In the middle decades of the nineteenth century, opera and song flourished side by side, shaped by a shared language of lyricism, faith, longing, and human drama. Giuseppe Verdi stood at the heart of this musical world, surrounded by composers who, like him, sought to unite poetry and melody in service of deep emotional truth. This programme traces a path through that rich landscape — from intimate expressions of love and reflection to moments of theatrical brilliance — offering music written for the salon, the stage, and the soul. Heard together, these songs reveal a century alive with melody, devotion, and expressive warmth, resonating beautifully within the reflective space of the church.
Bella siccome un angelo
Don Pasquale is an opera buffa, or comic opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti with an Italian libretto completed largely by Giovanni Ruffini as well as the composer.
Non pianger, mia compagna
Don Carlos is an 1867 five-act grand opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi to a French-language libretto by Joseph Méry and Camille du Locle, based on the 1787 play Don Karlos, Infant von Spanien (Don Carlos, Infante of Spain) by Friedrich Schiller and several incidents from Eugène Cormon's 1846 play Philippe II, Roi d'Espagne.
Voce di donna
La Gioconda is based on Angelo, Tyrant of Padua, a 1835 play in prose by Victor Hugo.
Dei miei bollenti spiriti
La traviata is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La Dame aux camélias (1852), a play by Alexandre Dumas fils, which he adapted from his own 1848 novel. The opera was originally titled Violetta, after the main character. It was first performed on 6 March 1853 at La Fenice opera house in Venice.
Théodore de Banville, wrote the poem in 1875 with Chausson set the poem as a duet for two women’s voices in 1883.
v Mondnacht
A cornerstone of German Romantic song, this setting imagines the soul’s quiet return to its true home. While not operatic, its inward drama is profound: transcendence achieved through stillness rather than action, offering a moment of contemplative contrast within the programme.
Drawn from Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister, Mignon’s longing is rooted in displacement and emotional fragility. Wolf heightens every nuance of text, revealing a character whose restraint only intensifies her yearning — desire expressed through understatement rather than excess.
This Russian setting of Goethe’s poem gives voice to love defined by loss. It is a soliloquy: a private confession overheard. The simplicity of the melody deepens the emotional impact, allowing sorrow to speak plainly.
This is a classic of French mélodie that blends romantic sentimentality with intimate, almost voyeuristic imagery. It is celebrated for its ability to convey deep emotion and charm, often described as a "salon" masterpiece that rivals German Lieder in its expressive power.
Though brief, this song revels in folk-style directness. The playful text hints at flirtation and teasing insult — a verbal wink delivered with rustic charm. Verdi delights in its immediacy, reminding us that wit needs no grand stage.
"A vucchella" translates to "a little mouth" or "sweet mouth". The song is a romantic, sensual plea to a woman to kiss the speaker, comparing her lips to a slightly withered, delicate rose.
Ya vas lyublyu
This declaration of love is remarkable for what it renounces. The speaker, Yeletsky, expects nothing in return, elevating emotional sincerity above possession. In operatic terms, it is a moment of moral clarity — love defined by generosity rather than conquest.
Pleurez mes yeux
Chimène’s aria follows the killing of her father by the man she loves. Tears become both release and duty: grief demanded by honour, even as love refuses to disappear. Massenet’s lush writing allows sorrow and desire to coexist painfully.
Lamento di Federico
Federico mourns a woman who may never have truly existed as he imagined her. The aria balances idealised love against harsh reality, with soaring phrases that betray emotional excess — longing magnified by illusion.
J'aimes les militaires
Sung by a ruler intoxicated with power and desire, this aria revels in double entendre. Military enthusiasm is unmistakably erotic, as rank and uniform become objects of flirtation. Offenbach’s satire leaves nothing entirely innocent — least of all authority.
Gendarmes duet
Two officers celebrate order, discipline, and regulation — with comic seriousness that undercuts itself at every turn. The humour lies in exaggeration: pompous authority rendered absurd, precision collapsing into parody. Offenbach’s targets are institutions that take themselves far too seriously.
Aylesbury Opera (Vocal ensemble)
Aylesbury Opera has been mounting opera productions and concerts in Aylesbury and the surrounding area for over 40 years.
Lizzie Ryder
Elizabeth Ryder is a spinto soprano with a deep and growing passion for the music of Giuseppe Verdi. She is currently exploring arias from Simon Boccanegra and La traviata, drawn to Verdi’s ability to combine vocal drama with lyrical elegance. Her voice, with its rich middle and expansive top, finds a natural home in this repertoire. She has performed in Rigoletto with Nevill Holt Opera and recently appeared as a soloist with the Hallé Orchestra in a gala concert at Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall for 2,000 audience members, singing Song to the Moon, the Flower Duet, and Evening Prayer
Chiara Carbone
Chiara trained at the Conservatoire in Lecce, Puglia and then at the Accademia Lirica di Osimo studying with William Matteuzzi and Harriet Lawson amongst others. She followed this with a masterclass in 2019 at the “Wales International Academy of Voice “studying with Dennis O’Neill and Della Jones.
Tom Lidgley
Tom is a young British tenor who is currently a masters student, at the Royal Academy of Music, studying under Adrian Thompson at both the Royal Academy and Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he completed his BMus (Hons) Degree.
Max Catalano
Maximilian Catalano is currently studying for a Vocal Masters at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Max played the bassoon as his primary instrument growing up, discovering a passion for singing later. He graduated from Cardiff University with a politics degree and decided to take a year out to develop his vocal technique and make the leap towards being a professional singer. During this year he sang solos for both Tring and Chorleywood Choral societies and began vocal training with David Pollard.
Harriet Lawson
Harriet studied the piano, harpsichord and voice at the Royal College of Music and as a post graduate répétiteur at the RCM Opera School. Her career was based in Italy, working as a répétiteur at the Teatro Verdi in Trieste, the Teatro Massimo in Palermo and Teatro Piccolo in Milan. She collaborated with Giorgio Strehler on his last production, Cosí fan tutte, touring in China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and Spain. She worked for six years at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro as Maestro di sala e al cembalo, collaborated with Théâtre de l’Opéra de Bordeaux, L’Orchestra Verdi Milano, Glyndebourne Festival, with Radio France and with Radio Suisse.
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