This summer, Pop-Up Opera return with a rarely-seen opera from the late eighteenth century, Cimarosa’s Il Matrimonio Segreto (The Secret Marriage). Continuing to challenge the way opera is traditionally performed, Pop-Up Opera take their productions into unusual spaces, making them fun, fresh and intimate.
Il Matrimonio Segreto tells the tale of a rich Italian businessman as he attempts to marry off one of his daughters to a mad English toff with disastrous results. Packed with tunes and matrimonial mayhem, this exciting story about following your heart makes for a perfect summer opera filled with Pop-up Opera’s special humour, sparkle and fun.
The opera’s premiere in Vienna was the occasion of the longest encore in operatic history; Leopold II was so delighted that he ordered supper served to the company and the entire opera repeated immediately after!
Commenting on this rarely performed production, director Max Hoehn says, Il Matrimonio Segreto is a wonderful explosion of anarchy with ensembles that fizz and an array of larger-than-life, eccentric characters. Cimarosa’s music will be unknown to the vast majority of UK audiences and Pop-Up Opera's rough-and-tumble touring approach makes for a lively marriage.
Artistic Director, Clementine Lovell, comments, We love the idea of bringing to life an opera which is rarely performed, and making it our own. We are excited to be working with Max Hoehn, who was recently named Best Young Director at the International Opera Awards, and whose staging has been described as ‘brilliantly alive’. He’s a perfect choice in our mission to keep making opera relevant and highly entertaining for a modern audience.
With their signature ‘Silent Movie’ captions that add another layer to the performance, Pop-Up Opera skilfully adapt their operas to each individual venue, making every performance unique, while always maintaining the highest standards. The combination of amazing venues, along with an informal atmosphere and engaging productions, offers a greater connection to the singers and the music, something even seasoned opera-goers often miss.
Running time 2 hours 10 minutes, plus interval (tbc)
Website www.popupopera.co.uk
Twitter @PopupOperaUK
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/popupopera
Director Max Hoehn
Producers Fiona Johnston and Clementine Lovell
Musical Director Berrak Dyer
Captions Harry Percival
Captions Operators Rachel Hunter and Soledad Zarate
Pianists Berrak Dyer / Richard Leach
Elisetta Emily Blanch / Heather Caddick
Carolina Chiara Vinci / Catrin Woodruff
Fidalma Vivien Conacher / Helen Stanley
Count Robinson Tom Asher / Matthew Palmer
Paolino Peter Kirk / Mark Bonney
Geronimo Joseph Kennedy / Peter Willcock
Tour Dates
Thurs 18th May Off Quay, East London, 7.30pm
Capstan House, 1 Clove Crescent, London, E14 0BD
Sat 20th May RNLI Rickmansworth, Chorleywood, 7.30pm
Christ Church, Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, WD3 5SG
Sun 21st May The Vaults, London, 6.00pm
Launcelot Street, London SE1 7AD
Thurs 25th May London Museum of Water and Steam, 7.30pm
Green Dragon Lane, Brentford, London, TW8 0EN
Sun 28th May Court Gardens Farm, East Sussex, 5.30pm
Court Gardens Farm, Orchard Lane, Ditchling, East Sussex, BN6 8TH
2nd – 3rd June The Garlic Farm, Isle of Wight, 7.30pm
Mersley Lane, Newchurch, Isle of Wight, PO36 0NR
6th – 7th June Thames Tunnel Shaft, London, 7.30pm
Brunel Museum, Railway Avenue, London SE16 4LF
Sat 10th June Court Gardens Farm, East Sussex, 7.30pm
Court Gardens Farm, Orchard Lane, Ditchling, East Sussex, BN6 8TH
Tues 13th June The Flavel, Devon, 7.30pm
Flavel Place, Dartmouth, Devon TQ6 9ND
Wed 14th June Lower Grenofen, Devon, 7.30pm
Grenofen, Tavistock, Dartmoor, Devon, PL19 9ES
Fri 16th June Durweston Village Hall, Dorset, 7.30pm
Durweston Village Hall, Church Road, Blandford Forum, DT11 0QA
Sat 17th June St Luke’s Church, Somerset, 7.30pm
Exmoor, Simonsbath, Somerset, TA24 7SH
Tues 20th June Mill Hill Music Festival, Mill Hill, 7.30pm
Hartley Hall, Flower Lane, Mill Hill, NW7
Sat 24th June Cheriton Old Rectory Grounds, Hampshire, 7.30pm
The Old Rectory, Cheriton, Hampshire, SO24 0PZ
Sun 25th June Court Gardens Farm, East Sussex, 5.30pm
Court Gardens Farm, Orchard Lane, Ditchling, East Sussex, BN6 8TH
Wed 28th June Beaminster Festival, Dorset, 7.30pm
The Yarn Barton Centre, Fleet Street, Beaminster, Dorset, DT8 3EP
Thurs 29th June The Corn Barn, Devon, 7.30pm
Sutton Barton, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 1NF
Sat 1st July The Harwich Festival, Essex, 7.30pm
St Nicholas' Church, Church St, Harwich, CO12 3DR
Sun 2nd July The Church of St Mary the Virgin, Suffolk, 3pm 17 Church Ln, Little Stonham, Stowmarket, IP14 5JL
Thurs 6th July The Great Barn, Harrow, 7.30pm
The Great Barn, Headstone Manor Museum, Pinner View, HA2 6PX
Sun 9th July Thaxted Festival, Essex, 7.30pm
Thaxted Church, 24 Watling St, Thaxted, Dunmow, CM6 2PE
Fri 14th July Three Choirs Vineyard, Gloucestershire, 7.00pm
Ledbury Road, Castle Tump, Gloucestershire, GL18 1LS
Sat 15th July Kingsland Church, Herefordshire, 7.30pm
St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Kingsland, Leominster, Herefordshire, HR6 9QW
18th – 19th July Leeds Castle, Kent, 7.30pm
Leeds Castle, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 1PL
Fri 21st July St Margaret of Antioch Church, Wiltshire, 7.30pm
Leigh Delamere, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN14 6JZ
Sat 22nd July Court Farm, Herefordshire, 7.30pm
Court Farm Dr, Tillington, Hereford, HR4 8LG
Sun 30th July Broome Farm Cider Barn, Herefordshire, 4pm
Peterstow, Ross-On-Wye, Herefordshire, HR9 6QG
