Opera group moves to bigger Riverhead Theatre venue for its third production
A fledgling operatic group with its roots in Lincolnshire is gearing up for its third production, which will include a date at a bigger venue in Louth.
Fenwold Opera is a company of students and recent alumni of the prestigious Royal North College of Music in Manchester, one of the UK’s leading conservatoires.
It is led by bass singer George Elson, who grew up in Sutton on Sea and studied at Queen Elizbeth’s Grammar School in Alford.
The group first performed in November 2024 with Mozart’s ‘Bastien und Bastienne’, which was well received at St James’s Church in Louth and Trusthorpe Methodist Church.
Fenwold Opera went on to perform Holst’s ‘The Wandering Scholar’ the following April, this time at four venues which included Louth Methodist Church and Alford Corn Exchange.
And now the group is rehearsing for a new, modern production of Handel’s tragic musical drama, ‘Hercules’, at the Riverhead Theatre in Louth on Friday, February 6 and the Sam Newsom Centre in Boston on Saturday, February 7 (both 7 pm).
Sponsorship from the Boston-based confectionery wholesaler Jakemans and the Rotary Club of Alford and Mablethorpe has allowed the group to move on to bigger venues and also expand to a cast of five singers, from the original trio.
Handel's ‘Hercules’ is an opera in all but name. It was written to be performed without costumes and staging, like an oratorio, but Handel's history as an operatic composer shines through in the intense music and heart-wrenching drama of the piece.
The story begins with Dejanira, wife of Hercules, awaiting her husband's return from battle. She shares her anguish with the herald, Lichas, and her son, Hyllus, who swears to roam the Earth until he finds his father.
Hercules returns home, glorious in battle and with the beautiful princess Iole in his captivity. Dejanira's joy is soon overtaken by jealousy, and she decides to win Hercules back by gifting him the robe of the centaur Nessus, which is poisoned, unbeknown to her, ultimately killing her husband.
Her grief is starkly opposed to the happiness of the new couple, Hyllus and Iole, who will now rule together over the city of Trachis.
In the production, the Fenwold group will be accompanied for the first time by local pianist Josh Wilkinson, who teaches in Alford.
Josh has previously worked at The Ryedale Festival, Opera North Children's Chorus and Opera Schmopera after his training at the University of York.
Heading the cast will be George Elson (Hercules), Nia Edwards (Dejanira) and Aaron Peters (Hyllus), who all recently performed in Boston with Flat Pack Music in its production of ‘Don Giovanni’, with George playing the Commendatore.
The cast is completed by Ellie Astridge (Iole) and Sam Yuen (Lichas), who will be performing in Boston for the first time, although Ellie performed alongside George and Josh in a lunchtime concert at St. James's Church, Louth last summer.
Tickets, priced £16 (£8 for under-25s), for both the Louth and Boston production are available from www.fenwoldopera.com