Cherry Potts, Writer

Tag: Opera

  • Who are all these people?

    Who are all these people?

    We are a reading household (there’s a surprise) and an oft-quoted  exclamation, when one of us, uninvited, reads an extract from the current book to the other is ‘Who are all these people?’ I think it’s from a Peter Nichols play but I could be wrong – we are also very poor on attribution. So…

  • Singing in a veil

    A new experience, singing whilst dressed as a nun. Apparently the costumes are borrowed from a production of Sister Act, and fit where they touch – A’s ‘cutty sark’ needs letting down about a foot so we don’t see her stripey socks until we are meant to. (I like the strategically placed light, it gives…

  • What a difference a floor makes

    First stage rehearsal for The Adventures of Count Ory last night, and although there’s still some work to do on the seating, the stage is pretty much set up. Fantastic ‘stone slab’ flooring that will double as the town square and the castle. Bent-wood chairs have replaced the heavy cushioned metal ones that the audience…

  • Hooray Henries dress as Nuns and break into wine cellar

    If that sounds like the plot of an opera, it’s because it is. Tue 15th, Wed 16th, Fri 18th Jul 19.00h Sun 20th Jul 14:30h The Adventures of Count Ory (think Tintin crossed with Don Juan) a cartoonish take on Rossini’s le Comte d’Ory is the latest production from the ever wonderful Blackheath Halls, and…

  • Orpheus and Eurydice at the Platform

    Come and watch/listen to English Pocket Opera Company‘s production of Gluck’s masterpiece, Orpheus & Eurydice. 21st – 26th January, at the Platform Theatre, Central St Martin’s, Handyside Street King’s Cross London N1C 4AA Short sharp and sweet, we’ll take you to hell and back, with the eccentric story of Orpheus I don’t think I will…

  • Oh the weeping and the wailing

    The trouble with having a brilliant time at Blackheath Halls prancing about singing is that inevitably it comes to an end. The party helps make the break, and it was good to hear from orchestra members how much they enjoyed the process too, and either wanted to know what on earth we did to Macbeth…

  • The performing bug

    It’s the last performance of Macbeth on Sunday and from previous experience I know we will have withdrawal symptoms.  I think it was after Elixir of Love that we bumped into fellow chorus members at the Maritime Museum and practical had a keening session on the subject of how bereft we felt. Years ago I…

  • Musical storytelling

    Last night, before the performance Chris Rolls (director) reminded us that it is easy at a second performance to think, right I’ve done that now, and to slacken off a bit. Don’t let it get comfortable, he said. Good advice.  We didn’t. However the advantage of having done a full performance with audience was that…

  • Macbeth first night shakes the walls

    Macbeth first night shakes the walls

    I don’t know how I didn’t notice in rehearsal, but when we are waiting in the dressing room, we can not only hear the overture, we can feel it, the drums and brass rumble through the floor and the walls shake slightly. I can only assume that they’d been holding back a bit until now!…

  • Reading at Brixton BookJam: Opera first night nerves

    First night nerves not about the Book Jam, but about the Opera which starts tonight (there are a very few tickets left – you’ll be sorry you missed it!) I was a bit uneasy about yet another night out in a week of performances, but thought, what the hell, I’ll ask to go on early.…