Colin Matthews and William Boyd’s first opera, based on an intriguing Chekhov short story.
A Visit to Friends is an opera about love. Or, more accurately, about love’s frustrations. Drawing on Anton Chekhov’s short story and William Boyd’s Chekhovian play Longing, Colin Matthews’ opera (with libretto written by William Boyd) is, beguilingly, an opera within an opera, with music strongly influenced by Scriabin.
Four main characters are rehearsing for the first performance of a recently discovered opera with a libretto written by Chekhov. Two women are both in love with a man who cannot commit himself, and during rehearsals their relationships begin to mirror the characters they are playing…
Colin Matthews A Visit to Friends
Lotte Betts-Dean Varia, Vanessa
Susanna Hurrell Nadia, Natalie
Marcus Farnsworth Marcus, Misha
Edward Hawkins Gregor
Gary Matthewman Chris
Colin Matthews composer
William Boyd libretto
Rachael Hewer director
Leanne Vandenbussche designer
Jaz Manville assistant director
Jessica Cottis conductor
William Cole assistant conductor
Berrak Dyer repetiteur
Aurora Orchestra
Corey Bennett production manager
*plus booking fees
Sung in English with English surtitles.
These performances are approximately 90 minutes each, with no interval.
General booking opens Saturday 1 February 2025 at 10am.
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