Why opera is music to Ellen’s ears
Tradition will be singing its way to Cambridge on Tuesday with a production of a lavish and popular opera. Puccini s Tosca will continue its magnificent tour, which has been received very well by audiences around the country, with a performance at the Cam
Tradition will be singing its way to Cambridge on Tuesday with a production of a lavish and popular opera.
Puccini's Tosca will continue its magnificent tour, which has been received very well by audiences around the country, with a performance at the Cambridge Corn Exhange.
The Italian classic, performed by the celebrated Chisinau National Opera, tells a tragic story of betrayal, lust, love and lies.
Producer Ellen Kent, who began her career as a performer, said: "If you were asking me which was my favourite opera, it would have to be Tosca. I adore the music.
"It is a traditional opera with a marvellous set and good performers."
The cast of 170 will include children from Cambridge's Stagecoach Theatre Arts who will be singing in Italian, and one young chorister has been chosen to play a shepherd's boy with his own line to sing.
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International soloist Natalia Margarit, who was trained for the part by director Franco Zafirelli, will take the lead role as Tosca.
"Natalia is Tosca in my eyes, she commands the stage," said Ellen.
Ellen's thorough research of her individual productions take her all over the world. Tosca will showcase amazing sets which were researched by Ellen in Italy.
She said: "I like my shows to be as realistic as the places where they were set..
"I commissioned a Moldovan artist to paint some huge cloths which will be used to portray the amazing paintings at St Angelos Church in Rome."
Ellen, who co-founded the Dual Control Theatre Company in 1985, plays her shows to around 400,000 people every year but aims to get young people more interested in opera.
"I am a firm believer in involving the community in which we are staging the shows.
"This is why I use the local children, and hopefully younger generations will become more interested."
Forthcoming operas from Ellen Kent include Carmen and Nabucco which will be touring towards the end of the year.
Tosca will be at the Cambridge Corn Exchange next Tuesday.
Tickets cost £21-31 and are available by calling 01223 357851.
