Aida
Riverside Opera Chorus
Epsom Playhouse
March 2011

Opera in 4 Acts sung in English
translation by Amanda Holden

Conductor:        Oliver-John Ruthven
Director:             James Hurley
Design:               Rob Mills

CAST
Aida:                    Katrina Sheppeard
                              Christina Dunwoodie
Amneris:             Sara Gonzalez-Saavedra
                              Nina Alupii
Radames:            Neal Cooper
                              Toby Scholz
Amonasro:         Robert Presley
Ramfis:                Ronald Nairne
King of Egypt:   Stephen Holloway
Messenger:        Giovanni Tagliarini
High Priestess: Corinne Hart
                              Liezel Brink-McCulloch

The Elixir of Love
Riverside Opera Chorus
The Menuhin Hall &
Epsom Playhouse. 
March 2010 

Comic Opera in 2 Acts sung in English
translation by Amanda Holden

Conductor: Peter Crockford
Director:      James Hurley
Design:        Rob Mills


CAST
Adina:             Valda Wilson
Nemorino:     Carlos Nogueira
Dulcamara:   Trevor Alexander
Belcore:          Stephen Svanholm
Giannetta:     Susanna Hogan
Pianist:           Charlotte Forrest   

La Traviata
Riverside Opera Chorus
Epsom Playhouse. 
May 2009

"....the spirited members of the chorus sang extremely well, with clear diction, and a relish for the decadent setting of 1930's Paris

The audience at the Epsom Playhouse certainly enjoyed the performance."

Kirsty Young - 'Opera Talent' May 2009

CAST
Violetta:       Tanya Cooling
                        Rebecca Cooper
Alfredo:        Adam Tunnicliffe
                        Stephen Brown
Germont:      Robert Presley
Flora:             Laura Woods
Marquis:       Oliver Hunt
Baron:            Michael Davis
Gaston:          Randy Nichol
Dr Grenvil:   Sebastian Valentine
Annina:         Debbie Cottrell

Conductor:  Timothy Burke
Director:       Elaine Tyler-Hall
Designer:      Aaron Marsden

2008 Die Fledermaus
Riverside Opera Chorus
Epsom Theatre & Menuhin Hall, 
March 2008

CAST:
Rosalinda:              Sally-Ann Shepherdson 
Eisenstein:             Guy Robinson 
Adele:                      Tanya Cooling 
Alfredo:                   James Edwards 
Prince Orlofsky:    Helen Evora 
Falke:                       Philip Spendley 
Frank:                      Bruno Santino 
Dr Blind:                 Trevor Alexander 
Frosche:                  David Payne 
Ida:                           Jemma Green

Special guest appearance by
Kathryn Harries

Conductor:      Timothy Burke
Director:           Richard Gregson

2007 Eugene Onegin 
Riverside Opera
Richmond Theatre, London, March 2007

CAST:

Onegin:        James Harrison/Guy Robinson
Tatyana:      Ilona Domnich/Claire Surman
Lensky:        Brad Daley
Olga:          Miranda Westcott

Director:     Elaine Tyler-Hall
Design:       Aaron Marsden

"..despite its traditional look, .. this is not
your traditional 'am dram' stuff...
The standard of the chorus is phenomenal"

...The chorus looked superb, and moved
as if they truly belonged in their period setting.   

Kirsty Young 
'Opera Talent' March 2007

2006 Nabucco
Riverside Opera
Richmond Theatre, London. March 2006

CAST:

Nabucco:  Andrew Mayor
                    Samuel de Beck Spitzer         
Abigaille:  Susan Stacey
                    Diana Vivian
Zaccaria:   Andrew Perry-McAlpine
                    David Soar
Fenena:    Andrea Munro

Director:   Rob Kearley

"Riverside Opera gave a spirited account of Verdi’s early masterpiece at the Richmond Theatre, pulling the audience into a hard, threatening world of dictatorial power"....."The chorus was well rehearsed musically and gave stirring renditions of the show-stoppers".
Rosie Johnston 
'Opera Now'  July/August 2006

AN EVENING OF SURPRISES

"....very exciting and full of drama".

"It was the chorus scenes that I found the most moving."
Nicholas Bartlett
'Opera Talent' March 2006

Carmen
Riverside Opera
Richmond Theatre, London. March 2005

CAST:

Carmen:     Tamsin Dalley
                     Anya Szreter
Don Jose:   Bradley Daley
                     Tony Henry
Michaela:   Rachel Chapman
Escamillo:  Christopher Parke

Director:     Stephen Barlow





Review from ‘Opera Magazine – June 2005

Opera on the Fringe
“Almost the best element in this Carmen was the chorus,....they had been very carefully prepared by the music staff, following the composer's requests for variety of dynamic more faithfully than many a professional choir”

“ Stephen Barlow's efficient production was inspired by film noir. Escamillo was an American footballer, and Zuniga a dead ringer for Philip Marlowe.  It all worked well in Paul Edwards's simple and practical designs. The London Allstar
Majorettes almost stole the show in the fourth act."   

 "Not just a worthy evening, but a good one, too."

Rodney Milnes - Opera Magazine
June 2005

2004  La  Traviata 
Riverside Opera
Richmond Theatre,  London. 

"...under Rob Kearley’s fluent direction this model had spark and directness
and a fine assurance."

Hilton Times - Surrey Comet March 04

"For all lovers of theatre and opera, La Traviata,based on Alexandre Dumas La Dame aux Camellias (The Lady of
the Camellias), a romance between the young author and a courtesan in 1846. The romance lasted a year before she died of consumption.  Verdi then turned the story into an opera in 1852. 

Directed by Rob Kearley (Riverside Opera) and conducted by Simon Toyne, La Traviata resounds inside RichmondTheatre, with basic stage management and sophisticated costume that results in a beautiful combination with the interior design of the theatre. "

"Romance, friendship, betrayal, illness, tragedy.  All ingredients for a measured operatic effect, where sometimes it doesn't matter so much to fully understand the story but to feel the development characters through their singing. 

Highly recommended."
  
Review by Carlos Ramos

2003 Macbeth
Riverside Opera
Richmond Theatre, London.                                                                      

“Riverside (Opera) nearly always confounds the gloomiest expectations, taking on some tricky
projects and winningly succeeding in negotiating them with a direct, no-nonsense application.”
Surrey Comet 2003      

"Verdi's dramatic and passionate
interpretation of Macbeth at The
Richmond Theatre"

"The chorus was in well-drilled
voice "
Hilton Tims
 

2002 Cav & Pag
Riverside Opera
Richmond Theatre,  London.  


“Once again an impressive show
 from one of Richmond Theatre’s
 most welcome visitors.”

Richmond & Twickenham Times      
2002

2001 A Masked Ball            
Riverside Opera
Richmond Theatre,  
London. 

2000 Eugene Onegin
Riverside Opera
Richmond Theatre,  London.  



      “Classy touch from Onegin. 
       New standards for home grown 
       grand opera productions are 
       being set by Riverside Opera.”
               
       Surrey Comet 2000

1999 Lucia di Lammermoor
Riverside Opera
Richmond Theatre,  London.