TIL 8 June

10
Charles Johnston.
MOONLIGHT SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA RETURNS TO LONDON
The Moonlight Symphony Orchestra
recently returned from their European
tour in Vienna with performances made
in two of the world’s most famous
venues – the Wiener Konzerthaus and
the Muth Theather (the home of the
Vienna Boys Choir). Now back in
London, they will perform at St John’s
Smith Square on 22 June at 19.30.
W.A Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A
K622 was one of the final completed
works written by Mozart two months
before he died. The concerto is notable
for its delicate interplay between soloist
and Orchestra. The soloist for this
performance is Jorge Ripoll, a Spanish
Clarinettist who is currently completing
his Master’s degree at the world’s
second-best Music conservatoire, the
Royal College of Music.
G Verdi La Traviata, the fallen woman,
is an opera of three acts. The main artist
in this performance is Violeta and this
character speaks to our universal nature.
Among the soloists is British baritone,
Charles Johnston, who leads the two
young soloists for this concert. With a
repertoire ranging from Wagner to
Britten, his career highlights include
performances for English National
Opera, Gorgio Germont & Marquis
d’Obigny La Traviata, Dr Kolenaty The
Makropulos Case, Nikitich Boris
Godunov, The Cardinal The Duchess of
Malfi, 1st SS Officer The Passenger, and
the Guide Death in Venice (the latter
bringing débuts at La Scala, Milan; La
Monnaie; De Nederlandse Opera; and
the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam).
During this performance, the
audience will have the opportunity to
travel back to the 19th century and
experience an intimate romantic
atmosphere in one of the best-loved and
most frequently performed opera plays.
The Moonlight Symphony Orchestra
was founded in December 2015 by
Artistic Director Isolda Da Costa Soares.
The orchestra was created to support
and mentor young musicians and to
help them develop their skills to a
professional level.
The Orchestra is comprised of many
musicians who have graduated from
some of Europe’s leading conservatories
including the Royal College of Music,
Royal Academy of Music, Guildhall
School of Music & Drama in the UK, the
Conservatorium van Amsterdam and the
Music and Arts University of the City of
Vienna and The University of Music and
Performing Arts Vienna.
Further details are available from
www.moonlightsymphonyorchestra.com
The cast of Allelujah! with Alan Bennett and Arlene Phillips.
WORLD PREMIERE OF ALAN
BENNETT’S ALLELUJAH!
Rehearsals began this week for the
world premiere of Nicholas Hytner’s
production of Alan Bennett’s Allelujah!
at the Bridge Theatre. Designed by Bob
Crowley with choreography Arlene
Phillips, lighting by Natasha Chivers and
music by George Fenton, Allelujah! runs
from 11 July to 28 September, with
opening night on 18 July.
The Beth, an old fashioned cradle-tograve
hospital serving a town on the
edge of the Pennines, is threatened with
closure as part of an NHS efficiency
drive. Meanwhile, a documentary crew
eager to capture its fight for survival
follows the daily struggle to find beds on
the Dusty Springfield Geriatric Ward,
and the triumphs of the old people’s
choir (newest member: the Pudsey
Nightingale).
Allelujah! will be the tenth
collaboration between Bennett and
Hytner. They first worked together on
Bennett’s adaptation of The Wind in the
Willows for the National Theatre in
1990. Then followed The Madness of
King George III, The Lady in the Van and
The History Boys, all of which were also
seen on film, The Habit of Art, People
and the double bill Untold Stories.
Box Office telephone 0843 208 1846.
Photo: Luke Varley.
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