Jonathan Dove - The Adventures of Pinocchio

[Ian Macmillan]

I'm sure folk appreciate that opera can live beyond the walls of the ROH and the Coliseum, and it was certainly alive in the West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge last Saturday evening.  The Cambridge Philharmonic, under its enterprising Musical Director, gave an immensely enjoyable concert performance of Jonathan Dove's The Adventures of Pinocchio, possibly its first staged performance.  It was commissioned by Opera North and Sadler's Wells in 2007, and has since been performed across the world.  The staging, let it be said, was far from stilted and involved the original Director, Martin Duncan, lots of costume, props and movement and, best of all, many of the original Principals.

 

Moving for a moment outside my customary Links sources, there is a report on the occasion here:

 

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Adventures-Pinocchio-Cambridge-Philharmonic/story-28401762-detail/story.html

 

The gallery pictures there are stock images from other concerts at West Rd and in King's Chapel, and a better impression can be gained from the curtain call pictures attached to these Tweets:

 

http://twitter.com/DaliaCramer/status/678515802543398912

 

http://twitter.com/DaliaCramer/status/678712080053223430

 

(Full disclosure:  I sing in the chorus - and it was a super night.  Arvo Part and Durufle next, all a bit different from being turned into donkeys on Saturday.)

[RuthE]

I'm sure folk appreciate that opera can live beyond the walls of the ROH and the Coliseum, and it was certainly alive in the West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge last Saturday evening.  The Cambridge Philharmonic, under its enterprising Musical Director, gave an immensely enjoyable concert performance of Jonathan Dove's The Adventures of Pinocchio, possibly its first staged performance.  It was commissioned by Opera North and Sadler's Wells in 2007, and has since been performed across the world.  The staging, let it be said, was far from stilted and involved the original Director, Martin Duncan, lots of costume, props and movement and, best of all, many of the original Principals.

 

Moving for a moment outside my customary Links sources, there is a report on the occasion here:

 

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Adventures-Pinocchio-Cambridge-Philharmonic/story-28401762-detail/story.html

 

The gallery pictures there are stock images from other concerts at West Rd and in King's Chapel, and a better impression can be gained from the curtain call pictures attached to these Tweets:

 

http://twitter.com/DaliaCramer/status/678515802543398912

 

http://twitter.com/DaliaCramer/status/678712080053223430

 

(Full disclosure:  I sing in the chorus - and it was a super night.  Arvo Part and Durufle next, all a bit different from being turned into donkeys on Saturday.)

 

I saw it when Opera North did it at Sadler's Wells and remember it being a really fun piece   I had no idea this production was happening, as it's the sort of thing I might have been inclined to make a day-trip for.