KING KING ARTHUR ARTHUR Samuel Beckett Theatre 17-21 Jan '22
Semi Opera with Music by Henry Purcell Visit Riam.ie for Tickets (€10/€15)
Introducing King Arthur the Five Act Semi-Opera When the worst happens, such as war or climate disaster, what can
we rely on? Community, connection, and our individual and collective
resourcefulness. This production of King Arthur sees a group of people
coming together in a wild landscape (not so far from our world or our
time) to tell the story of a triumph of love over force, of community over
self-interest. Using what they have,
whether it’s an old piece of sheet metal
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left behind from a storm or a beautiful branch of a tree, to conjure up the
fantastical and outsized adventures
of kings, princesses, and all manner
of magical creatures. Sometimes it’s fun, sometimes funny, sometimes tender, sometimes dark. Through
telling this story, the people in the
woods discover that their own simple existence, unremarkable as it might
be, is a precious resource that is worth celebrating and protecting.
Director, Aoife Spillane-Hinks
Directed By Aoife Spillane-Hinks Working in the United States but based in Dublin as a director for
theatre, musical theatre and opera with a decade of directorial curating and
directing events for the Abbey Theatre
Community and Education Department, for the International Literature Festival
Dublin, and for the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Aoife has curated and
directed events for the Abbey Theatre
Community and Education Department, for the International Literature Festival
Dublin, and for the Royal Irish Academy of Music. She trained as a director on the Rough Magic SEEDS programme. She holds a BA in Folklore and
Mythology from Harvard University and an MA in Drama and Theatre Studies from NUI Galway. She currently
teaches at the Lir Academy. She is the
co-founder of Then This Theatre and an
associate artist with axis Ballymun and with PICT Classic Theatre.
Working extensively with new writing.
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Love has a thousand ways to please, but more to rob us of our ease: for wakeful nights and careful days, some hours of pleasure he repays; but absence soon, or jealous fears, o’erflow the joys with floods of tears
Part One of The Song - You Say ‘Tis Love
Sung by King Arthur and Princess Emmeline
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The Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin Each year when we audition young
the students rise to the challenges
of professionalism, we ensure that our
of Music, we ask them about their
together musical expertise from
lies ahead and we take great pride
singers at the Royal Irish Academy ambitions for the future. Almost
always their answer is “to sing in
opera.” Our annual opera production is the first step on that journey,
introducing our student singers to the challenges and excitement of opera. Each year an opera is chosen to suit the voices and vocal development
of our current students. Each year
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we set them. Our productions bring within the Academy, students of stage design, and professional directors and designers from the world of opera. In recent years, we have benefited
greatly from our collaborations with
Design for Stage and Screen at IADT
Dun Laoghaire and The Lir Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College Dublin. In striving for the highest standards
singers are well-prepared for what
in the fact that many of our former students have gone on to forge successful careers in the
competitive world of opera. -Kathleen Tynan, Head of Vocal Studies & Opera, Royal Irish Academy of Music
Samuel Beckett Theatre, Dublin
Venue The Samuel Beckett Theatre, named after one of the most innovative
playwrights of the 20th century.
Samuel Barclay Beckett (1906–1989) was an Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, theatre director, poet, and literary translator. The theatre
was opened in 1992 to celebrate the quatercentenary of Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin.
The Design for Stage and Screen
students were very resourceful in
their designs for both costume and set design on this piece. Using previously used materials and repurposing them adds to the intricacies of this Opera.
The set shows what post-disaster may resemble in this other-worldly piece. Climate change is a major theme in
this story, affecting both the landscape and characters as they walk through this world.
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Cast In Collaboration
Characters
Britons
The Royal Academy of Music brought
Matthew Manion as Arthur
Samantha Brady as Merlin
Opera actors and singers. We would
Laura Aherne as Philidel
Anna-Maria Husca Briton (S)
together a superb cast of extraordinary
Niamh sheehy as Emmeline
like to thank them for their service to
Samantha Brady as Merlin
this adaption of King Arthur
Chorus
Rachael Conaghan Briton (A)
Anna-Helena Mac Lachlann Briton (A) Hugo O’Donnell Briton (T)
Lauren Mc Gann
Saxons
Samantha Brady
Séamus Brady as Grimbald
Anna-Maria Husca Aimee Kearney
Sophie Bellamy Orla Bruce
Rachael Conaghan Séan Tester
Séamus Brady
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Sophie Bellamy Briton (S)
Ceallachán Mc Donald as Oswald Caroline Behan Saxon (S)
Stephanie Kinsella Saxon (A) Séan Tester Saxon (T)
Emma Hils as High Priestess
Spirits
Pastoral
Cold People
Marta Stupzinska
Lauren Mc Gann
Anna-Helena Mac Lachlann
Caroline Behan
Samantha Brady
Caroline Behan Cold (S)
Eilísh Fox
Niamh Sheehy
Stephanie Kinsella Orla Bruce
Séan Tester as
Grimbald’s Spirits Anna-Helena Mac Lachlann Aimee Kearney
Samantha Brady
Rachael Conaghan
Séan Tester
Aimee Kearney
Rachael Conaghan Orla Bruce
Ceallachán Mc Donald Sophie Bellamy
Stephanie Kinsella Hugo O’Donell
Séamus Brady as Shepherds
Hugo O’Donell
Gods
Lauren Mc Gann as
Emma Hils
Matthew Mannion
Philadel’s Spirits
Hugo O’Donell as Aelous
Anna-Maria Husca as Nereid Eilísh Fox
Caroline Behan as Venus
as Cold Genius
Aimee Kearney Cold (S)
Anna-Maria Husca Cold (S)
Rachael Conaghan Cold (A)
Ceallachán Mc Donald Cold (B) Séamus Brady Cold (B) Hugo O’Donell Cold (T)
Mythical Sophie Bellamy as Siren 1
Anna-Maria Husca as Siren 2 Lauren Mc Gann Sylvan (S) Séamus Brady Sylvan (B) Séan Tester Sylvan (T)
Samantha Brady Nymph (S) Aimee Kearney Nymph (S) Orla Bruce Nymph (A)
Rachael Conaghan Nymph (A)
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Crew In Collaboration
With the wonderful Design for Stage and Screen course in the Institute of Art, Design Technology in Dun
Laoghaire. Students have been working directly with the Royal Irish Academy of Music for this Opera’s production. With students varying in disciplines
from production design, costume and character makeup design, the third
year students (of the graduating year
2023) have been working tirelessly to demonstrate and practice their skills
in a finished production. We would like to thank each and every one of them
and all staff of I.A.D.T. that have helped make this possible.
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The Institute of Art, Design, Technology, Dún Laoghaire
Costume
Production
Makeup
Jessica Anderson
Aoife-Joy Fitzmaurice
Bianca Oberholtzer
Ben Hackett
Elsa Murray
Elise Mc Elroy
Ciara Kelly
Olwyn Yappa
Mia Yip-Breen
Sarah Byrne
Hannah Cassidy Ciara Farrell
Megan Cullton Ciara Hogan
Freya Meldrum Heo Graham Val Myles
Aoibhe Rice
Dawn Leigh
Mai Maher
Jessica Bradshaw
Megan Edney
Roisin Malone
Damien Tallon
Zerica Griffin
Ellen Mc Hugh Isaré Sánchez
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What power art thou, who from below hast made me rise, unwillingly, and slow, from beds of everlasting snow? See’st thou not how stiff and wond’rous old, far unfit to bear the bitter cold, I can scarcely move or draw my breath? Let me, let me, freeze again to death.
Part of The Song - Cold Genius /Cupid Sung by the Cold Genius and Cupid
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Acts Of the Opera
First Act
Second Act
The Britons prepare for the battle
Philidel pities those soldiers who
land: the Christian Arthur or the
Merlin arrives and Philidel explains
which will decide who will rule their heathen Saxon Oswald. It augurs well for them: it is Saint George’s Day and
the Britons have already defeated the Saxons in ten battles. Conon, Duke of Cornwall, explains the origins of the
war. Oswald had sought his daughter,
the blind Emmeline’s, hand in marriage but she rejected him because she is in love with Arthur. He meets Emmeline
and tries to explain to her what seeing
means. A trumpet calls Arthur to battle. Oswald prays to the Saxon gods for
victory in the coming battle. The spirit
Grimbald, arrives admitting he has lost control of the other spirit, Philidel. The
Britons are triumphant, the Saxons flee.
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have lost their lives in the battle.
he is a spirit of the air and one of the fallen angels, but he has repented. Philidel tells Merlin that Grimbald
is planning to deceive the victorious Britons by leading them to drown in rivers or fall off cliffs. Philidel tries to save the Britons from this trap. Grimbald arrives disguised as a
shepherd guiding Arthur and his men. Philidel and his spirits and
Grimbald and his spirits compete to win Arthur’s trust. Arthur holds a
parley with Oswald and begs him to return Emmeline, offering him land
from the River Medway to the Severn, but Oswald refuses to relinquish her.
Third Act
Fourth Act
Fifth Act
Arthur and his men attack Oswald’s
The threatening spells within the
Arthur and the Britons are preparing to
access to the castle. Merlin promises
with seductive ones. Arthur enters
out and challenges his rival to single
castle but magic defeats them barring to help Arthur reach Emmeline and
restore her sight with potion in a vial.
Grimbald catches Philidel in the woods, pretends to submit but secretly casts
a spell on Grimbald which renders him
powerless to move. Merlin asks Philidel to guide Arthur through the wood and gives him the vial, which the spirit
uses to rid Emmeline of her blindness. Emmeline is amazed at the new world before her eyes. Merlin’s spells also allow Arthur and Emmeline to meet
for a brief moment, but Emmeline will not be free until the enchanted wood
is destroyed. Oswald tries to win over Emmeline with a Masque.
Enchanted Woods have been replaced with the spirit Philidel as his guide.
Philidel has a wand which will banish all magical deception. Arthur hears seductive music from two Sirens.
Though tempted, Arthur realises it
is an illusion and presses on. Arthur rejects them and begins destroying
the wood. When he chops a tree with
his sword, blood pours out of it and the voice of Emmeline cries out in pain. It convinces Arthur that it is Emmeline,
who has been turned into a tree. Arthur is just about to embrace the tree when Philidel reveals it is really a trick by
Grimbald. Arthur cuts down the tree, and proceeds to Oswald’s castle.
storm the castle when Oswald comes combat for the hand of Emmeline
and the crown. They fight and Arthur
disarms Oswald. Arthur spares his life but tells Oswald he and his Saxons
must return to Germany. Grimbald is sent to the castle dungeonArthur is
reunited with Emmeline and the work
ends with a celebratory masque. Merlin conjures a vision of the ocean around
Britain. The Four Winds create a storm which is calmed by Aeolus (the keeper of the winds and king of the island of
Aeolia.) Allowing Britannia to rise from the waves on an island with fishermen
at her feet leaving the land prosperous in their victory of war.
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