Opera Anywhere
HUMPERDINCK: HANSEL & GRETEL
Sunningwell Village Hall
Friday, 7pm
Tickets: https://operaanywhere.com
Opera Anywhere updates Humperdinck’s classic fairytale opera to wartime Britain. It’s Christmas Eve 1938, and Harry and Gracie have been evacuated to the countryside into a bleak new existence with a cruel foster mother. Their fairytale book, a gift from their parents, offers an escape into a different, magical world. This new take on an old favourite is one for all the family to enjoy.
The League of Harmony
A TALE OF TWO CITIES
Wolvercote Baptist Church
Friday, 7.30pm
Tickets: 01865 305305 or ticketsoxford.com
Rosemary Edwards (baroque cello) and Mike Parker (single action harp) recreate the salons of late 18thcentury London and Paris in this intimate recital, which features a selection of chamber music pieces that show the contrasting styles of the English and French composers of the day. So sit back, relax and let yourself be transported back in time to a golden era of classical music.
Intermezzo Chamber Choir
SONGS OF THE NORTH
St John the Evangelist Church
Saturday, 7.30pm
Tickets: www.sje-oxford.org
Oxford’s summer vacation choir – which includes singers from some of the city’s finest choirs, such as Oxford Bach Choir and Commotio – presents an unusual programme of music from or relating to Finland, Norway, Sweden, Latvia, Estonia, Canada and Scotland. Highlights include the newest choral work from Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, And I Heard a Voice, Scottish composer James MacMillan’s The Gallant Weaver, Rihards Dubra’s Duo Seraphimand Erik Esenvalds’ The First Tears.
Singing For Syrians
VERDI’S REQUIEM- in aid of ‘Singing for Syrians’ plus Oxford workshop
The workshop takes place on Saturday at Rye St Antony School in Oxford
Conductor and choral director, Janet Lincé, is bringing together talented performers from across the region, to join her Corona Orchestra and the Oxford Chorus, in the Concert Hall, Reading in October. (verdirequiemreading.com)
In addition, a workshop hosted by Janet Lincé’s choral ensemble, CHOROS, will explore the vocal skills needed to perform this exhilarating work, coached by vocal technique experts, Dr Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher. The workshop takes place on Saturday at Rye St Antony School in Oxford. .eventbrite.co.uk/e/verdi-requiem-workshop-tickets-63455011648
Janet Lincé, formed Corona Strings in 2012 from a fine pool of professional players in Oxfordshire and beyond. Rapidly becoming a strong, cohesive ensemble, performing regular concerts in and around Oxford and establishing a reputation for dynamic sound and sensitive playing, the group’s repertoire ranges from the Romantic ‘greats’, music of the 20th century to exciting contemporary works. For this concert the orchestra will be augmented by section players, gathered together specifically for the project.
With their flexible approach to singing and exciting sound, The Oxford Chorus made their first appearance in 2015 in a performance of Holst’s ‘The Planets’ and Debussy’s ‘Nocturnes’, and more recently in Beethoven‘s Symphony no. 9 (the ‘Choral’) at the Sheldonian, both with Oxford Symphony Orchestra. Many of the singers also performed in a memorable performance of Britten’s ‘War Requiem’ conducted by Janet Lincé, which was given at Guildford Cathedral in 2011 in aid of Help for Heroes. The choir is made up of experienced choral singers from several chamber choirs and choruses in Oxfordshire and the South-East.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/verdi-requiem-workshop-tickets-63455011648
Music at St Peter’s
BARBICAN STRING QUARTET
St Peter’s Church, Wallingford
Saturday, 8pm
Tickets: https://musicatstpeterswallingford.org.uk
Founded at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2014, the Barbican String Quartet has been hailed by The Telegraphfor its “blazing and unusually forthright performance” and was a 2018 winner of the St Martin’s Chamber Music competition. The foursome – violinists Amarins Wierdsma and Timothy Crawford, violist Christoph Slenczka and cellist Yoanna Prodanova – come to Wallingford with a programme showcasing Viennese string quartets by Mozart, Brahms and Webern.
Oxford Coffee Concerts
CARDUCCI STRING QUARTET
Holywell Music Room
Sunday, 11.15am
Tickets: 01865 305305 or www.ticketsoxford.com
A regular visitor to Oxford, the Carducci String Quartet makes a welcome return to the Holywell with two Bartok pieces, String Quartet No.3 Sz 85and Romanian Folk Dances, and Haydn’sString Quartet in D major, Op.20 No.4. With Matthew Denton and Michelle Fleming (violins), Eoin Schmidt-Martin (viola) and Emma Denton (cello).
Lesley Garrett, Soprano
AN AUDIENCE WITH LESLEY GARRETT
Oxford Playhouse
Monday, 7.30pm
Tickets: 01865 305305 or www.ticketsoxford.com
Okay, this comes just after the weekend, but it’s too good to miss. One of Britain’s best-loved sopranos, Lesley Garrett – described by the Daily Mail as “a down-to-earth Northerner …with a glorious voice” – gives some fascinating insights into her singing career with anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories in conversation with acclaimed pianist Anna Tilbrook, who also accompanies her in a selection of operatic treats.
By Nicola Lisle
