Organization

Conductor

Jonathan Lyness

Stage director

Richard Studer

Set designer

Costume designer

Singer

Soprano

Monica McGhee

Béatrice

Lorena Paz Nieto

Héro

Tenor

Huw Ynyr

Bénédict

Baritone

John Ieuan Jones

Claudio

Spoken

Stephanie Windsor-Lewis

Léonato

Bass

Matthew Stiff

Don Pedro

Elenid Owen

Violin

Nicola Pearce

Cello

Peryn Clement-Evans

Clarinet

Piano

Mid Wales Opera

English

Béatrice et Bénédict -  (Beatrice and Benedict)

Ludlow

United Kingdom

Assembly Rooms

Holyhead

Ucheldre Centre

Barmouth

Dragon Theatre

Llwydcoed

St Elvan's Church, Aberdare

Fishguard

Theatr Gwaun

Builth Wells

Wyeside Arts Centre

Wales

Criccieth Memorial Hall

Mold

Theatr Clwyd

Aberdyfi

Neuadd Dyfi (Aberdovey)

Abergavenny

Borough Theatre

Presteigne

St Andrew's Church

Tregynon

Gregynog Hall

Bishop's Castle

SpArC, Bishop's Castle

Béatrice et Bénédict Berlioz

Public

Beatrice and Benedict

Approved

Mid Wales Opera are back on the road with the sixth of their critically acclaimed SmallStages productions. This time it’s Berlioz’s hilarious Beatrice and Benedict, based on Shakespeare’s much loved Much Ado About Nothing.
Beatrice and Benedict are both determined to stay single. Beatrice is a woman who despises men (especially Benedict) and Benedict can’t abide women (particularly Beatrice). That is until their friends plot to bring them together and they both ‘accidentally’ overhear whispers of each other’s unrequited passion; the spark of love is ignited by gossip and quickly becomes a blazing wildfire.

Berlioz’s final opera sets to music the wild and illogical whirlwind of falling in love, bringing a rich warmth of invention to Shakespeare that virtually no other composer has achieved. Indeed, Berlioz’s life-long passion for Shakespeare is evident throughout his miraculous score, radiant with love and sparkling with energy, and including the famous central nocturne duet, perhaps the most beautiful thing Berlioz ever wrote.

MWO’s production features six singers and four musicians, with an English singing translation by Amanda Holden, together with Shakespeare’s original texts adapted by Richard Studer and a new chamber arrangement by Jonathan Lyness.

Beatrice and Benedict by Berlioz, From (2023/2023), Directed by Richard Studer,, Conductor Jonathan Lyness, SpArC, Bishop's Castle, Bishop's Castle, United Kingdom

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Program, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues