Macbeth

BY GIUSEPPE VERDI (SUNG IN ENGLISH)

18th, 20th & 21st October 2023

York Theatre Royal

Synopsis

Verdi's Macbeth is an opera based on William Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name. It tells the story of Macbeth, a Scottish general who receives a prophecy from the witches that he will become king. Driven by his ambition and the encouragement of his wife, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth murders King Duncan and seizes the throne.

As Macbeth becomes increasingly paranoid and consumed by guilt, he turns to the witches again for guidance. They tell him that he will be safe until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane and that no man born of a woman can harm him. However, Macduff, who was born by Caesarean section, poses a threat to him.

In the final act, Macbeth is confronted by Macduff and they engage in a sword fight. Macbeth boasts that he cannot be defeated by a man born of a woman, but Macduff reveals his unique birth and kills Macbeth. Lady Macbeth has already died of guilt and madness.

Verdi's opera emphasises the psychological drama of the characters, particularly the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, and features powerful arias and choruses, including Lady Macbeth's famous aria "Vieni! t'affretta!" and the witches' chorus "Double, double toil and trouble."

Cast

(in order of appearance)

Ian Thomson-Smith - *Macbeth*

Ian studied music at the University of Hull, where he first had the opportunity to
sing opera and oratorio. He first sang with York Opera in 1986 in an extract from ‘The Marriage of Figaro’, and has continued this interest ever since alongside his job as headteacher at a primary school in Leeds. Roles include Papageno (‘The Magic Flute’), Captain Balstrode (‘Peter Grimes’), Aeneas (‘Dido and Aeneas’), Captain Corcoran (‘HMS Pinafore’), Escamillo (‘Carmen’), Falke (‘Die Fledermaus’), Silvio (‘Pagliacci’), Germont (‘La Traviata’) and Dulcamara (‘L’Elisir d’Amore’). He also sang the role of Macbeth the last time it was produced by York Opera. Away from the stage his recent performances include Haydn’s ‘Creation’, Orff’s ‘Carmina Burana’, Mozart’s Requiem and Coronation Mass, Mendelssohn’s ‘Elijah’, and Handel’s ‘Messiah’.

Sharon Nicholson-Skeggs - *Lady Macbeth*

Sharon Nicholson-Skeggs, Soprano (LTCL, FTCL) has an extensive operatic and concert repertoire, but is best known for her portrayal of Verdi, Puccini and Mozart heroines such as Cio Cio San (Madame Butterfly), Tosca, Elizabeth (Don Carlos), Turandot, Lucia (Lucia de Lammermoor) and Aida. She presently teaches singing and is the Director and Conductor of Opera17, an operatic and musical ensemble based in Hull. Concert and oratorio engagements have included the Verdi requiem in Derby Cathedral and also performances at the Palais de Beaux Arts in Brussels.
She is delighted to be singing the role of Lady Macbeth which is one of the most rewarding in the Verdi repertoire.

Adrian Cook - *Banquo*

Adrian Cook (Bass/Baritone) and has been a member of the company since 2021 and sang “The Cold Genius” from Purcell’s “King Arthur” in York Opera’s 2022 production “Tales of Kings and Queens”. Now based in Knaresborough, he previously lived in Washington DC where he studied with Dr Jane Tavernier of the Mary Washington University. Roles for the Repertory Opera of Washington included Malatesta in Don Pasquale (Donizetti), Capellio in I Capuleti (Bellini) and the Doctor in La Traviata (Verdi). For the St George’s Opera Programme Virginia, he sang Aeneas and Sailor in Dido and Aeneas (Purcell) and Pére in “L’enfant Prodigue”(Debussy). Adrian recital performances include A Shropshire Lad (Somervell), and Liebeslieder Waltzes (Brahms) and baritone solo in Faure’s Requiem, Duruffle’s Requiem, Stainer’s Crucifixion, Maunder’s Olivet to Calvary and The Manchester Carols (Johnson Manning).

Hamish Brown - *Macduff*

Hamish Brown has sung with York Opera since 2008 in such roles as Nemorino (The Elixir of Love), Tamino (The Magic Flute), Eisenstein (Die Fledermaus), Frederick (Pirates of Penzance), Richard (Ruddigore), Fairfax (Yeomen of the Guard), Basilio (Marriage of Figaro), Pong (Turandot) and Ishmael (Nabucco). He is from Bearsden near Glasgow and has studied both Maths at Edinburgh University and Opera at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He has sung with many opera companies including Grange Park, Pimlico, New Cambridge and British Youth Operas, the London Opera Players, Bristol and Bath Operas and several G & S Companies. Major roles include Albert (Herring), Quint (Turn of the Screw), Alfredo (La Traviata), Gerald (Lakmé) and Marco (the Gondeliers). Hamish has lived in York since 2018 and teaches Maths at York College.

Leon Waksberg - Malcolm

This is Leon's debut performance with York Opera. Previous operatic roles include Basilio - Marriage of Figaro, Prince of Clubs - Love for Three Oranges, Max - Der Freischutz, Prince Charming - Cendrillon (Massenet), Barigoule - Cendrillon (Viardot), Slender - Merry Wives of Windsor, Vasek - Bartered Bride, Arvino - I Lombardi Alla Prima Crociata, Camille - Merry Widow, and all the Gilbert and Sullivan tenor roles. Leon also composes music and has recently completed his own operatic adaptation of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale. Outside of opera, Leon writes comedy songs, and plays bass in the Leeds-based rock bands All I Live For and Nithered. Leon works for the Civil Service in Leeds.