TEAM

Rehearsals for Bampton are usually held over a five-week period, with refresher sessions before the Westonbirt and London performances. Rehearsals are in 3-hour sessions, two or sometimes three a day. The intensive schedule is in London, usually split between a rented studio space near Elephant and Castle, and a well-equipped studio theatre in Westminster, sometimes supplemented by the occasional church or church hall.

Singers will come to rehearsals having (usually!) learned the music – we need to get them ‘off score’ as quickly as possible so as to concentrate on vocal refinement, movement and acting. Singers are likely to have worked on their music with their vocal teachers and coaches and will continue to develop in sessions with the conductor and répétiteur.

Staging (drama) rehearsals are accompanied by the conductor and/or répétiteur, but are run by the director, with assistant director and choreographer refining movement and also dancing if required.

Earlier rehearsals concentrate on character and motivation, and on ‘blocking’ – the main arrangements and movements of bodies on stage. Studio chairs and tables suffice in rehearsal for scenery.

Props and costumes are gradually introduced, and the London period ends with several ‘runs’ in order to experience continuity. The production must be close to performance quality by the end of this period, before we move to Bampton for the final stages of the work with the set and orchestra.