Aylesbury Lunchtime Music presents

Aylesbury Opera

Print version
26 February 2026

Starts: 12:45pm, Doors: 12:15pm

Duration: 1 hour (approx.)

St Mary the Virgin, Aylesbury

£7 adults on the door (<18s & carers free)

Aylesbury Opera

Programme

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.

  • 1797-1848

    Don Pasquale (Donizetti)
    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.

  • 1813-1901

    Don Carlo (Verdi)
    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.

  • 1834-1886

    La Gioconda (Ponchielli)
    Voce di donna

    La Gioconda is based on Angelo, Tyrant of Padua, a 1835 play in prose by Victor Hugo.

  • 1813-1901

    La Traviata (Verdi)
    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.

  • 1855-1899

    La Nuit, Op 11 No. 1 (Chausson/de Banville)

    Théodore de Banville, wrote the poem in 1875 with Chausson set the poem as a duet for two women’s voices in 1883.

  • 1810-1856

    Mondnacht, Leiderkreis No. 5 Op. 29 (Schumann)
    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.

  • 1860-1903

    Mignon II (Wolf/Goethe)

    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.

  • 1840-1893

    Nur wenn die Sehnsucht kennt (Tchaikovsky/Goethe)

    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.

  • 1818-1893

    Sérénade (Gounod/Hugo)

    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.

  • 1813-1901

    Stornello (Verdi)

    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.

  • 1846-1916

    A’ Vucchella (Tosti/d’Annunzio)

    “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.

  • 1840-1893

    Queen of Spades (Tchaikovsky)
    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.

  • 1842-1912

    Le Cid (Massenet)
    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.

  • 1866-1950

    L’arlesiana (Cilea)
    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.

  • 1819-1880

    La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein (Offenbach)
    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.

  • 1819-1880

    Geneviève de Brabant (Offenbach)
    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.

Performers

  • Aylesbury Opera

    Vocal ensemble

    Aylesbury Opera has been mounting opera productions and concerts in Aylesbury and the surrounding area for over 40 years.
    Read More

Key information for concert goers

When

Every Thursday at 12:45pm (except August & over Christmas). Performances last around 60 minutes. Please enter quietly as there is a noon service in the Lady Chapel.

How much?

Entry is £7 per adult (card or cash), under 18s and carers are free. The price includes a programme. Donations are welcomed to subsidise the larger ensembles.

Where?

Performances are at St Mary’s Church in the heart of Aylesbury Old Town. See directions for further details.

Do I need to book?

No, just turn up. Doors open at 12:15 pm. Make sure you arrive in good time to get a seat.

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