The Opera Group
INTO THE LITTLE HILL - DOWN BY THE GREENWOOD SIDE
14 February - 18 March 2009
co-produced by The Opera Group, London Sinfonietta and ROH2
Into The Little Hill
Music by George Benjamin
Words by Martin Crimp
Down By The Greenwood Side
Music by Harrison Birtwistle
Words by Michael Nyman
Guardian ***** Telegraph ***** Times **** Independent ****
“A transcendentally beautiful piece, perfectly scaled to Martin Crimp’s taut libretto… Susan Bickley and Claire Booth were outstanding”
Read the entire Guardian review
“Mesmerising. There was nowhere to hide from the visceral power of Benjamin’s score - by turns eerie, abrasive, sad and lyrical.”
Read the entire Times review
“A superb performance… This is something quite exceptional, both in the originality of its form and the depth of its inspiration… A masterpiece, no question.”
Read the entire Daily Telegraph review
“Two outstanding soloists and the London Sinfonietta in brilliant form”
Read the entire Independent review
A faceless stranger arrives in town and agrees to exterminate its plague of rats; but when the Mayor refuses to pay up, his actions have terrible repercussions. A gripping version of The Pied Piper fable, Into the Little Hill is a “miniature masterpiece” (Independent). This new production is conducted by the composer George Benjamin, performed by the London Sinfonietta with singers Susan Bickley and Claire Booth, and directed by The Opera Group’s John Fulljames.
The double-bill includes another landmark in music theatre: Harrison Birtwistle’s boisterous and highly enjoyable Down By The Greenwood Side. This staging transposes the traditional rural folk tales to an urban setting.
Rehearsal Footage
Videos by David Newell
2009 Tour
Linbury Studio Theatre at the Royal Opera House
14, 15, 18 & 19 February
Oxford Playhouse
22 February
The Anvil, Basingstoke
26 February
Howard Assembly Room at Opera North, Leeds
7 & 8 March
Audio Clips
Get the Flash Player to listen to the sound clips.
Music taken from “George Benjamin - Into the Little Hill”
Listen to an audio clip of the 2008 recording by Ensemble Modern, featuring Anu Komsi and Hilary Summers.
Music taken from NI 5828 "George Benjamin - Into the Little Hill" Courtesy of Nimbus Records (http://www.wyastone.co.uk)
Conductor George Benjamin
Director John Fulljames
Designer Soutra Gilmour
Lighting Designer Jon Clark
Costume Supervisor Chris Cahill
Choreographer/Movement Jami Reid-Quarrell
Projection Designer Mick McNicholas
Assistant Conductor Gerry Cornelius
Repetiteur Ouri Bronchti
Down by the Greenwood Side:
Mrs. Green Claire Booth
Father Christmas Pip Donaghy
St. George Wela Frasier
Bold Slasher Robert Hastie
Dr. Blood/Jack Finney Julian Forsyth
Into the Little Hill:
Mezzo Susan Bickley
Soprano Claire Booth
Image design by Module Media. Production photos by Alastair Muir.
Supported by
The Columbia Foundation