RPO – meet the stars of the latest concert ‘A Night at the Opera’

Join the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for what promises to be a sensational night of passion and drama from the world of opera.

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ‘A Night at the Opera’ – Friday, September 1 at 7.30pm.

This concert brings you outstanding overtures, poignant arias and beautiful duets from some of the world’s favourite operas by Gounod, Bizet, Puccini, Verdi and more.

Ahead of the Orchestra’s return to Lowestoft, we found out more about the conductor, soprano and tenor!

Conductor John Rigby trained at the University of Huddersfield and the Royal Northern College of Music.

He began his career in Musical Theatre: in Germany, he was Musical Director for Miss Saigon at the Musical Hall, Stuttgart, and Starlight Express at the Starlight Halle Bochum, whilst West End credits include An American in Paris, Beautiful and Damned, The Drowsy Chaperone, The King and I, The Last Empress, Marguerite, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Peter Pan, The Pirates of Penzance and The Producers.

As musical supervisor, he worked on the UK Tours of The Producers with Peter Kay and Joe Pasquale; The King and I and The Poor Soldier for the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds; Cameron Mackintosh’s 25th Anniversary Tour of The Phantom of the Opera in both the UK and the USA and the arena world tour of Jesus Christ Superstar starring Tim Minchin and Melanie C. Most recently he was musical supervisor for the Korean production of Les Misérables in both Daegu and Seoul and the new production of Miss Saigon at London’s Prince Edward Theatre.

In Opera, he has conducted Judith Weir’s The Black Spider at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Carmen Jones at London’s Royal Festival Hall with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philharmonia Orchestra, Madama Butterfly and a Verdi Gala for Lyric Opera, Dublin, Carousel for Opera North and Die Fledermaus for Opera Holland Park.

Also taking centre stage are supremely talented soloists, soprano Jeni Bern and tenor Alexander James Edwards.

Jeni is a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and the Opera School of the Royal College of Music where she was the winner of many major awards and prizes, including the prestigious President Emerita Award. She is also a Samling Artist.

Recent highlights include Woglinde & Waldvogel in Der Ring des Nibelungen for Opera North and Lilli Vanessi/Katharine in Kiss Me Kate for Opera North and Welsh National Opera, Susie Trevor in Lady, Be Good at the Teatro de la Zarzuela and Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte for English National Opera.

As an accomplished oratorio and concert artist, Jeni is in demand with leading conductors and choral societies throughout the UK and Europe. Highlights include Cunegonde Candide (MDR-sinfonieorchester, Leipzig); Carmina Burana, Mozart Exsultate Jubilate and the world premiere of Michael Torke’s Book of Proverbs with Marin Alsop (Royal Scottish National Orchestra); Handel’s Messiah under Sri David Willcocks (The Bach Choir). She has also performed with the Gabrieli Consort, The Sixteen, The Academy of St Martin in the Fields, St. Gallen Bachchor and the Doelen Ensemble.

Born in Essex, Alexander James Edwards began singing as a chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral, continuing his studies at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, later joining the Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
Other companies he has worked with include the Théâtre du Châtelet, ENO, Gothenburg Opera, Grange Park Opera, Iford Arts, Opera Holland Park, the Opéra Royal de Wallonie and the Salzburg Landestheater. Recordings and broadcasts include The Carmelites for Chandos and Friday Night is Music Night for BBC Radio 2.

His concert engagements have included performances with the Academy of Ancient Music, the BBC Philharmonic, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Hallé, Huddersfield Choral Society, the Israel Camerata, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, he Mikkeli Symphony Orchestra, the Orion Orchestra, the Oxford Philomusica, the Royal Choral Society, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Northern Sinfonia, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, the Southbank Sinfonia and the Wexford Sinfonia. He has also been Featured Soloist at the Battle Proms and at the Leeds Castle Classical Open Air Concert.

In 2011, Alexander James Edwards was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music by the Governing body of the RAM for distinguishing himself in the field of Opera.

For more than seven decades the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) has been at the forefront of music-making in the UK.

Its home base since 2004 at London’s Cadogan Hall serves as a springboard for seven principal residencies as well as more than forty-five concerts per year in long-term partnership venues across the country, often in areas where access to live orchestral music is very limited.

With a wider reach than any other UK large ensemble, the RPO has truly become Britain’s national orchestra.

Full price £27.50/£32.50 with Under 25’s and Group rates available.

Call the box office on 01502 533200 or CLICK HERE to book online.