An Opera for Tilford 

 


Concept

A Community Opera is to be staged in All Saints Church Tilford in June 2010, to celebrate the village and its history and to enable local people to join in a tradition of music for which the village is famous. It will form a special additional part of the Festival of Music that the Tilford Bach Society presents in the church every summer.

The cast for the Opera will be drawn from the community, with lead parts sung by professionals and a chorus that includes the children of Waverley Abbey School and All Saints School.

Local drama societies and choirs will provide the “characters” in the story and the music will be played by a professional orchestra conducted by the TBS Director of Music, Laurence Cummings, a musician of international repute.

The story behind the Opera is based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel Sir Nigel, an historical romance set in Tilford in the Middle Ages, for which a libretto has already been written by local writer Rosemary Wisbey.

Theme of the Opera

In 1906 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published Sir Nigel, an historical romance set in medieval Tilford.  He was living at Hindhead and enjoyed bicycling around the local countryside, incorporating it into much of his writing.

In the operatic adaptation, Nigel of Tilford is set in 1904 when Conan Doyle visits Tilford and tells the story of his future literary hero to a group of schoolchildren.  As the tale unfolds, with the eager assistance of the children, it comes to life in a series of dramatic, romantic and comic scenes. 

We meet the dreaded Wild Man of Puttenham and his wily wife, face the horrors of the Worm of the Wey and feast with the King of England.  With the help of his faithful friend Samkin, the impoverished Nigel of Tilford becomes Sir Nigel and is able to restore the family fortunes and marry the beautiful Lady Mary.

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Performances
at
All Saints Church, Tilford

 

Saturday, 12th June, 2010
3pm and at 6.30pm

 

Sunday, 13th June 2010
3pm

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