The Bear / Angélique
William Walton / Jacques Ibert | 10 - 20 March 2010
The Arts Centre, Playhouse
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In the intimate surrounds of the Playhouse, experience a night of comic delights.
A dispute leads to a duel in Walton's The Bear, but love eventually blossoms over loaded pistols. Based on Anton Chekov's one-act play, this caricature of love and promiscuity is peppered with affectionate parodies of Puccini, Strauss, Britten and Offenbach. Angélique drives all the men in her life to distraction - including the devil! Jacques Ibert's colourful and lively music portrays the sprightly and shrewish character, Angélique, who torments her husband Boniface until he attempts to free himself by hanging a "Wife for Sale" sign over his doorway. Angélique is returned three times, adding to Boniface's misery, before the devil arrives to whisk her off!
The double-bill features many in the cast and creative team who have been nominated in this year's Green Room awards including director Talya Masel and set designer Adam Gardnir (both nominated for Rembrandt's Wife) as well as singers Gary Rowley (Rembrandt's Wife) Andrew Collis (nominated for Don Giovanni) Samuel Dundas, Paul Biencourt and Jacob Caine (all nominated for Ariadne auf Naxos). Also included is star of the opera stage, John Bolton Wood, 2009 Victorian Opera Developing Artist, Jessica Aszodi and Theresa Borg in the title role of Angélique.
Approximately 2 hours 15 minutes including one 20 minute interval
Sung in English with Surtitles
Preview performance on 10 March
The Arts Centre, Playhouse
Monday 1 March, 6pm
Opening Night Production Sponsor: Zaffyre International
