FULL THOUSAND FURS (Michael Betteridge) London 2015 Kate Smith, Roderick Morris, Oliver Hunt, Rebecca Lea

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: Thousand Furs  
• Composer: Betteridge Michael  
• Libretto: Katharine Armitage    Libretto Text, Libretto Index
• Venue & Opera Company: Kings Place Hall 2, London, UK  
• Recorded: August 6, 2015
• Type: Staged Opera Live
• Singers: Kate Smith, Roderick Morris, Oliver Hunt, Rebecca Lea, Rebecca Anderson, Jonathan Ainscough
• Conductor: William Petter  
• Orchestra:
• Stage Director: Katherine Wilde  
• Stage Designer: Rachel Szmukler  
• Costume Designer: Rachel Szmukler  

Information about the Recording

• Published by: Tête à Tête   
• Date Published: 2015  
• Format: Streaming
• Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
• Subtitles: nosubs  

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

Genesis

Re:Sound explore innovative approaches to the performance of new and existing works of music theatre. Our recent work includes After Party, a new play with music about the life of Schubert, and a stage adaptation of Judith Weir’s Missa del Cid in the production Battles Within and Without. Since our first production of Into the Woods in 2010, we have loved working with multi-­‐skilled performers who can not only sing and act to an exceptional level but also play a musical instrument. The music theatre these artists are able tocreate is tremendously exciting. There is no orchestra tucked away in a corner or a pit; the performers themselves create everything onstage. The Midnight Stories is our opportunity to explore this model, beginning with THOUSAND FURS and continuing with Fearnot and Mr Fox in 2016/17, providing the opportunity to work with three composer-­‐librettist partnerships and to develop the ensemble’s skills as singer-­‐instrumentalists.

Synopsis

THOUSAND FURS is the first part of The Midnight Stories – a trio of new operas based on early European folk tales, within which midnight plays a pivotal role. This story takes us back to a time before pumpkins and fairy godmothers, when the Cinderella narrative we know so well was only just beginning to take shape. After the Queen of a far-­‐off kingdom dies, a chain of events is set in motion that will lead to her daughter, the young princess Maria, finding herself forced to marry her own father. Fleeing her home in disguise, Maria becomes a servant in the kitchens of another kingdom, where a chance encounter with an arrogant prince offers her the opportunity to change her destiny… Told by six singer-­‐instrumentalists, THOUSAND FURS reveals the dark heart of a much-­‐loved tale.

 

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