CONTACT The Grange Festival, Folly Hill Farm, Itchen Stoke, Alresford SO24 9TF 01962 791020 info@thegrangefestival.co.uk Please invite your friends to sign up to our mailing list via our website www.thegrangefestival.co.uk
The Grange Festival 2018 DANCE@THEGRANGE WITH WAYNE MCGREGOR & EDWARD WATSON June 7, 10 AGRIPPINA GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1709) The Academy of Ancient Music June 8, 16, 23, 28, July 6 THE BARBER OF SEVILLE GIOACHINO ROSSINI (1816) Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra June 9, 15, 17, 22, 27, 30 THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1782) Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra June 24, 26, 29, July 1, 7 CANDIDE LEONARD BERNSTEIN (1956) in concert with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra July 8 1
A Summer To Be Relished It is a profound joy to announce the programme for our second Festival. It gives me great delight also to welcome back all those of you who came in June and July and to extend our welcome to the many more who we will see at The Grange for our new season. I know that the word is being spread, the word of mouth on which all of us in the performing arts depend. So many of you have told us what your visit this summer meant to you, and how much you enjoyed every aspect of it. Your enthusiasm for what we managed to achieve in our first year has been humbling. We have so much more to do and hope we can rely on the generous spirit of our Friends and Founders to help us. We reach for the sky and every bit of help we have is invaluable. 2018 is a season of fun, wit, brilliance and humour. We open, though, not with an opera, but with its sister art, dance a first, not just for us, but for the whole country. The buzz around this initiative has been palpable. For the stage at The Grange to be filled with the extraordinary talents of some of the country s most admired dancers from the Royal Ballet and the Wayne McGregor company is the stuff of dreams. I urge you to take the plunge if this would not normally be top of your list. Dance at this level communicates at a spiritual level, creating images and conveying ideas and feelings of breath-catching power. And then we offer three operas and a Broadway operetta. Agrippina is Handel at his delicious best. A great showcase not only for one of our associate orchestras, The Academy of Ancient Music, but also for a cast fully immersed in the nuances and verve of this wonderful music. For The Barber of Seville, we welcome Rossini stylist David Parry and a truly starry international cast. And then there is Mozart perfect for The Grange and elegantly poised between Handel and Rossini. Operatic legend John Copley returns to direct The Abduction from the Seraglio in all its exotic quirky entertaining brilliance. We end with a celebration of the genius of Leonard Bernstein. European operetta meets south American dance rhythms via a host of other musical influences and with a Broadway/West End cast to die for. Candide was written exactly at the same time as West Side Story. If you love the latter, I suspect you might enjoy the former! We are thrilled to welcome back our other associate orchestra, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, for all these other shows. If you are already a Festival Founder or Friend, you now have some time to decide what you would like to come to. There is a lot of variety on offer for our second Festival. I hope by now you will know that whatever we put on at The Grange is done with style and at a very high musical level. Part of my job is to make sure that this is never in question. We all look forward to seeing you next year and hope we can depend on you to help spread the word to your friends, your relations and your neighbours. Together we will achieve great things in this glorious corner of Hampshire. Michael Chance Artistic Director 2 3
I would like to create an evening that places seminal pieces of our heritage repertory with newly created work Wayne McGregor Director of DANCE@THEGRANGE DANCE@THEGRANGE Curated by choreographer and director Wayne McGregor with Edward Watson June 7, 10 The Grange is a wonderful venue for dance, and audiences will be able to experience the power and visceral nature of the performers so close-up. I m delighted to be the Director of DANCE@THEGRANGE and look forward to sharing uniquely made performances especially for the festival. It has been a long-held dream of mine to curate an evening of iconic classical and modern ballet alongside incredible contemporary dance whilst at the same time trying to avoid the traditional gala format. I would like to create an evening that places seminal pieces of our heritage repertory with newly created work of innovative intensity where physicality flows seamlessly together and where each of the works is individually distinct and opens the audiences eyes to the diversity and thrill of the human form. In this first year, I have invited Edward Watson - Principal Dancer of The Royal Ballet - to co-curate the evening with me. He will steer the classical repertory choice and perform himself alongside other dancers from The Royal Ballet and Studio Wayne McGregor. I have chosen Ed because he is a phenomenal dancer and incredible artist, and has an enquiring mind. We have worked together for over 16 years and this project seems like a perfect moment to join forces and explore a new direction. So many have longed to see world-class dance at The Grange. We open the 2018 Festival with Dance - an important event in the UK s cultural diary. Wayne McGregor Director of DANCE@THEGRANGE Edward Watson performing Infra by The Royal Ballet, photo by Bill Cooper, ROH 4 5
AGRIPPINA GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1709) Sister to Caligula, wife of Claudius and mother of Nero Libretto by Cardinal Vincenzo Grimani The Academy of Ancient Music June 8, 16, 23, 28, July 6 Sung in Italian with English surtitles PRODUCTION TEAM CAST Conductor Robert Howarth Claudio Ashley Riches Musical Preparation Michael Chance Agrippina Anna Bonitatibus Director Walter Sutcliffe Nerone Raffaele Pe Designer Jon Bausor Poppea Stefanie True Lighting Design Wolfgang Goebbel Ottone Christopher Ainslie Pallante Alex Otterburn Narciso James Hall Lesbo Jonathan Best Anna Bonitatibus hit the emotional bull s eye Bachtrack Bonitatibus embodies Monteverdian singing at its finest, fusing text and line into a single expressive unit, emotions contained and vivid. The Guardian Following their five-star production of Il ritorno d Ulisse in patria, Michael Chance and Robert Howarth join forces again to lead the musical direction in another wonderful story from the classical world. After her triumphant performances in The Grange Festival s inaugural season, Anna Bonitatibus heads a world-class cast including the much sought-after countertenor Raffaele Pe, 2011 London Handel Singing Competition winner Stefanie True, and Jonathan Best making a welcome return to The Grange. Walter Sutcliffe, Northern Ireland Opera s artistic director, and his designer Jon Bausor s inspired vision brings to life the humour, satire and egomania of one of opera s most outrageous leading women. The youthful Handel packed Agrippina with the full range of his astonishing imagination, setting a libretto at once hilarious, moving and clever. Handel s music is bursting with originality and fun, as well as carefully considered moments of eye-watering beauty. 6 7
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE GIOACHINO ROSSINI (1816) Head and shoulders opera s funniest comedy Libretto by Cesare Sterbini - Pierre Beaumarchais Le Barbier de Séville (1775) Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra June 9, 15, 17, 22, 27, 30 Sung in Italian with English surtitles PRODUCTION TEAM CAST Conductor Director Designer Lighting David Parry Stephen Barlow Andrew D Edwards Howard Hudson Almaviva Rosina Figaro Basilio John Irvin Josè Maria Lo Monaco Charles Rice David Soar Bartolo Riccardo Novaro Berta Jennifer Rhys-Davies Based on the first of the Beaumarchais plays that revolve around the Almavivas and Figaro, Le Barbier de Séville. Rossini s Barber, one of operas greatest masterpieces of comedy, will be conducted by Rossini specialist David Parry. Making their Grange debuts, Stephen Barlow, Andrew Edwards and Howard Hudson reunite following their successful La bohémè, bringing sparkle, fun and finesse to an opera full of great tunes, exhilarating rhythms and electrifying ensembles. We are proud to have secured as good an international Rossini cast as can be desired. Marvel at the wit and inventiveness of the ever-resourceful Figaro in stage-managing the hilarious action and relish the delicious and infectious music. The chorus was almost a character in its own right Planet Hugill 8 9
John Copley directs a peach of an Albert Herring for The Grange Festival Bachtrack Bizet s orchestration, sparklingly dispatched by the BSO and Jean-Luc Tingard The Times THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1782) There are just as many notes as there should be. Libretto Christoph Friedrich Bretzner Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra June 24, 26, 29, July 1, 7 New translation by David Parry Sung in English with surtitles PRODUCTION TEAM CAST Conductor Director Designer Lighting Jean-Luc Tingaud John Copley Tim Reed Kevin Treacey Pasha Selim Konstanze Blonde Belmonte T.B.A. Kiandra Howarth Daisy Brown Ed Lyon Pedrillo Paul Curievici Osmin Jonathan Lemalu With five-star reviews across the board for Albert Herring, John Copley returns to direct Mozart s first comic masterpiece in a specially-commissioned English translation by David Parry. Jean-Luc Tingaud also returns to conduct the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in Mozart s life-enhancing score. No recitatives. With spoken dialogue separating arias and ensembles of wonderful brilliance, Seraglio was an instant hit. It is light-hearted, comic, and deeply affecting. Some of the music for the singers requires extreme vocal virtuosity. You will not be disappointed. The heroic Belmonte tries to rescue his beloved Konstanze from the Pasha s country-house harem. The ending is heart-warming. 10 11
Bernstein elevated musical theatre to a very sophisticated art form and clearly influenced composers like Stephen Sondheim, giving them courage to bridge the ground between it and opera. Marin Alsop CANDIDE LEONARD BERNSTEIN (1956) A mad, clever, witty, optimistic riff on the best of humankind Lyrics by Richard Wilbur, with additional lyrics by John La Touche, Dorothy Parker, Lillian Hellman, Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim; book by Hugh Wheeler, after the novel by Voltaire (1759) in concert with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra July 8 Conductor Director Alfonso Casado Christopher Luscombe A fun evening with Leonard Bernstein would inevitably lead at some stage to the piano, where the great man would fluently quote from anything from romantic symphonies to South American dances, Beatles songs, G&S, possibly via grand opera and Jewish tango. But the thing is, he would connect them all up, and bring the whole world of music together in one glorious celebration of humanity. This is what Candide is like: a mad, clever, witty, optimistic riff on the best of humankind. Never has a Broadway show been more worked on and revised, and never has a madder idea been attempted turning Voltaire s stinging satire into musical theatre. But what shines through every time is Bernstein s infectious, outrageous music. Voltaire s blast against tyranny, snobbery and false moralising is clearly felt deeply by Bernstein. And he has the genius to keep you pinned to your seat, riveted by its brilliance, while your toes will inevitably be wiggling in time with the rhythms. A star-studded cast from Broadway and the West End will bring it all to life. 12 13
FESTIVAL FOUNDERS CAN YOU HELP US? Our Festival Founders enabled us to stage our first season and re-equip our stunning home and theatre. We need more help if we are to achieve our vision and put the festival on a secure path to international excellence in the heart of Hampshire. Festival Founders have a lifetime relationship with the company with priority booking and many opportunities to be involved with the company during the year. SAMWELL FOUNDER In 1665 Robert Samwell is commissioned to design the original red brick mansion. 100,000 (with tax efficient giving can cost the donor just 55,000) WILKINS FOUNDER c1804 William Wilkins turns the 17th century house in to a Greek Temple. 50,000 (with tax efficient giving can cost the donor just 27,500) COCKERELL FOUNDER c1823 Charles Cockerell builds the Orangery as a Greek Temple. 25,000 (with tax efficient giving can cost the donor just 13,750) SMIRKE FOUNDER 1819 Greek Revival architect Robert Smirke designs what is now the link between the house and the Orangery. 10,000 (with tax efficient giving can cost the donor just 5,550) COX FOUNDER 5,000. The Cox founder level is now closed. Founders tickets will be allocated as soon as we receive your booking request. Our Director of Development, Rachel Pearson, would welcome a conversation about these Founder levels. Contact rachel@thegrangefestival.co.uk or 07881 630123. Becoming a Founder is a unique opportunity to become a co-creator of England s newest opera festival and to enjoy a special relationship with us. 14 15
FESTIVAL FRIENDS 2018 Our annual Festival Friends fuel the ambition of the festival to produce world-class opera in a world-class setting. Box Office only covers half the cost of the festival and our Friends bridge the gap. Friends of The Grange Festival enjoy priority booking, behind the scenes access to the cast and company and invitations to special events throughout the year. Please do also spread the word. Just ask if you would like more literature to send to friends and family. We can never have too many Friends. THE SWEET SPOT Suggested donations from 5,000 Every stage has that unique place that projects the voice perfectly and produces a quality of sound to tickle the hairs on the back of your neck. With this major gift you will develop a bespoke and personal relationship with the company, with invitations to events throughout the year. You can target your gift by joining a production syndicate, supporting a leading role or your chosen aspect of a production. If you have any questions, please contact Rachel Pearson to discuss on 07881 630123 or rachel@thegrangefestival.co.uk THE LIMELIGHT 2,500 Before electricity, theatres produced intense light by directing a flame at a cylinder of quicklime. You will receive an invitation for you (and your guests) to meet the cast after your visits to The Grange, an opportunity to target your gift to support a smaller role or an aspect of a production, an opportunity to attend a closed rehearsal or audition and an invitation to all special events in Hampshire and London during the year. For the above two levels, join now and your tickets will be allocated from 7 November. THE PROMPT CORNER 1,000 Every theatre needs one. Without this, it may not be alright on the night. You will receive an invitation to meet the cast after every visit to The Grange, to attend a closed rehearsal and an invitation to two special events in Hampshire and London during the year. Join now and your tickets will be allocated from 21 November. 16 17
THE ROSTRUM 500 The position of power guiding orchestra and singers with a flick of the wrist. You will receive an invitation to meet the cast after one of your visits to The Grange and to one special event in Hampshire or London. Join now and your tickets will be allocated from 5 December. THE WINGS 250 It s all happening here in the secret, silent world. Prop tables are ready, quick changes are prepared, the crew are primed, the cast are awaiting their cues. You will receive an invitation to one special event in Hampshire or London. Join now and your tickets will be allocated from 19 December. THE FOOTLIGHTS 25 Shine essential lights on the show from the edge of the stage. Enjoy priority booking in January before booking opens to the public. UNDER 35s THE HIGH FLYERS 10 Traditional scenery operators worked on the fly walks high above the stage. The Grange Festival is committed to inspiring the next generation of opera lovers. In January, High Flyers will be able to purchase any seat in the house for just 35 each. You will also be able to access free bus transfers from Basingstoke Station and a half price programme. If you require more than four seats for a performance, please contact Caroline in the Box Office caroline@thegrangefestival.co.uk 01962 791020 All levels receive priority booking. All levels except The Footlights receive recognition in the Festival Programme. Please note all Friends levels are annual memberships and expire at the end of July each year. Become a Festival Founder or a Festival Friend online at www.thegrangefestival.co.uk, by email to caroline@thegrangefestival.co.uk, by phone 01962 791020 or by post using the enclosed application form 18 19
PERFORMANCE DATES 2018 Date Performance Time THU 7 JUN DANCE@THEGRANGE 5.30PM - 9.30PM FRI 8 JUN AGRIPPINA 5.30PM - 10.00PM SAT 9 JUN THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 5.30PM - 10.00PM SUN 10 JUN DANCE@THEGRANGE 5.30PM - 9.30PM FRI 15 JUN THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 5.30PM - 10.00PM SAT 16 JUN AGRIPPINA 5.30PM - 10.00PM SUN 17 JUN THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 5.30PM - 10.00PM FRI 22 JUN THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 5.30PM - 10.00PM SAT 23 JUN AGRIPPINA 5.30PM - 10.00PM SUN 24 JUN THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO 5.30PM - 9.30PM TUE 26 JUN THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO 5.30PM - 9.30PM WED 27 JUN THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 5.30PM - 10.00PM THU 28 JUN AGRIPPINA 5.30PM - 10.00PM FRI 29 JUN THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO 5.30PM - 9.30PM SAT 30 JUN THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 5.30PM - 10.00PM SUN 1 JUL THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO 5.30PM - 9.30PM PRIORITY BOOKING INFORMATION FOUNDERS & FRIENDS 2018 It is very straightforward to gain access to priority booking for The Grange Festival by becoming either a Founder or a Friend. FESTIVAL FOUNDER The generosity of Festival Founders enabled us to establish our new company, equip the site and theatre, and stage our first season from a standing start. We continue to seek Founders who will have a long-term relationship with our creative company. Festival Founders enjoy priority ticket booking and a personal booking service. FESTIVAL FRIEND Our annual Festival Friends play an essential role in our success by helping us to bridge the gap between ticket income and the actual cost of staging the festival. Our Friends are vital to us and we could not flourish without them. For more information about becoming a Founder or Friend, please contact rachel@thegrangefestival.co.uk If you are ready to join up today, please complete, sign and return the FOUNDERS & FRIENDS 2018 form. CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES If you are interested in the range of corporate opportunites available please contact rachel@thegrangefestival.co.uk FRI 6 JUL AGRIPPINA 5.30PM - 10.00PM SAT 7 JUL THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO 5.30PM - 9.30PM SUN 8 JUL CANDIDE 5.30PM - 9.15 PM PRIORITY BOOKING OPENS TO OUR FESTIVAL FOUNDERS & 2018 FESTIVAL FRIENDS FROM 7 NOVEMBER 2017. GENERAL BOOKING OPENS ON 6 FEBRUARY 2018. 20 21
THE TICKET BOOKING FORM If you are already a Festival Founder or 2018 Festival Friend, please complete the enclosed TICKET BOOKING FORM and return it to us at The Grange Festival, Folly Hill Farm, Itchen Stoke, Alresford SO24 9TF. If you have not yet joined us as a Founder or Friend, please refer to page 21 and the separate Founders & Friends Form. Do keep a note of any requested bookings and if you need to amend anything, email caroline@thegrangefestival.co.uk or call 01962 791020 and Caroline Sheahan and her Box Office team will do their best to accommodate your changes. BOOKING CONFIRMATION Please make sure we have your email address so that we can notify you when we have received your completed booking form. ACCESS Unfortunately, our site is not easy for people who have difficulty walking, but we do our best to make it as accessible as possible. If you or a member of your party has severely restricted mobility, a buggy service will be available for your use from the car park. We offer a dedicated drop off zone and reserved car park for wheelchair users only, which must be booked in advance with Caroline in the office. Dedicated seats in the auditorium are also available. The portico, theatre terrace and restaurant entrances all have wheelchair ramps for your convenience. We can also offer assistance to your chosen dining area, and we have two wheelchairs available to borrow. Please note we do not have a hearing loop. Location Opera Ballet & Concert Rows E to M, Balcony Boxes 8 to 14 180 100 Rows C to D, N to R, Balcony Boxes 7 and 15, Circle Boxes and Sides 150 85 Rows A to B, Mimi Box and Violetta Box (each seats 2 at 130 per seat) 130 70 Balcony Box 8 to 14 Stools, Circle Stools 110 60 Balcony Box 7 and 15 Stools 60 40 Rows A and B Sides, Balcony Sides 40 35 Stools are upholstered and have back and foot rests 22 23
ARRIVAL AT THE GRANGE To immerse yourself fully in the atmosphere and beautiful surroundings of The Grange, you are invited to arrive early. The grounds open two hours before curtain-up. Parking attendants will direct you on arrival and the Festival volunteers are on hand to greet, guide and assist you as you enter the site. Porters can be booked in advance to assist with any heavy carrying and the festival buggy is available for your aid and convenience. Enjoy a drink under the Portico at our Champagne Bar, the perfect place to meet your friends and enjoy a glass of fizz. Take in the spectacular lake views, indulge in some canapes or tea and cake from our catering company The Wild Fork, or just enjoy a relaxing walk around our stunning grounds. INTERVAL A 100-minute dining interval offers a wealth of choices, all bookable in advance. You can enjoy a finedining experience in our restaurant, order a luxury hamper from our caterers, book a private pavilion in a range of scenic settings, book into one of our two marquees or bring your own rug and choose a spot in the grounds. Please note that gazebos and barbeques are not permitted on site. 24 25
THE GRANGE Don t miss out on the chance to enjoy a closer look at the extraordinary interior of the semiruined house. Whilst there, you can also visit the shop and the art exhibition. FESTIVAL SHOP When you come to The Grange, you will be able to buy a range of specially selected goods in our shop which has been designed and managed by Lady Ashburton. The shop is situated in the central room of the house, next to the Champagne Bar, which leads you into the gallery corridor and the crumbling grandeur of the main house. You can purchase The Grange Festival mug and programme, along with a selection of books and stationery, scarves and jewellery. Payment can be made by card, cash or cheque. WHAT TO WEAR To add to the atmosphere of a visit to The Grange, evening dress and black tie is preferred but a suitably elegant alternative is also acceptable. Creative individuality is encouraged. On cooler days, a warm layer is recommended. When considering footwear, please note our grounds can be damp or uneven. WEATHER Although we do everything in our power to provide beautiful sunshine, standing under the Grecian portico on a rainy day while enjoying a glass of champagne can be just as magical as the brightest of summer days on the estate. Our festival will not be dampened by the weather. The award-winning theatre is entirely enclosed, our fine-dining restaurant is located within the magical interior of the house and we have enough marquee space to keep everyone dry. ART@THEGRANGE The 2018 season will feature the work of three artists new to ART@THEGRANGE - Duncan MacAskill, Rick Guest and resident artist Jessica Holmes. The art will be on display throughout the site and the house. Please do visit and spend some time admiring the gallery and the house. All artwork is for sale. 26 27
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