Opera Triple Bill, November 2022

This autumn Guildhall School's Opera department presented a triple bill of operatic works by Massenet, Smyth and Rota. All following the arc of love and identity, the three rarely performed works were conducted by Dominic Wheeler and directed by Rodula Gaitanou.

Centred on love, regret and hierarchy, Massenet’s Le Portrait de Manon is a heart-warming tale of longing and perseverance. First performed in 1894, the opera only enjoyed six years of success before falling out of the repertory.  

First performed in 1923, Smyth’s Fête Galante features libretto written by herself in collaboration with war poet Edward Shanks. Dame Ethel Smyth’s is the fifth of her six operas, based on the themes of mistaken identity and disguise.   

Though known best for his film scores, composer Nino Rota penned 10 operas in his life, I due timidi is a one-act opera originally written for radio and first performed in 1950. Best described as a romance gone wrong, this surprising and comedic work features moments of tenderness, shyness and everything in between. 

Please note this production contains strobe, haze, violent themes and depictions of suicide.

Watch the production

The videos below, each featuring a different cast, will be available to watch until Friday 16 December 2022.

Performance filmed on Friday 11 November 2022

Performance filmed on Friday 14 November 2022