Alcina & The Sofa Opera Poster - Amy Caulfield

La Libe razione di Ruggiero dall’Isola di

Alcina

Francesca Caccini

The Sofa

Elizabeth Maconchy

Welcome from the Head of Faculty at

RIAM

Once again we have had a full production design created by the students of IADT’s Design for Stage and Screen programme. This is the sixth opera production that we have collaborated on and it is a wonderful partnership for the RIAM each year. The design of set, costume and make-up showcases their emerging production design talent. In addition the visual identity for the poster and programme was selected from over twenty designs by IADT visual communication design students.

This production is a great example of what can be achieved when arts education institutions work together.

2022 has seen the creation of a Historical PerformanceDepartment at the RIAM, the first of its kind in Ireland. Our production is a lovely way to celebratethis important new development at the academy.There has been a terrific team spirit throughout the months of rehearsal and preparation for this production. I am indebted to my colleagues in the vocal faculty of the RIAM and the tutors at IADT and to the professional production team who have worked with a great enthusiasm and generosity towards the realisation of this production.I hope you enjoy the performance.

Kathleen Tynan, Head of Faculty, Vocal Studies and Opera, RIAM

A collaboration with

IADT

Queen was described as a ‘semi-opera’.

The Institute of Art, Design and Technology is once again delighted to be working with Royal Irish Academy of Music for this, our fifth annual opera collaboration.Students from our Design for Stage and Screen Ba (Hons) undertake an intensive four year programmewith us and a key part of that experience is working on realised productions such as this evening’s opera. The programme at IADT offers specialist studyfor production designers, costume designers and makeup/ character designers who go on to work in theatre, film, television and associated practices. The work you will see tonight is primarily by our thirdyears and marks an important and exciting point in their studies asthey gather and demonstrate further creative and technical skills in taking performance from initial concept through to the finished production. We extend our congratulations, thanks and best wishes to all the students and staff who made this performance possible and we hope you enjoy the show.

Liam Doona Head of Design and Visual Arts IADT

Sinéad is an extremely accomplished director with near 30 productions on her resumé. She was extremely excited to take on this double-bill proction the first in RIAM's history.

The Director: Sinéad O'Neill

Kathleen is the Head of Faculty and Vocal Studies and Opera at RIAM. She has worked with IADT to produce the January Opera showcase for nearly 10 years running.

The Producer: Kathleen Tynan

The Operas

Making visible the work of

Women

This year, RIAM and IADT are delighted to present an opera double bill with a special origin: Both operas were composed and written by women.

This is the first time that RIAM has had the pleasure to put on 2 operas written and directed by women in one night.

Students from our Design for Stage and Screen Ba (Hons) undertake an intensive four year programmewith us and a key part of that experience is working on realised productions such as this evening’s opera. The programme at IADT offers specialist studyfor production designers, costume designers and makeup/ character designers who go on to work in theatre, film, television and associated practices. The work you will see tonight is primarily by our thirdyears and marks an important and exciting point in their studies asthey gather and demonstrate further creative and technical skills in taking performance from initial concept through to the finished production. We extend our congratulations, thanks and best wishes to all the students and staff who made this performance possible and we hope you enjoy the show.

La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola di

Alcina

Creator: Francesca Caccini

Libbrettist: Ferdinando Saracinelli

Alcina is the first known opera to have been written by a woman.

History

a liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'Alcina (En. "The Liberation of Ruggiero from the island of Alcina") is a comic opera in four scenes by Francesca Caccini, first performed 3 February 1625 at the Villa di Poggio Imperiale in Florence, with a libretto by Ferdinando Saracinelli [it] based on Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso. It is the first opera written by a woman and was long considered to be the first Italian opera to be performed outside of Italy.[a] It was performed to celebrate the visit of Prince Władysław of Poland during Carnival 1625, and it was revived in Warsaw in 1628. The work was commissioned by her employer Regent Archduchess Maria Maddalena of Austria, wife of Cosimo II de' Medici. Ruggiero was printed under the protection of Maria Magdalena in 1625, only five years after the first printed opera in Italy. It is the only opera by Francesca Caccini to survive.

Francesca Caccini, writer and creator of Alcina, pictured in 1657

Synopsis

This comic opera in four scenes is the first opera written by a woman and was long considered to be the first Italian opera to be performed outside of Italy. Following the myths of the knight Ruggiero from Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, the story centres on a battle between two sorceresses, Alcina and Melissa, over the warrior knight. He is being held captive on an island by the sensual Alcina who has bewitched him into believing he loves her, despite being betrothed to Bradamante, a Christian warrior maiden. Melissa, who has seen Ruggiero’s future and knows that he must marry his betrothed Bradamante, sets out to rescue him. Magic surrounds all; enchanted trees and rocks return to life to sing, sorceresses arrive on dolphins and boats take flight. La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina is an enchanting spectacle with a score that is stylistically diverse and forwardlooking, with surprising psychological depth and melodic beauty.

Wicked Alcina! hold buried your wicked

Alcina! You buried through wicked passion this flower Ruggiero!

Melissa, Act II, Alcina

TheSofa

Creator: Elizabeth Maconchy

Libbrettist: Ursula Vaughan Williams

History

The libretto to The Sofa is by Ursula Vaughan Williams, adapted very freely from the famous French novel ‘Le sofa’ by Crebillon, and is in light verse. Set in Paris at some time in the nineteenth century, it is light-hearted, light-headed and entirely improbable.

Dominic is cosily ensconced with Monique in the ante-room to his ballroom where a ball is going on. They are interrupted by his Grandmother an aristocratic witch, who storms and scolds and finally, fitting the punishment to his crimes, turns him into a sofa, only when the act of love is consummated thereon.

Dance music and dancers drift in from the ballroom - but no one can find Dominic.

Eventually his frickle Monique returns with a handsome Englishman, and, when they make love on the Sofa, Dominic is released.

Synopsis

The Sofa, set in Paris during the nineteenth century, is - in the composer’s own words –‘light-hearted, light-headed and entirely improbable’. Our hero Dominic is turned into a sofa by his grandmother for his immoral behaviour with Monique; her curse will only be lifted when a couple make love on him!

His various attempts to egg on his fellow partygoers into amorous encounters are continually thwarted until the fickle Monique returns with a handsome Englishman and unknowingly releases Dominic from his textile imprisonment.

Elizabeth Maconchy was a prolific English writer during the 1950s.

You say you’re sat on? Sat shall be...

you’re Sat on you in a new condition!

Dominic's Grandmother, Act I, The Sofa

Cast & Crew

The RIAM Baroque Orchestra

Guitar Recorder

Oboe Bassoon Trumpet Percussion Harpsichord

Matthew Mazanek Victoria Brooks Delphi Morris Conor Cavanagh Niamh O’Neill Ciaran Hayes

Julia Gasvaer John Kerr Glen Carr Tadhg Kinsella David Adams

Chorus

Soprano

Ana Maria Acunune

Caroline Behan

Baritone

Eileen Coyle Amie Dyer Breffni Fitzpatrick Hailey-RoseLynch Katie Richardson Jade Phoenix Oonagh Ward Seamus Brady

Berrus Komarschela Christopher Nixon Jonathan Reynolds Dylan Rooney Vladimir Sima

Thanks

To all the following people, we are deeply

From

IADT

Clare Barman

Mary Brennan

Shirley Casey Laoise Doherty

Liam Doona Moggie Dougla Imelda Drumm

Veronica Dunne Monica Frawley

From

RIAM

Ciara Higgins

Deborah Kelleher

Kevin Kelleher

Virginia Kerr

Lynda Lee Martin Marley

Ruth Meehan