City News

Birmingham’s leading amateur opera company, which has a Midland-wide membership, is hitting a high note this month with its fully orchestrated production of Verdi’s ‘A Masked Ball’.

A specially adapted score by composer and former BBC chief conductor Eric Wetherell and thousands of pounds worth of orchestral sponsorship from leading commercial property developer Stoford will help Midland Music Makers to provide a feast of entertainment.

The lively score will be played by members of the Midland-based Queens Park Sinfonia, a five-year-old chamber orchestra of talented young musicians, most of whom are recent Birmingham Conservatoire graduates. Musical direction is by professional musician and vocal coach Phil Ypres-Smith, who is also head of music at St George’s Church, Edgbaston and works as an audiologist at City Hospital.

Directed by professional classical soprano soloist and Edgbaston High School teacher Rachel Skinner, the spectacular production sung in English and featuring wigs, masks and beautiful dresses will be held at the Crescent Theatre, Birmingham on October 30-31 and November 2-3.

UCE Theatre Design student Chloe Gamby is designing costumes and an unusual and imaginative set that will evoke the pomp of the 18th century Swedish court, while Theatre Direction student Elisa Amesbury will be travelling to rehearsals from Bristol to assist with character development. 

Solihull singers Kym Sheargold and Anne Willetts will be playing the lead role of Amelia on alternate evenings. Mark Ellse from Cannock and John Kiefert from Henley-in-Arden will be the principals Ricardo and Renato respectively. Stourbridge’s Lorraine Payne is to play the ‘trouser’ role of Oscar, while Clive Thursfield from Sutton Coldfield and Roger Mann from Shropshire will play conspirators Sam and Tom.

One of Verdi’s greatest works, A Masked Ball is a three-act act opera set in 18th century Sweden at a time of political upheaval with popular King Gustavo struggling to resist his consuming attraction to Amelia his best friend’s wife – an attraction that leads to tragedy at a masked ball

MMM chair Lorraine Payne said: “This is a wonderful opera, full of colour and great tuneful music, with the opportunity for our principals and chorus to demonstrate their vocal and dramatic skills to the full. We are also delighted Stoford is sponsoring our main production for a second successive season - and we hope that a sponsor will be inspired to come forward to support our 2008 production of Carmen.”

Tickets, priced from £10.50, are available from the MMM ticket manager on 0121 778 3637, the Crescent Theatre box office on 0121 643 5858, or through the MMM website at info@midlandmusicmakers.org. Concessions include a free parking offer for parties of four. Midland Music Makers has performed challenging fully orchestrated operas in English for more than 60 years as Birmingham’s leading amateur opera company.