
Opera Anywhere has teamed up with Sorelle, an innovative operatic group of sopranos wanting to change the face and fate of women in opera. Sorelle, or ‘sisters’ in Italian, was formed after the group’s three sopranos – Olivia Bell, Katie Blackwell, Megan Strachan – performed in Opera Anywhere’s ‘Sister Angelica’ in 2018 – so performing alongside Opera Anywhere again is a truly full-circle moment!
The first half of this magical performance sees Sorelle performing a series of music celebrating and revitalising the image of some of the most famous, infamous and forgotten women from the worlds of opera and musical theatre – the queens, the heroines, the lovers – and restoring them to their rightful place in the public imagination. You can expect music from Mozart to Vera Lynn and everything in between!
The performance culminates in a staged performance of Puccini’s ‘Suor Angelica’ – a unique one-act opera of harrowing drama and unequalled redemptive beauty.
Synopsis
Originally set in an Italian convent in the 1600s, Sister Angelica deals with issues such as gendered prejudice, religious hypocrisy and social exclusion, many of which are as equally prevalent now as they were when Puccini wrote this in 1918, albeit in a different way.
Our unique adaptation is set in 1950s Republic of Ireland, in a rural convent in a superstitious and isolated community. This modernised, anglicised setting reflects the very real problems women in Ireland faced at that time.
The story unfolds with Sister Angelica who is cherishing a hidden, burning desire to see her illegitimate child who was taken from her seven years before. When she learns suddenly of her son’s tragic death, Angelica is plunged into suicidal delirium.
Synopsis
The opera explores the complexities surrounding Angelica’s persecution from the other nuns. We discover it’s not their religion that drives this ostracisation but rather their disgust at her social fall from grace and their refusal to face their own hypocrisy.
Despite its social-political background, at its core ‘Sister Angelica’ is a story of the true love between mother and child, and of faith; it’s ironic that Angelica, in spite of her ‘disgrace’, may well be the only character deserving of religious redemption in the entire opera.
This unique partnership of two fantastic performances is a great experience for seasoned music lovers and first-time opera-goers alike and we welcome you to join us on a musical journey exploring the powerhouse of women in music.
What Our Audience Say
Audience Member
Production Cast
Where to watch Opera’s Heroines & Sister Angelica
No events found!