professional footballer. When ruthless businessman Henry Norris buys ailing Woolwich Arsenal FC and attempts to displace the club north of the river, the intertwined lives of these three Woolwich residents take a dramatic turn.
Age Rating: All ages, mostly adults.
Content Advisory: to see content advisories for Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival 2023 shows, click here.
Produced by PJ Harris & Hannah Kumari, in association with English National Opera
Kieran Rayner and Gamal Khamis are one of two duos to be successfully granted a Samling and Song Residency. During this intensive week, they will be developing and polishing their interactive play/recital, What If? – a World War 1 era love story with 8 possible endings, where the audience gets to choose what happens next. The story is illuminated by beautiful German and English art song throughout. Performance details to follow.
More Details about Samling and Song from samling.org.uk:
The response to the first round of applications for our new Samling and Song residencies for singer and pianist duos has been fantastic. We asked for proposals that present art-song in new ways, to new audiences across the UK and which explore repertoire by under-represented groups.
The first two duos chosen to benefit are mezzo-soprano Shakira Tsindos and pianist Lana Bode and baritone Kieran Rayner and pianist Gamal Khamis. Over the next few months they will work with their project mentors before spending a week at Marchmont to refine and rehearse their programmes. The variety and imagination of the applications we received made it clear that art-song has a lively future and we are looking forward to following the two selected projects through to fruition.
Saturday 2nd December 2023
4:30pm at United Reformed Church, Broxbourne
A programme telling the story of Ursula and Ralph’s relationship told through Ralph’s songs and settings of Ursula’s poetry along with Ursula and Ralph’s own words taken from his letters and her biography of him and other sources.
Join DEBUT, creators of Airbnb’s No.1 Music Experience, for their intimate and fun Secret Concert at Brunel Museum’s awe-inspiring Thames Tunnel Shaft with botanical cocktails by Midnight Apothecary.
One of London’s best kept secrets, DEBUT at Brunel Museum offers magnetic performances, time to chat to your favourite musicians and the chance to discover Brunel Museum’s historic Grade II* listed Thames Tunnel Shaft.
Launched in 2017, DEBUT have hosted over 100 sold out shows, showcasing 200+ top level musicians through our intimate and fun Secret Concerts.
Crowned as Airbnb’s No.1 Music Experience and with 400 ★★★★★ reviews, it’s an experience unlike any other.
Join DEBUT, creators of Airbnb’s No.1 Music Experience, for their intimate and fun Secret Concert at the magical Shoreditch Treehouse
One of London’s best kept secrets, DEBUT at Shoreditch Treehouse offers magnetic performances, time to chat to your favourite musicians and the chance to feel at home in the heart of London.
Launched in 2017, DEBUT have hosted over 80 sold out shows at Shoreditch Treehouse (a breathtakingly beautiful bohemian loft space), showcasing 200+ top level musicians through our intimate and fun Secret Concerts.
Crowned as Airbnb’s No.1 Music Experience and with 400 ★★★★★ reviews, it’s an experience unlike any other.
In cooperation with the Vienna-Tel Aviv Vocal Connection
Strauss‘s opera Die Fledermaus, with conductor David Aronson, Shahar Choir (Gila Brill, conductor) and soloists from Israel and abroad.
David Aronson, conductor
Rosemarie Danziger, stage director
Rosalinde: Efrat Ashkenazi (The Israeli Opera)
Adele: Emily Rocha (Toronto, International Award Winning Artist)
Alfred: Franz Gürtelschmied (Bastille Opera, Paris; Graz Opera; Budapest Opera)
Eisenstein: Martin Mairinger (Klagenfurt Opera, Austria; Opéra de Lille, France; Klosterneuburg Opera, Austria; Theater an der Wien, Austria)
Frank: Kieran Rayner (Covent Garden; Welsh Opera; Scottish National Opera)
Falke: Mark Nathan (Welsh National Opera; Scottish Opera; Irish Opera)
Dr. Blind: Richard Roberts (English National Opera; Welsh National Opera; Theater Kiel, Germany; Theater Kassel, Germany)
Prince Orlofsky: Christiane Döcker: (Leipzig Opera, Germany; Klagenfurt Opera, Austria)
Ida: Sivan Keren (The Israeli Opera)
Ivan/Frosch: Joel Landshut (Actor)
In cooperation with the Vienna-Tel Aviv Vocal Connection
Strauss‘s opera Die Fledermaus, with conductor David Aronson, Shahar Choir (Gila Brill, conductor) and soloists from Israel and abroad.
David Aronson, conductor
Rosemarie Danziger, stage director
Rosalinde: Efrat Ashkenazi (The Israeli Opera)
Adele: Emily Rocha (Toronto, International Award Winning Artist)
Alfred: Franz Gürtelschmied (Bastille Opera, Paris; Graz Opera; Budapest Opera)
Eisenstein: Martin Mairinger (Klagenfurt Opera, Austria; Opéra de Lille, France; Klosterneuburg Opera, Austria; Theater an der Wien, Austria)
Frank: Kieran Rayner (Covent Garden; Welsh Opera; Scottish National Opera)
Falke: Mark Nathan (Welsh National Opera; Scottish Opera; Irish Opera)
Dr. Blind: Richard Roberts (English National Opera; Welsh National Opera; Theater Kiel, Germany; Theater Kassel, Germany)
Prince Orlofsky: Christiane Döcker: (Leipzig Opera, Germany; Klagenfurt Opera, Austria)
Ida: Sivan Keren (The Israeli Opera)
Ivan/Frosch: Joel Landshut (Actor)
In cooperation with the Vienna-Tel Aviv Vocal Connection
Strauss‘s opera Die Fledermaus, with conductor David Aronson, Shahar Choir (Gila Brill, conductor) and soloists from Israel and abroad.
David Aronson, conductor
Rosemarie Danziger, stage director
Rosalinde: Efrat Ashkenazi (The Israeli Opera)
Adele: Emily Rocha (Toronto, International Award Winning Artist)
Alfred: Franz Gürtelschmied (Bastille Opera, Paris; Graz Opera; Budapest Opera)
Eisenstein: Martin Mairinger (Klagenfurt Opera, Austria; Opéra de Lille, France; Klosterneuburg Opera, Austria; Theater an der Wien, Austria)
Frank: Kieran Rayner (Covent Garden; Welsh Opera; Scottish National Opera)
Falke: Mark Nathan (Welsh National Opera; Scottish Opera; Irish Opera)
Dr. Blind: Richard Roberts (English National Opera; Welsh National Opera; Theater Kiel, Germany; Theater Kassel, Germany)
Prince Orlofsky: Christiane Döcker: (Leipzig Opera, Germany; Klagenfurt Opera, Austria)
Ida: Sivan Keren (The Israeli Opera)
Ivan/Frosch: Joel Landshut (Actor)
- Whangārei soprano, Sophie Sparrow, for all the concerts
- Cheviot tenor, Harry Grigg, for all the concerts
- Kāpiti baritone, Kieran Rayner, for the Auckland and Wellington concerts
- Australian-Cypriot mezzo, Shakira Tsindos, for all the concerts.
- Whangārei soprano, Sophie Sparrow, for all the concerts
- Cheviot tenor, Harry Grigg, for all the concerts
- Kāpiti baritone, Kieran Rayner, for the Auckland and Wellington concerts
- Australian-Cypriot mezzo, Shakira Tsindos, for all the concerts.
An Amazing Musical Matinee!
While away your Sunday afternoon in the capable hands of the nation’s best loved raconteur, Gyles Brandreth, as he is joined by poet, comedian, songwriter and presenter Pam Ayres MBE.
Gyles Brandreth will compère live musical performances from the imagination of award-winning composer Louis Mander in his impressive catalogue of opera and musical theatre, written in collaboration with Pam Ayres, Stephen Fry and Hinge & Bracket.
Soprano: Jesscia Hopkins; Tenor: Wiliam Diggle; Baritone: Kieran Rayner; Piano: Louis Mander.
Somerset Opera present Dido and Aeneas
Directed by Guido Martin Brandis, conducted by Noah Mosley.
Experience Purcell’s timeless music performed by sublime soloists and Somerset Opera with the Taunton Sinfonietta beside the 4th Century Low Ham Mosaic. Marvel at this beautiful and ancient piece of narrative art – which depicts the tragic love story of Dido and Aeneas within the atmospheric surroundings of the Great Hall of the Museum of Somerset.
More information and tickets can be found on Somerset Opera’s website.
Somerset Opera present Dido and Aeneas
Directed by Guido Martin Brandis, conducted by Noah Mosley.
Experience Purcell’s timeless music performed by sublime soloists and Somerset Opera with the Taunton Sinfonietta beside the 4th Century Low Ham Mosaic. Marvel at this beautiful and ancient piece of narrative art – which depicts the tragic love story of Dido and Aeneas within the atmospheric surroundings of the Great Hall of the Museum of Somerset.
More information and tickets can be found on Somerset Opera’s website.
Somerset Opera present Dido and Aeneas
Directed by Guido Martin Brandis, conducted by Noah Mosley.
Experience Purcell’s timeless music performed by sublime soloists and Somerset Opera with the Taunton Sinfonietta beside the 4th Century Low Ham Mosaic. Marvel at this beautiful and ancient piece of narrative art – which depicts the tragic love story of Dido and Aeneas within the atmospheric surroundings of the Great Hall of the Museum of Somerset.
More information and tickets can be found on Somerset Opera’s website.
| Location: Waterperry Main Stage Start Time & Duration: Performances start at 6:30pm. There is one extended dining interval. Performances end at approx. 9:45pm.
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| Location: Waterperry Main Stage Start Time & Duration: Performances start at 6:30pm. There is one extended dining interval. Performances end at approx. 9:45pm.
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| Location: Waterperry Main Stage Start Time & Duration: Performances start at 6:30pm. There is one extended dining interval. Performances end at approx. 9:45pm.
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| Location: Waterperry Main Stage Start Time & Duration: Performances start at 6:30pm. There is one extended dining interval. Performances end at approx. 9:45pm.
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Kieran Rayner | Kieran Rayner – Baritone Kieran returns as a soloist with Llanelli Chamber Choir, this time to sing the bass solos in Haydn’s Creation.
What If?
An uplifting and moving concert and play combined, exploring love, loss, war, and women’s suffrage through song – where you, the audience, get to choose the direction of the story.
Kieran Rayner baritone
Gamal Khamis piano
What If? is a play and song recital combined – with a twist. At pivotal moments in the story, the audience votes to decide what the protagonist should do, changing the plot and musical programme.
Set in 1914, What If? features multiple characters acted and sung by Kieran, with piano and sound effects played by Gamal. Our story explores love, loss, friendship, war, and women’s suffrage, all while giving the audience agency over the direction of the narrative.
Whichever paths are picked, we guarantee a fulfilling and uplifting experience: an entertaining script connecting a rich selection of German and English songs, including Schubert, Robert and Clara Schumann, Ethel Smyth, Butterworth, and Finzi, alongside contemporary composers.