Northern Ireland Opera announces the cast for their dark, evocative and visually striking new chamber opera production of ‘The Juniper Tree’, Philip Glass and Robert Moran’s tale of jealousy, revenge and redemption. This new production will be directed by award-winning Artistic Director Cameron Menzies at Belfast’s Grand Opera House Studio from 21-24February 2024.
The Juniper Tree is based on the famous Grimm’s fairytale which tells of a wicked stepmother who murders her stepson and serves him in a stew to his unsuspecting father. The boy’s stepsister buries her stepbrother’s bones under a juniper tree, and the child’s spirit returns as a singing bird who wreaks vengeance on the evil stepmother before being restored to life in the bosom of his family. Sung in English, unusually this opera was composed in alternate scenes by Philip Glass and Robert Moran, with a libretto written by Arthur Yorinks.
This new production draws most of its cast from NI Opera’sChorus Development Programme and the Artist Development Programme, creating an opportunity for us to showcase some of the stellar local emerging artists who are working with the national opera company at this time.
Cast includes bass James Cooper (The Husband), Guest Artist soprano Mary McCabe (The Wife), soprano Rachael Heater (The Son/Juniper Bird), mezzo soprano Jenny Bourke (The Step-Mother), soprano Petra Wells (The Daughter), tenor Desmond Havlin (The Miller), baritone Ryan Garnham (The Cobbler), bass Paul McQuillan (The Goldsmith) and soprano Niamh Lavery (Mama Bird). Further members of the NI Opera Chorus Programme will perform as the chorus.
The creative team is led by NI Opera’s Artistic Director and CEO Cameron Menzies, with Frasier Hickland as Musical Director – Frasier is also a member of NI Opera’s Artist Development Programme and this is his first role as Musical Director for a fully staged opera. Stage Manager, Deirbhile Larkin who is also a part of the 2024 Artist Development Programme will be stage managing and calling this chamber opera. Long-time collaborator Nuala Campbell (Hair and Make Up Designer) will be providing wig/hair and make-up designs to create this highly visual production and will also be running training sessions with the cast in make-up application and wig preparation as part of the production’s experience. Movement Director Jennifer Rooney will join this team to create the very physical and visual language in order to tell this epic fairytale.
Cameron Menzies, Artistic Director of NI Opera comments, ‘We are very proud to be able to present works like ‘The Juniper Tree’ to our audiences and it is another way in which we are developing our NI talent. Most of the cast of this production have been taking part in the NI Chorus Development Programme over the last two years. This production of ‘The Juniper Tree’ is a way of us extending this training programme for these individuals by producing a show that allows them to develop and hone skills as a solo artist as different to that of a chorus singer. While this piece is a challenge for them it is also a great way for us to give our local opera singers and practitioners opportunity to get paid training experience and public performance outcomes without the immense pressure of the work that we do on the mainstages.’
Previous Praise for Northern Ireland Opera’s work
• Winner Best Production – Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards 2022 for Into The Woods.
• ‘Northern Ireland Opera’s La Traviata suggests that the artistic director Cameron Menzies has at long last realised the region’s ambition to have a grand opera company truly deserving of the name.’: Opera Magazine, 2022.
• La Traviata ranked no. 2 in The Observer, December 2022.
• ‘Storms along with such irresistible zest’, 4 Stars, Into The Woods at the Lyric, Belfast: The Times Feb, 2022.
• ‘Opera at its Finest’, 5 Stars, La Bohéme: Opera Now Magazine, Dec 2021 at Belfast’s Carlisle Memorial Church in September 2021.
The Juniper Tree
Music by Philip Glass & Robert Moran
Libretto by Arthur Yorinks
© 1985 Dunvagen Music Publishers Inc. Used by Permission.
Principal Cast
The Husband – James Cooper (Bass)
The Wife – Mary McCabe (Soprano)
The Son/The Juniper Bird– Rachael Heater (Soprano)
The Step–Mother – Jenny Bourke (Mezzo Soprano)
The Daughter – Petra Wells (Soprano)
The Goldsmith – Paul McQuillan (Bass)
The Cobbler – Ryan Garnham (Baritone)
The Miller – Desmond Havlin (Tenor)
Mama Bird – Niamh Lavery (Soprano)
Creatives/Technical Team
Director – Cameron Menzies
Musical Director – Frasier Hickland
Movement Director – Jennifer Rooney
Costume Designer – Arlene Riley
Hair and Make-Up Designer – Nuala Campbell
Stage Manager – Deirbhile Larkin
Listings information:
Venue: The Grand Opera House Studio, Belfast
Dates: 21, 22, 23, 24 February 2024
Time: 7.30pm each day and an additional 2.30pm performance on 24 February
Prices: £25 plus booking fee.
Booking Link: https://www.goh.co.uk/whats-on/the-juniper-tree/
Address: Great Victoria Street, Belfast, BT2 7HR
Box office: 028 9024 1919
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