Claire Lees News
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2024-03-29
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2023-10-21 11:15:00
What's not to love? Glamour and heart as Puccini's little swallow returns to Opera North
Puccini: La Rondine - Sébastien Guèze, Galina Averina - Opera North (Photo: Tristram Kenton)Puccini: La Rondine; Galina Averina, Sébastien Guèze, Claire Lees, Elgan Llŷr Thomas, Philip Smith, director: James Hurley, conductor: Kerem Hasan; Opera North at Grand Theatre, LeedsReviewed 20 October 2023Glorious melodies sung by a youthful cast, 1930s glamour in a production proud of its green credentials, and a story both touching and engaginThe problem with Puccini's La Rondine, if problem there is, is that no-one dies; it is Puccini's only major opera where a significant death does not occur. La Rondine ends with a love triangle where, very even handedly, no-one really gets what they want. The opera was an experiment, coming at a time when Puccini was trying to move his art in other directions. After Madama Butterfly in 1904 came two operas where Puccini changed tack, La Fanciulla del West in 1910 and La Rondine in 1917. […]
2022-02-11 08:26:18
[…] the intense heights that of these operas, but it is only through her song that the voice of Pauline Viardot can speak to us today. A weekend of events celebrating Viardot's bi-centenary is being held in Oborne, Dorset from 1 to 3 April 2022. VIARDOT200: Prima Donna, Composer, Muse and Inspiration is being presented by Cameratina, and will feature Viardot's final opera, Cinderella in a new translation by Jeremy Sams performed by a cast of young singers including Claire Lees, Katy Thomson, Georgia Mae Bishop, Alison Rose, Liam Bonthrone, Robert Lewis, and Kieran Rayner, with pianist Susanna Stranders (artistic director of Cameratina). Mezzo-soprano Katie Bray will be giving a recital of Viardot's songs along new work by Dani Howard and Lilly Vadaneaux setting words by Ivan Turgenev, who had a long running affair with Viardot. The Turgenev connection is an interesting one, Viardot would set a number of Russian poets in her own songs and […]
2021-10-02 11:36:37
From 17th century masque to TV reality show: Blackheath Halls Opera's imaginative take on John Blow's Venus and Adonis
John Blow: Venus and Adonis - Claire Lees, Harry Thatcher - Blackheath Halls Opera John Blow Venus and Adonis; Claire Lees, Harry Thatcher, Rebecca Leggett, dir: James Hurley, cond: Christopher Stark; Blackheath Halls Opera at Blackheath Halls Reviewed by Robert Hugill on 30 September 2021 Blow's masque for the entertainment of the King given an inventive modern spin in a superb community achievementLarge scale community projects are tricky at the best of times, but putting one on in the present situation is particularly impressive. So it is all credit to Blackheath Halls Opera that they have returned to public performance with John Blow's Venus and Adonis at Blackheath Halls (30 September 2021). Directed by James Hurley the production featured Claire Lees as Venus, Harry Thatcher as Adonis, Rebecca Leggett as Cupid, plus Eleanor Kemp, Lucas Artisio, Bill Semple and Miranda Ostler (all students at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of […]
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