Festival's own choir makes festival debut

The group is made up of 15 local singers who have been and assembled especially for this production which is staged at the Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond, on spring bank holiday Monday, May 31, with professional forces from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.

The mixed group has drawn largely on the Harp Singers and the Swale Singers. Rehearsals started at the beginning of April under Carol Gedye, a teacher from Richmond, followed by an intensive weekend with the musical director, Andrew Wilson-Dickson, who travelled up from Cardiff.

"The creation of a festival chorus presents a unique opportunity for people from local groups to work with professional musicians on this type of project," said festival director, Philip Parr. "We hope this innovation will become an integral part of future festivals."

Buddug Verona James returns to Richmond in the soprano role of Dejanira, wife of Hercules, who is wracked with jealousy because she thinks her husband has been unfaithful.

James and Wilson-Dickson will be remembered from last year's memorable festival performance of Castradiva. Other parts are played by students from the Royal Welsh College.

The opera, which is doing extremely well at the box office, is in English and accompaniment is provided by organ and harpsichord with Wilson-Dickson conducting from the keyboard.

The production will be semi-staged with some scenery, costumes and movement, a fuller treatment than when it was first performed in London in 1745. Coming three years after Messiah, it was presented in the manner of an oratorio - that is, without stage action.

This was partly a nod in the direction of changing tastes at the time, though it also had the benefit of avoiding costly Italian singers and scenery.

Hercules is now considered one of the great operas in the English language, along with Handel's Semele written the previous year.

Swaledale Festival runs from May 28 to June 13. Ralph Robinson