Marking time with the devil: Narropera Trio
After Narropera Trio’s afternoon performances of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, the Trio now turns its attention to another great work, Carl Maria von Weber’s brilliant opera, Der Freischütz (The Devil’s Marksman). As with the Mozart’s Figaro, Der Freischütz will be presented in two performances (July 25 and August 7) in The Golden […]
Two operas, two Figaros: Lansdown Narropera
At ‘Lansdown(e)’, in behind the Bicycle Thief Restaurant on the Old Tai Tapu Road, something new is happening. Narropera, the musical/narrative entertainment created for Lansdown(e) eight years ago, will present its first winter season. All four winter performances will be on weekend afternoons, from 3pm to 4.30pm, so that audience members can be home […]
Modernised Mozart
You wouldn’t think Beyoncé and Mozart had much in common. But when it comes to the Aotearoa adaptation of the Marriage of Figaro, when asked the question ‘who run the world?’ Both answer – girls. More than 235 years after its premiere in Vienna, the female-led creative team will put its spin on […]
A Major success
She’s the self-professed “small woman with a big voice”, who went from a three-year-old country crooner to one of the highest accoladed performers this country has seen. But the high note of Dame Malvina Major’s 50-year operatic career is the foundation set up in her name that celebrates its 30th anniversary next year. Metropol catches […]
The king’s coming to town
Tūranga is set to become alive with the sound of music when the New Zealand Opera’s critically acclaimed Eight Songs for a Mad King comes to town. The rescheduled season is positioned for December 3, 5 and 6 at the Cathedral Square library, where audiences will be treated to the highly regarded performance. […]
Seventh sensational season
In April 2020, three months before New Zealand Opera presents Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro in Christchurch, The Narropera Trio will present its version of the same opera in four performances, in The Golden Room of Lansdown House, on the Old Tai Tapu Road. These Lansdown narropera performances are the perfect ‘prep’ for in-depth […]
Music at Lansdown
After Mozart’s Don Giovanni on St Patrick’s Day, ‘Lansdown Summer’ concludes its 5th festival at the beautiful heritage property at 132 Old Tai Tapu Road, with its second ‘narropera’ – a narrated format of opera. Weber’s ‘Der Freischütz’, The Devil’s Marksman will be held on 25 and 31 March. Narropera reduces an opera to its […]
Cantare in Italiano: learning to sing in Italian
If you’ve long dreamed of singing Italian and sounding Italian, then Claudia Lues can help you realise your dream. “I think my love of music began in the crib,” says South African born Claudia. “My parents are Italian; my mother sang all the popular Italian songs, including opera and my maternal grandfather was a conductor, […]
Magical Music: Narropera at Lansdown
March is a musical month at Lansdown, with its festival tradition of presenting opera as entertainment and enjoyment. Short-winded and mesmerising, this is ‘narropera’ – narrated opera presented in word and song for 85 minutes. Enjoy Mozart’s magical Don Giovanni, on 11 and 17 March; revel in Weber’s wonderful romantic opera Der Freischütz (The Devil’s […]