Sat 18 May 2024 – 7:00 pm

“We are new to opera and appreciated every scene being explained to us. The presentation and singing by the artists was amazing and the whole show was so enjoyable.”

“This was absolutely marvellous – could not have been better. We loved the performances and the introductions and repartee.”

“I thought it was splendid … delightful repertoire and great stage direction. ”

Previous Audience Feedback

Spring is nearly here, and with it heralds the annual Masterclasses, and the subsequent Spring Opera Showcase, which offers a rich variety of semi-staged opera scenes and arias, set into context, to entertain opera novices of all ages and seasoned opera lovers in equal measure.

Visitors to the Masterclass are able to follow a performance’s journey from the rehearsal to production, offering a more in-depth view, at an earlier stage in the week, of what goes into the workings behind a performance.

“My enjoyment (of the Spring Opera Showcase) was greatly enhanced by attendance of the Masterclasses in the days before, where we watched the singers being trained into dramatic ensembles by some of the best teachers in the world.”

Clonter’s former Chairman, Patrick Furlong

Marie Cayeux – Soprano

Recipient of a bursary from the International Opera Awards Foundation for the season 2023-2024, Marie Cayeux recently debuted at Opéra de Monte-Carlo as the Fire, the Princess and the Nightingale in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges and as a guest artist at the international Festival Lyrique-en-Mer. Winner of many prizes at international competitions, her past roles include: La Princesse Laoula (L’etoile – Chabrier), the Dew fairy (Hänsel und Gretel – Humperdinck), Louisa (A Feast in the Time of Plague – Cui), Mrs P. (The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat – Nyman), The Maid (Four Sisters – Langer) and Barbara (Roman Fever – Hagemann). This summer, she will be covering Waldvogel (Siegfried – Wagner) for Longborough Festival Opera. UK-based since 2018, Marie studied in Opera School at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and obtained her Masters in Vocal Performance with Distinction at the Guildhall School.

Nicholas Collins – Tenor

Nicholas Collins, a 24-year-old tenor from Melbourne , Australia , completed his Bachelor of Music at The Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, graduating with First Class Honours in 2021. In this time Nicholas was invited to be the soloist at the Wiener Musikverein to perform the closing anthem of the Summa Cum Laude festival. Nicholas now resides in Manchester studying under Paul Nilon at the RNCM . In his time in Manchester so far, he has been involved in RNCM opera scenes presenting scenes by Dove,  Britten and Mozart. More recently Nicholas portrayed the role of Don Curzio in Chicago Summer Opera’s production of Le Nozze Di Figaro. Nicholas is currently in his second year of his master’s degree , with many exciting projects and performances planned for the near future whilst he resides in the UK.

Ceferina Penny – Soprano

British-Argentine Soprano Ceferina Penny is in her second year of master’s studies with Janis Kelly at the Royal College of Music, where she is a Charles Ravel Scholar. Upon beginning her studies in 2018, she simultaneously made her professional debut as ‘The Slave’ in the English National Opera’s latest production of Salome, at the London Coliseum. Thus far, Ceferina has taken part in masterclasses with Dame Ann Murray, Sir Thomas Allen and Veronique Gens. In 2021, she made her debut at The Grange Festival, singing ‘Peaseblossom’ in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Recently, Ceferina was the recipient of the Audience Prize in the Maureen Lehane Vocal Awards, which took place at the Wigmore Hall. In August 2023, Ceferina made her role debut as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Château de Panloy, Port-d’Enveaux, with Westminster Opera Company. This September, Ceferina will join the National Opera Studio as a Young Artist on the Global Talent Programme.

Phoebe Rayner – Mezzo Soprano

Praised for her “coppery” and “richly coloured mezzo”, Phoebe Rayner is a recent graduate of the Royal College of Music and Royal Northern College of Music. She is a Stoller Hall Emerging Artist and Britten Pears Young Artist specialising in contemporary music and the development of new works. Roles and scenes performed include Nerone in Agrippina (Hampstead Garden Opera), La chatte/L’écureuil in L’enfant et les sortilèges (RCM Opera Studio), Concepción in L’heure Espagnole (Ernest Reed Symphonic Orchestra), Stewardess in Flight (RCM Opera Studio), Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel (Westminster Opera Company), Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, and Nancy in Albert Herring (RCM Scenes).

Michael Temporal Darell – Baritone

Michael Temporal Darell is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music where he studied with Raymond Connell, Marcus van den Akker and James Baillieu. In the 2024 season, upcoming and recent performances include Adam in Haydn’s Creation at St John Smith Square, Ramiro in L’heure espagnole, Donald in Billy Budd for New Palace Opera, Clonter Opera Spring Showcase, and guest artist at the Great North Proms – Newcastle O2. In addition to this, Michael is an Opera Prelude Young Artist for 2024. Prior to studying at the Royal Academy of Music, Michael Temporal Darell was a joint principal study singer and composer at the Purcell School for Young Musicians and at the Royal Academy of Music’s Junior Academy.

Ticket Pricing & Booking Information

Masterclass
Thurs 16 May

Tickets £5, FREE for Patrons, Friends & Students
Masterclass 2 – 3.30pm
BOOK THROUGH BOX OFFICE ONLY – 01260 224514

Spring Opera Showcase
Sat 18 May

Tickets £22, £28, £36, £41, FREE for 26-year-olds and under (ID may be required)
Early Bird Ticket (10% Discount) available until 1st March
Group Discount (10% Discount) 10+
U3A Discount (10% Discount)
Doors Open 6pm
Performance Starts 7pm
Interval 70 minute supper interval; pre-order supper, or bring your own picnic

Priority Booking for Patrons 9th February
Priority Booking for Friends 16th February
General Sale 23rd February

Drink Arrangements – Please note that any drink consumed inside the premises must be purchased from the bar. For Friends and Patrons of Clonter who wish to bring their own drink, a corkage fee of £4 per person will apply (payable in advance on 01260 224514).

N.B. Table and catering booking facilities close a week before the performance date. Pre-order drinks facilities close at 4pm on the Wednesday before the performance.