North Star Opera

opera in the community

Gala Concert

Classical favourites bring house down at Opera extravaganza

WELL-DESERVED whoops, claps, cheers and stamping feet saluted the cast of the North Star Opera company as the curtain fell following their outstanding performance at the Lowther Pavilion.

Artistic director and tenor Michael Boe, brother of the internationally-famous Fleetwood opera singer Alfie Boe, together with musical director Sean Ashmore, presented a varied and challenging programme of classical favourites and new offerings from such as Puccini, Verdi, Bizet, Strauss, Donizetti, Dvorak and Offenbach for their “Opera Gala for a Summer’s Evening”.

The  Pavilion audience especially liked The Anvil Chorus; The Humming Chorus; vibrant excerpts from Bizet’s Carmen; the melodious Nuns’ Chorus and the rousing finale which featured Puccini’s Turandot and songs from Les Miserables.

Jane Hyde produced a sensitive and haunting La Vergine degli Angeli from La Forza del Destino and Kate Rothwell and Helen Gregory’s sang a delightful Barcarolle from Les Contes d’Hoffmann.

Equally impressive was the powerful performance from Laura Hudson; the heart-melting, old-fashioned charm of Bill and Margaret Steel; Margo Wright’s pure, clear soprano and the vocal expertise of Michael Boe.

Naked Aria

• "Wow! Fan-flipping-tastic" (cleaned up version)

• "loved the show, particularly the originality of the setting for each piece."

• So funny, marvellous visualisations and just super singing"

• "So professional... they are professional musicians, surely?"

• "A wonderful delight from start to finish"

• "Why did the witches have to put on overalls - I didn't get it"

Puccini - Love, Passion, Death

"Puccini at its best. What a stunning achievement"

With this intriguing title North Star Opera explored aspects of Puccini who was a master at comprehending the complex emotions of life and death. A cleverly executed programme showed four extended scenes from the best known Puccini works, which were all concerned with the conflicting strong emotions of the title.

This group is attracting an ever increasing pool of exceptional talent. All the excerpts were brilliantly carried off using only a minimalist stage set.

Sean Ashmore marshalled his orchestral forces expertly in the pit, and he, along with Michael Boe (Artistic Director), conceived and carried off this wonderful evening. The audience were treated to not just one feast of emotions but four, which left them drained yet exhilarated at the sheer quality of performance.  BRAVO !!         ©  PDH

Marriage of Figaro

A most auspicious production for this talented company. Mozart's comic opera was a good choice and done "properly", (i.e. without directorial foibles), and it served to show off the undoubted qualities of North Star Opera.

The ladies have the telling roles in The Marriage of Figaro, and created some magical moments, particularly, Pat Pictor (Countess) in her impassioned second solo (Dove Sono). So too was the letter duet with Susanna.

Joan Aitchison was an effervescent Susanna and portrayed this busy role brilliantly, and she had an excellent rapport with Barrie Wright (Figaro). In turn, his solos were well performed, increasing in intensity till the climactic excitement of the Act IV denouement.

Michael Boe was commanding in his role of the Count and of course directed the performance overall, showing a fine combination of talents!

Ann-Mare Brewer (Cherubino) enhanced the performance with a clever, controlled ease. Smaller parts too were most competently done, especially in the ensemble numbers.

Sean Ashmore handled his small forces well and set attractive tempi, so that the words of this translation were heard to greater effect.

A noteworthy inception for this new company, as this production had the Mozartian "fizz"