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    • Bubble Wrap
    • Lockdown Tales >
      • Lockdown Tales Full List >
        • Lockdown Tales Readers
      • Lockdown Tales: Folktales
      • Lockdown Tales: Verse
      • Lockdown Tales: Modern Stories
      • Lockdown Tales: Musical Tales
      • The Quangle Wangle's Hat Competition >
        • Competition Gallery
    • Shows >
      • First the Dance, The the Feast
      • The Last Woodwose
      • Return of the Wildman
      • Strange Fish
      • YES: The Adrian Mitchell Show
      • The Dead Moon
      • Maps of Desire
      • Tatterhood
      • The Wolf Road
      • Birth of Pleasure
      • The Six Swans
      • The Nightingale
      • Now and Then
      • Behind the Scenes at Mary Warner's
      • Memories of Suffolk
    • Schools >
      • First the Dance, The the Feast
      • I Am a Woodwose
      • Abiyoyo & the Musicians of Bremen
      • The Coat of Umpteen Pockets
      • Little Red Chunni
    • Family Shows >
      • First the Dance, The the Feast
      • Orla Tour
      • Orla's Moon
      • Orla and the Sun
      • The Swineherd and The Princess & The Pea
    • Festivals >
      • How Night Came from the Sea
      • Storm of Stories 2016
      • Storm of Stories 2014
      • Storm of Stories 2012
    • Events >
      • Wild Woods
      • 25 Years of Wonderful Beast
      • Bottom's Dream
      • SPLASH!
      • Music Matters Most
      • Almeida Theatre Benefits
    • Podcast: Stories from the Archives
  • WB Singers
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YOUR CART

the nightingale
(
The Barn Concert Hall, Leiston Abbey, as Part of Storm of Stories 2016)

A new community opera by john barber and hazel gould

'First class, very professional, beautiful music, wonderful coordination of children, adults, amateurs and professionals' — AUDIENCE MEMBER
This newly commissioned opera for Storm of Stories 2016, by composer John Barber and librettist Hazel Gould, was an exciting and ambitious community project bringing together students from Aldeburgh Primary, Leiston Primary School and Alde Valley High schools, a locally drawn scratch choir, soloists  Omar Ebrahim, soprano Kirsty Hopkins, Robert Anthony Gardiner, Louise Moseley and dancer Richard Court. The production also featured a nine piece ensemble drawn from Aldeburgh Young Musicians and Wonderful Beast’s own instrumentalists, conducted by Natalie Murray Beale and the chorus director, Jessica Maryon-Davies.

The  choirs had six weekly rehearsals led by musician and work shopper par excellence, Jessica Maryon-Davies, with Alys Kihl, director. The excitement culminated when all the participants joined forces to rehearse at Leiston Abbey culminating in three packed performances. Thanks must go to our partner, Pro Corda, who generously provided us with the hall and all facilities.
​
The opera is inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. Highly dramatic, this gorgeous musical adaptation, involving stunning animation by David Parker, was superbly brought to life by all the participants and captivated audiences many of whom did not know what to expect from an ‘opera’.


'I  would not be here today working as a  professional in the performing arts, if it were not for projects like the ones Wonderful Beast are giving kids the chance to be involved in.'
— RICHARD COURT (MECHANICAL NIGHTINGALE)

'Being partof Wonderful Beast’s production of The Nightingale was brilliant! Thank you very much to the Wonderful Beast team and to AYM for opening this door for me.'
​
-- MILLIE CLARK, AYM, AGED 12

'I have never really had a chance to do stuff like this before.'
-- LEISTON PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPIL

Creatives

Composer: John Barber
​
Libretto: Hazel Gould
Director: Freya Wynn-Jones
P
roduced by: Ann Blaber & Alys Kihl
Chorus Master: Jessica Maryon-Davies
Conductor: Natalie Murray Beale
Designer: Sarah Booth
Animation: David Parker
Movement Advisor: Richard Court
Stage Manager: Alicia Feetham
Lighting: Blackwing Lighting

The Nightingale Opera 2016 from BoMoJo ® on Vimeo.

CAST

Emperor: Omar Ebrahim
Advisor: Robert Anthony Gardiner
Kitchen Maid: Louise Moseley
Nightingale: Kirsty Hopkins
Mechanical Nightingale: Richard Court

MUSICIANS

Guitar: Jack Ross
Cello: Jonathan Rees
Violin: Roma Tic
​
Accordion: Miloš Milivojević

wONDERFUL BEAST SINGERS

Katie Boult, Muff Dudgeon, Jane Mardell,  Anthony Mehan, Deborah Mawson, Lucy Rowan-Robinson, Paul Templeton,  Andrew Welch.

Aldeburgh Primary School
Alde Valley School
Leiston Primary School


ALDEBURGH YOUNG MUSICIANS

Flute and piccolo: Millie Clark
Clarinet: Annabelle Cooke
French Horn: Georgia Dawson
Double bass: Eleanor Roberts
Percussion: Acer Smith

With thanks to:
Colin Virr at Aldeburgh Music

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