Past Productions
Opera South East's past productions back to 1980 are listed below. In that time, OSE has always sung its operatic productions in English, fully staged and with orchestra (the acclaimed Sussex Concert Orchestra) and conducted/musically directed by Kenneth Roberts. Pages are available for some of the historical events with increasing numbers of photos.
|
Year
|
Opera
|
Composer
|
Director
|
Venue
|
|
2023
|
Carmen |
by Georges Bizet
|
Eleanor Strutt
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2022 (Delayed from 2020 and 2021 as a result of Covid-19)
|
The Mikado |
by Gilbert & Sullivan
|
directed by Denis Delahunt
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
2021, the year that never was
2020, the year that never was
|
2019
|
La Traviata |
by Verdi
|
directed by Fraser Grant
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2018
|
2018 Eugene Onegin |
by Tchaikovsky
|
directed by Fraser Grant
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
|
|
2016
|
Macbeth |
by Verdi
|
directed by Fraser Grant
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2015
|
Il Trovatore |
by Verdi
|
directed by Fraser Grant
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2014
|
Carmen |
by Bizet
|
directed by Fraser Grant
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2013
|
Madame Butterfly |
by Puccini
|
directed by Fraser Grant
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2013
|
The Pearl Fishers |
by Bizet
|
directed by Jenny Miller
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2012
|
Orpheus in the Underworld |
by Offenbach
|
directed by Fraser Grant
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2012
|
Nabucco |
by Verdi
|
directed by Fraser Grant
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2011
|
H.M.S. Pinafore |
by Gilbert & Sullivan
|
directed by Fraser Grant
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2010
|
Die Fledermaus |
by Strauss
|
directed by Leon Berger
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2009
|
Orpheus and Eurydice |
by Glück
|
directed by Karen McInally
|
at St Mary in the Castle, Hastings
|
|
|
2009
|
Gianni Schicchi,
|
by Puccini
and Mascagni |
directed by Fraser Grant,
directed by Fraser Grant |
at St Mary in the Castle, Hastings
|
|
|
2008
|
The Marriage of Figaro |
by Mozart
|
directed by Fraser Grant
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2008
|
The Merry Widow
|
by Léhar
|
directed by Leon Berger
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2007
|
La Cenerentola |
by Rossini
|
directed by Fraser Grant
|
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2007
|
Trial by Jury,
|
by Gilbert & Sullivan
by Purcell |
directed by Fraser Grant
directed by Fraser Grant |
at The White Rock Theatre, Hastings
also at Rohrmeisterei, Schwerte, Germany |
|
|
2006
|
Don Giovanni |
Mozart
|
Alan Privett & Jenny Miller
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2006
|
The Pirates of Penzance |
Gilbert & Sullivan
|
Fraser Grant
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2005
|
Don Pasquale |
Donizetti
|
Leon Berger
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2005
|
The Magic Flute |
Mozart
|
Fraser Grant
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2004
|
The Mikado |
Gilbert & Sullivan
|
Fraser Grant
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2004
|
La Traviata |
Donizetti
|
Alan Privett
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2003
|
The Gondoliers |
Gilbert & Sullivan
|
Leon Berger
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2003
|
Lucia di Lammermoor |
Donizetti
|
Fraser Grant
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2002
|
The Baroque Opera Experience |
Various
|
Ken Roberts
|
White Rock Sussex Room
St Mary's Battle and St. Mary's Rye |
|
|
2002
|
The Pearl Fishers |
Bizet
|
Leon Berger
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
2001
|
Eugene Onegin |
Tchaikovsky
|
Orpha Phelan
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
The Stag Theatre, Sevenoaks |
|
|
2000
|
Amahl and the Night Visitors |
Menotti
|
Sue Pybus
|
Christchurch, St. Leonards-on-Sea
|
|
|
2000
|
Carmen |
Bizet
|
Alan Privett
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
The Civic Theatre, Guildford |
|
|
1999
|
The Barber of Seville |
Rossini
|
Glyn Paul
|
St. Mary in the Castle, Hasting
The Stag Theatre, Sevenoaks |
|
|
1999
|
A Festival Fledermaus |
Strauss, etc.
|
Leon Berger
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1999
|
Madam Butterfly |
Puccini
|
Alan Privett
|
The Civic Theatre, Guildford
|
|
|
1998
|
Madam Butterfly |
Puccini
|
Alan Privett
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1997
|
La Bohème
|
Puccini
|
John Morgan
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1997
|
Macbeth
|
Verdi
|
Alan Privett
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings,
Der Freischutz, Shwerte, Germany |
|
|
1996
|
La Traviata |
Verdi
|
John Morgan
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1996
|
Turandot |
Puccini
|
Alan Privett
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1995
|
L'Elisir d'Amore |
Donizetti
|
Alan Privett
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1994
|
The Magic Flute |
Mozart
|
Dennis Wicks
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1994
|
Aȉda |
Verdi
|
Alan Privett
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1993
|
Tosca |
Puccini
|
Colin Morris
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1993
|
Orpheus in the Underworld |
Offenbach
|
Alan Privett
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1992
|
Madam Butterfly |
Puccini
|
Alan Privett
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1992
|
Acis and Galatea |
Handel
|
Brian Hick
|
Churches at Bexhill, Hastings and Rye
|
|
|
1992
|
The Marriage of Figaro |
Mozart
|
Kenneth Roberts
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1991
|
Quel Weekend |
Roberts
|
Brian Hick
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1991
|
H.M.S. Pinafore,
|
Gilbert & Sullivan
Rowe & Sullivan |
Colin Morris
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1990
|
La Bohème |
Puccini
|
Brenda Stanley
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1990
|
Carmen |
Bizet
|
Colin Morris
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1989
|
Cosi Fan Tutti |
Mozart
|
Colin Morris
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1989
|
Trial by Jury,
|
Gilbert & Sullivan
|
Colin Morris
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1988
|
Rigoletto |
Verdi
|
Jon Adams
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1988
|
The Yeomen of the Guard |
Gilbert & Sullivan
|
Colin Morris
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1987
|
Hansel and Gretel |
Humperdinck
|
Jon Adams
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1987
|
The Mikado |
Gilbert & Sullivan
|
Colin Morris
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1986
|
La Traviata |
Verdi
|
Jon Adams
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1986
|
The Merry Widow |
Léhar
|
Jon Adams
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1985
|
Dido and Aeneas,
|
Purcell
Mascagni |
Jon Adams
|
White Rock Theatre, Hastings (new name this year!)
|
|
|
1985
|
The Marriage of Figaro |
Mozart
|
Jon Adams
|
The De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill
|
|
|
1984
|
Die Fledermaus |
Strauss
|
Jon Adams
|
White Rock Pavilion
|
|
|
1983
|
Carmen
|
Bizet
|
Gavin Baldwin
|
White Rock Pavilion
|
|
1978-1983 was under the early name of The Essenden Ensemble
|
1982
|
Don Giovanni |
Mozart
|
Gavin Baldwin
|
The Stables Theatre, Hastings
|
|
|
1981
|
The Magic Flute |
Mozart
|
Gavin Baldwin
|
The Grove School
(the last year there before moving to commercial theatres - 13-15 August '81) |
|
|
1980
|
The Marriage of Figaro
|
Mozart
|
Gavin Baldwin
|
The Grove School
|
|
|
1979
|
Hubris and the Muse |
Kenneth Roberts
|
The Grove School
|
a short musical play about auditions at a music college.
|
|
1979
|
HMS Pinafore |
Gilbert & Sullivan
|
The Grove School
|
|
1978
|
Iolanthe
|
Gilbert & Sullivan
|
The Grove School
|
Phew that's a lot of productions: 66 in fact initial productions under the musical direction of Kenneth Roberts under the official names (5 of them being double-bills) and a further 6 operas in the early years productions under the name of The Essendon Ensemble. Maybe a thousand other performances with other groups too! Good for you Kenneth - tonight (26/8/2023) we played for you and your OSE retirement and what a retirement.
Now looking to our new MD for the years ahead
Please join us for our next opera
Now looking to our new MD for the years ahead
Please join us for our next opera