Press Release
28 January 2014
UK OPERA WORLD COMES TOGETHER TO REMEMBER LEGENDARY BASS RICHARD ANGAS
Many of the UK's top opera performers join together this February for a one-off charity concert celebrating the life of Richard Angas, a giant of the opera world in every way possible.
Opera North, his friends, family, and many of the people Richard worked with throughout his 40 year career will gather to celebrate his life with a memorial concert on 16 February 2014 at Leeds Grand Theatre. Performing works and readings that reflect the breadth of his long and distinguished career, the concert will feature Giselle Allen, Marie Arnet, Dame Josephine Barstow, Richard Berkeley-Steele, Bonaventura Bottone, Susan Bullock, Lesley Garrett, John Graham-Hall, Robert Hayward, Yvonne Howard, Janis Kelly, Dame Felicity Palmer, David Pountney, Jean Rigby, Richard Suart, and many more, staged by Phyllida Lloyd and Jo Davies.
Richard Mantle, Opera North's General Director, comments:
“It was with tremendous sadness that the arts world learnt in August 2013 of the premature death of Richard Angas, a brilliant artist and a performer of great charisma. Richard commanded an enormous amount of affection and respect, and this, coupled with the vivacity and depth of characterisation he brought to all of his roles, is reflected in the eclectic and perhaps slightly unusual programme for this concert in his memory.”
The concert features excerpts from a varied range of opera and operetta, including The Mikado, for which Lesley Garrett, Susan Bullock, and Jean Rigby, the original ‘Three Little Maids’ of Jonathan Miller’s much-revived 1986 production for English National Opera, will reunite along with many other original cast members.
Further pieces will be performed from The Love for Three Oranges, Tosca, The Cunning Little Vixen, Rusalka, Ruddigore, Paradise Moscow and Peter Grimes as well as works by Handel, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Vaughan Williams and Chopin.
Richard Farnes, David Lloyd-Jones, Wyn Davies, James Holmes and Anthony Kraus conduct the Chorus & Orchestra of Opera North together with members of the ENO Chorus.
Artistic Director of Welsh National Opera, David Pountney, who will give a reading as part of the event, comments:
“He had a deeply carved and eloquent face on which was written, as on an old and much loved boot, the remembered experiences of the many miles marched, the many stages trod, the many dressings and undressings, and above all of a real life lived, a life which rolled out of Richard like a fountain of richly brewed liquor in the magnificent cadence of his laugh. It is of course not possible to inhabit the characters which Richard so memorably played – a definitive Schigolch in WNO’s Lulu for example, or his exceptionally touching Vlodnik in Rusalka, unless you not only know how to experience life yourself, but can tap into that knowledge and understanding in your work.”
Born in 1942‚ in Esher‚ Surrey, Richard Angas made his professional operatic debut in 1966 and soon developed a long-standing relationship with English National Opera, where he was a principal bass for 15 years, making an indelible impression in particular in the title role of The Mikado. For Opera North, he appeared in many productions, including Ruddigore, Julietta, The Portrait, Peter Grimes, Paradise Moscow, Ruddigore, The Cunning Little Vixen, Arabella, The Barber of Seville, L’énfant et les sortilèges and Rusalka.
All proceeds from the memorial concert will be donated to English National Opera’s Benevolent Fund and to a bursary for young cast to train on a specific role with particular directors.
Performance listing:
Richard Angas Memorial Concert
A celebration of his life in words and music
Leeds Grand Theatre
Sunday 16 February 2014 at 5pm
Tickets: £10 (minimum donation)
Box office: 0844 848 2700 or www.operanorth.co.uk
Conductors:
Wyn Davies
Richard Farnes
James Holmes
Anthony Kraus
David Lloyd-Jones
Performers:
Giselle Allen
Marie Arnet
Dame Josephine Barstow
Richard Berkeley-Steele
Bonaventura Bottone
Susan Bullock
Sally Burgess
Richard Burkhard
Adrian Clarke
Anne-Sophie Duprels
Lesley Garrett CBE
John Graham-Hall
Helen Field
Jennifer France
Amy Freston
Peter Hall
Robert Hayward
Yvonne Howard
Natasha Jouhl
Janis Kelly
Benjamin Luxon
Donald Maxwell
Frances McCafferty
Annemarie Owens
Dame Felicity Palmer
David Pountney
Margaret Preece
Mark Richardson
Jean Rigby
Eric Roberts
Alexandra Sherman
Heather Shipp
Joseph Shovelton
Richard Suart
Orchestra of Opera North
Chorus of Opera North
Members of ENO Chorus
Concert staged by Phyllida Lloyd and Jo Davies
/ENDS
For further information and images, please contact:
Julia Gregg, Interim Press & PR Manager
0113 223 3526
Rebekah Wadham, Press Officer
0113 223 3528
Molly Fetherston, Communications Assistant
0113 223 3590