An opera company based in Oxford has told of the “joy” they feel as they are set to grace the stage for their first full show since the pandemic began.
Oxford Opera Company will take to the stage at the Oxford Playhouse this weekend to perform Mozart’s The Magic Flute.
Sung fully in English, this production of Mozart’s final opera is set in a school and has the names of a host of world renowned opera stars attached.
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The world-class singers include John Savournin (Sarastro), Felix Kemp (Papageno) and Marlena Devo (Pamina) and rising star Clara Barbier Serrano (Queen of the Night). They will be joined by the Oxford Opera Orchestra, and a chorus of more than 40 young performers from schools around Oxfordshire.
Oxford Opera Company has previously performed two operas at the Oxford Playhouse, Carmen and La Boheme in 2019 and 2020 respectively. However, the company’s performance of The Magic Flute has been two year’s in the making.
Much like the rest of the arts sector, Oxford Opera Company were heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic with performances cancelled and delayed and their finances hit.
Stuart Pendred, founder and artistic director for Oxford Opera Company, described the effects of the pandemic on the company as “brutal”, “devastating” and a “torrid time”.
He said it is “just a joy” to be back in a rehearsal room and to be surrounded by creative people and energy once more.
He said: “The only word I can think of is ‘joy’ and ‘joyful’. It is just an utterly, utterly joyful thing to be able to meet and be creative.
“We are having such a laugh as well. It is the perfect antidote, not just for us as performers but for the audience, for the really tough times we have experienced over the past two or three years.”
Mr Pendred, who is also a respected opera singer and will play Monostatos in the show, described their version of The Magic Flute as “Mozart meets Matilda in the corridors of Hogwarts”.
He said: “This is the perfect opera to give us all the lift we need right now. The Magic Flute, if you don’t know the story, has the extraordinary power of transforming sadness into joy – it is the story of good overcoming evil so it really is the remedy we all need right now, after years of stress and fear.
“We’re hugely excited to be bringing a truly hilarious and beautiful version of this magnificent opera to Oxford, with these world-class singers - and to be giving it our own unique twist.”
Mr Pendred feels the story of the opera, and the transformation of sadness into joy, is an analogy for the company itself, as Oxford Opera Company was founded using the inheritance left to him when his father passed away.
He explained: “I wanted to create something that meant I could transform the pain of losing my dad into something that brought joy and beauty to the world.
“As a professional opera singer and an Oxford resident, I couldn’t understand why a city so steeped in art and culture didn’t already have its own opera company.
“So, founding one seemed like the perfect way to pay tribute to my wonderful father who loved the city having lived and worked there for a period of his life. And now the city I call home.”
Outside work on the stage, Oxford Opera Company is also working with Oxford City Council as a cultural partner.
The company is taking its bespoke workshop based on characters from The Magic Flute, called Tamino’s Adventure, to schools around the city.
The aim is to help children whose mental health and wellbeing has been poorly impacted by the pandemic.
Mr Pendred said: “I believe that music and creativity is more needed now than ever. I never believed in the need for the arts more than I do now, in terms of bringing a counterpoint and a light to the lives of people given what we are seeing.”
He added: “Everything we do is designed to bring the magic of music into Oxford.
“I know my dad would be so proud and delighted to see his legacy bringing opera into the lives of so many.”
Mr Pendred also noted that it is “incredible” to watch the awe on the faces of the children who take part in the show as they watch the world-class opera singers perform.
You can donate to support the work of Oxford Opera through their Just Giving page: justgiving.com/campaign/SupportOxfordOpera
The Magic Flute will be performed at the Oxford Playhouse on April 1 to 3. The show starts at 7pm on both Friday and Saturday and 6pm on Sunday. Tickets can be bought from the Oxford Playhouse website and box office.
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