Singapore Lyric Opera Sings of Nature and Hope

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

15 April 2019

MEDIA RELEASE

Singapore Lyric Opera Sings of Nature and Hope at their 12th Opera in the Park!

The Singapore Lyric Opera brings opera to the outdoors for the 12th consecutive year on 15 June 2018, Saturday, at 6pm. Befitting to this year’s theme “Nature and Hope”, Opera in the Park will be staged at the Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage in the beautiful nature setting of Singapore’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

As Opera in the Park enters into its 12th season, SLO is grateful for the support of the Singapore Botanic Gardens and SPH Gift of Music to bring opera to a wider audience by breaking the formal barrier of a traditional opera setting and removing any stigma and misconception of opera. The collaboration with the Singapore Botanic Gardens allows an environment that encourages the audience to immerse themselves in opera music while having a picnic with family and friends.

Audience can expect to enjoy joyful and uplifting arias from several classics such as Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Delibes’ Lakmé, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, J. Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, Verdi’s Aida and La Traviata. The audience will also get to enjoy a mini preview of SLO’s upcoming production: Bizet’s Carmen. Jonathan Charles Tay will be singing one of the highlights of the opera “La fleur que tu m’avais”; and Martin Ng performs the rousing aria “Votre toast”.

Joshua Tan, an up-and-rising conductor from Singapore, will be leading the SLO Orchestra. The concert will also feature soloists from the SLO–Leow Siak Fah Artists Training Programme - Cherie Tse, Zhang Jie, and Chieko Sato. Regular Opera in the Park supporters will also be pleasantly surprised by new faces Sim Weiying and Joyce Lee who will be performing a couple of solo arias. The SLO Chorus, Youth Choir, and Children Choir will also make a guest appearance at the concert together with their respective conductors, Terence Toh and Rose Loh.

--------- End ----------

For media enquiries, please contact Jethro Liang of L’EAP Communications at 9488 9239 or E-mail: jethro@leapcomm.com.sg OPERA IN THE PARK

Conductor Joshua Kangming Tan

Soloists:

Cherie Tse

Zhang Jie

Chieko Sato

Joyce Lee

Sim Weiying

Jonathan Charles Tay

Martin Ng

With the Singapore Lyric Opera Orchestra, Chorus, Youth Choir, and Children’s Choir

SLO Chorus and Youth Choir Conductor Terence Toh

SLO Children’s Choir Conductor Rose Loh

Programme

Now in its 12th year, Opera in the Park celebrates new beginnings with “Nature & Hope”, with a selection of classical favorites you don’t want to miss.

Mozart Le Nozze di Figaro

Overture
Giunse alfin il momento (Sim Weiying)
Aprite presto aprite (Cherie Tse, Joyce Lee)
Sull’aria (Cherie Tse, Zhang Jie)

Delibes Lakmé

The Flower Duet (Joyce Lee, Chieko Sato)

Wagner Lohengrin

Bridal Chorus (SLO Chorus)

J. Strauss Die Fledermaus

Im Feuerstrom der Reben (Sim Weiying, Jonathan Charles Tay, Cherie Tse, SLO Chorus & Youth Choir)

Puccini Madama Butterfly

Scuoti quelle fronda di ciliegio (Zhang Jie, Chieko Sato)

Bizet Carmen

La cloche a sonné (SLO Chorus)
La fleur que tu m’avais (Jonathan Charles Tay)
Les Voici! (SLO Chorus, Youth Choir & Children’s Choir)
Votre toast (Martin Ng)

Verdi Aida

Gloria all’Egitto (SLO Chorus, Youth Choir & Children’s Choir)

Verdi La Traviata

Brindisi (All singers)

Programme not in order of performance

Artistes and Programme subject to change

This concert is subject to weather conditions

Ticket Price(s)

FREE ADMISSION

Sponsored by

Singapore Press Holdings

SPH Gift of Music Series

SPH Gift of Music

SPH Gift of Music, sponsored by media group Singapore Press Holdings, has been entertaining Singapore audiences since its launch in 2005. The free community concert series offers an exciting line-up of concerts every year as a musical gift to the nation. SPH Gift of Music has brought music to the community in various locations such as the heartlands, parks, shopping malls and Esplanade.

Visit www.sph.com.sg/sph-gift-of-music for the concert calendar.

With Support from

Lee Foundation, Arts Fund

Official Airline

Singapore Airlines

Venue Provider

BIOGRAPHIES

Singapore Lyric Opera

Singapore Lyric Opera's main objective is to promote and present western opera. Since its inaugural performance of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte in 1991, SLO has been active in presenting annual seasons of operas, concerts and musical events for the enjoyment of Singaporeans from all walks of life and to give opera fans opportunities to enjoy operas not frequently performed in the Asia-Pacific region.

Notable productions in recent years include Madama Butterfly, Le Nozze di Figaro, Il barbiere di Siviglia, La Traviata, Turandot, Les contes d’Hoffmann, La Bohème, Carmen, Salome, Don Giovanni, Manon Lescaut, Così fan tutte and Double Bill Operas: Pagliacci and Gianni Schicchi.

Directors who have worked with the Company include Andrew Sinclair (Royal Opera House, London), David Edwards and Tom Hawkes from the UK, Lo King Man (Hong Kong) and Ivan Heng (Singapore).

As part of the Company’s objective of bringing opera to the wider community, SLO presents various programmes such as the Opera in the Park at the Singapore Botanic Gardens which has played to more than 30,000 audiences since 2008 and continues to work with the community in promoting the art of and joy of singing.

As an integral member of the local music community, the SLO encourages participation in the arts and nurtures future generations of musicians through these performing groups formed under its wing: Singapore Lyric Opera Children’s Choir, Opera Chorus and SLO Orchestra.

SLO Orchestra

The SLO Orchestra is a professional orchestra made up of professionally-trained and seasoned musicians. These musicians are selected based on their ability to handle and perform challenging operatic repertoire – both in the pit and on stage.

The SLO Orchestra made its opera debut in March 2009 in the production of Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann and has since worked regularly as the orchestral ensemble for all of the SLO’s opera productions including Puccini’s La Bohème, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Bizet’s Carmen, Strauss’ Salome, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Verdi’s La Traviata and Mozart’s Così fan tutte in addition to the many concerts that it has performed on stage such as the annual series of concerts at Esplanade Concert Hall and at Opera in the Park in the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

The SLO Orchestra also performed with international singing sensations, Russell Watson (2010), Katherine Jenkins (2011) and Sarah Brightman (2012) at their debut concerts in Singapore. The Orchestra collaborated with Paris Opera Ballet in Giselle (2012), Bolshoi Ballet in Swan Lake (2013), Stuttgart Ballet in Onegin (2014) and English National Ballet in Le Corsaire in May 2015, and further collaborations with like-minded organizations in the promotion of opera, ballet and popular music.

SLO Chorus

The Singapore Lyric Opera (SLO) Chorus was established in 1990. Since its first appearance in SLO’s inaugural production Die Zauberflöte in 1991, the SLO Chorus has taken part in all of the Company’s productions and concerts. It remains the backbone of its productions.

Their recent repertoire includes Puccini’s Turandot (2008), Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann (2009), Puccini’s La Bohème, Mozart’s Die Zauberflote (2010), Strauss’ Salome (2011), Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Puccini’s Manon Lescaut (2012), Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Verdi’s La Traviata (2013), Cosi fan Tutte, The Merry Widow (2014), Pagliacci and Gianni Schicchi (2015). The Company also provides opportunities for opera singers to understudy and play minor roles in all productions, concerts and education programmes.

The Chorus has also been invited to perform in concert with Russell Watson and organist Ahreum Han.

SLO Children’s Choir

The Singapore Lyric Opera Children’s Choir (SLOCC) is a member of the Singapore Lyric Opera family. Set up in August 2006 with the aim of providing vocal training and performance skills for children aged 8 – 15 years, the SLOCC aims to be a children’s choir of quality and excellence, and one of the finest choruses in Singapore.

Performance opportunities are ample with involvement in the Singapore Lyric Opera’s opera productions, concerts and outreach activities. The repertoire of the SLOCC ranges from operas, oratorios, choral masterpieces and musical theatre from all periods, genres and languages. All SLOCC members are selected by audition. Membership is by subscriptions.

Members of the SLO Children’s Choir are given solo opportunities in concerts and operas.

Over the years, the repertoire of the Singapore Lyric Opera Children’s Choir has expanded to include special commissioned songs from Liong Kit Yeng, Chen Zhangyi (Young Artiste Award 2014) and songs by Liang Wen Fook.

Joshua Kangming Tan

Conductor

Singaporean conductor Joshua Kangming Tan is a graduate of The Juilliard School and the Eastman School of Music. His awards and scholarships include the Bruno Walter Memorial Foundation Award, NAC-Shell Scholarship, SSO/MOE Scholarship, Charles Schiff Conducting Prize (Juilliard School) and the NAC Young Artist Award.

Joshua studied with James DePreist, Charles Dutoit, David Zinman and Kurt Masur and has worked with Michael Tilson Thomas, Ingo Metzmacher and George Manahan.

Orchestras he has conducted include the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Mariinsky Theater Orchestra, Beethoven Bonn Orchestra and Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra amongst others.

Equally at home with both symphonic and operatic repertoire, he has conducted and served as cover conductor for La traviata, L’elisir d’amore, Tosca, Rigoletto, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, La Cenerentola, Der Fliegende Holländer, Lohengrin, Un Ballo in Maschera amongst others and with the Singapore Lyric Opera Carmen, Don Giovanni, Manon Lescaut, Madama Butterfly, La Traviata, Cosí fan Tutte and the recent Double Bill Operas: Pagliacci and Gianni Schicchi.

Zhang Jie

Soprano

Soprano Zhang Jie graduated from the XingHai Conservatory of Music where she studied voice as her major. She was taught by Professor Li Ning and Professor Zhou Xiao Yin. In recent years, she has also continued her studies with Ms Nancy Yuen in Singapore. Zhang Jie actively performs in local concerts and competitions, receiving the second prize in the open category of the SLO-ASEAN Vocal Competition held in 2016. She also won awards in the Singapore Vocal Competition and the Singapore-Malaysia Vocal Competition in 2004.

Cherie Tse

Soprano

Cherie Tse is a Singaporean Soprano who has completed her Bachelor’s degree from the Royal College of Music, London. She has won 1st prize in the NAFA Vocal Competition 2017, 2nd prize in the 7th Tan Ngiang Kaw/Tan Ngiang Ann Vocal Competition, and the Gold Award in the 5th Bangkok Opera Singing Competition.

Cherie has sung with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Lyric Opera, Ding Yi Music Company, Hallelujah Oratorio Society and many others. Cherie has sung the roles of the High Priestess in Verdi’s Aida, Sandman and Dew-fairy in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Chloe from Offenbach’s Daphnis et Chloé, and the Girl in the world debut of Singaporean composer Chen Zhang Yi's chamber opera, Window Shopping. She was also the Soprano soloist in the premier of Dr Zechariah Goh’s Songs of the Dragon Kiln with Ding Yi Music Company. Cherie has also travelled to Austria, UK, Malaysia and Taiwan to perform.

Chieko Sato

Mezzo-Soprano

Although a long-time opera lover, Chieko only discovered her passion for singing in recent years.

She began her vocal training with soprano Satsuki Nagatome and more recently she has begun working with acclaimed bass-baritone Huang Ronghai.

Chieko is a founder member of the opera outreach group Scherzo, with whom she has performed works from a repertoire spanning Baroque to 19th century, at the Esplanade library since 2014. She has also been invited on three occasions to perform at the Lycée Français de Singapour, in an Introduction to Opera programme aimed at primary school students.

Chieko has sung at the Singapore Tatler Ball at St Regis Hotel and performed the role of Suzy in OperaCoast’s production of Puccini’s La Rondine, at the English resort of Eastbourne. As a Singapore Lyric Opera chorus member, Chieko participated in Pagliacci (2015), Turandot (2016) and L’elisir D’amore (2017).

Last Summer Chieko won a position in Singapore Lyric Opera’s Leow Siak Fah Artist Programme and performed Carmen trio and quintet as Carmen in the SLO gala concert in November at the Esplanade concert hall.

Sim Weiying

Soprano

Wei Ying is a soprano from Singapore. She recently attained her Bachelor of Music from Royal College of Music-NAFA with first class honors, as the Valedictorian of her cohort.

She has sung as Ciboulette in Offenbach’s Mesdames de la Halle (2017), Fanchette in Offenbach’s Le Mariage aux Lanternes (2016) and Xantippe in Offenbach’s Daphnis et Chloe (2016) and in the chorus of Humperdinck’s Hansel und Gretel (2015), Bizet’s Carmen (2016) and with The Philharmonic Chamber Choir in 2017. She has also participated in the summer program at the International Vocal Artists Academy of Payerbach in 2016 under Maestro Vladimir Chernov and Olga Toporkova. In 2017, she was the NAC Scholarship recipient for the 38th Kirishima International Music Festival, where she studied under Hungarian Soprano Andrea Rost. Wei Ying was the second prize winner of NAFA Vocal Competition in 2018.

During her studies, Wei Ying had the privilege of being taught and coached by Dr. Jessica Chen, Mr. William Lim and Mr. Nicholas Loh.

Joyce Lee Soprano

xxx. pending bio from amelia.

Jonathan Charles Tay Tenor

Jonathan first performed with the Singapore Lyric Opera (SLO) as Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. In 2018, he sings the role of Ah Niu in Singapore Chinese Orchestra’s Liu San Jie, Ferrando in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte with the Esplanade, Dvorak’s Stabat Mater with Braddell Heights Symphony Orchestra, Parpignol in Puccini’s La Boheme with Singapore Symphony Orchestra and The Messenger in Verdi’s Aida with SLO.

Previous credits include Steuermann in Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer, Orpheus in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, Peppe in Donisetti’s Rita, Peter Quint in Britten’s Turn of the Screw, Hussar in Stravinsky’s Mavra, Astolf in Schubert’s Die Versworenen, Edoardo in Rossini’s La cambiale di matrimonio, Muley Graves in Ricky Ian Gordon’s Grapes of Warth, Laurie in Mark’s Adamo’s Little Women and Ferrando in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte. Jonathan also performed as Re Gonzaga and L’araldo in Franco Faccio’s Amleto.

Martin Ng

Baritone

Martin was born in Singapore and graduated in Voice at the Conservatorio dall'Abaco di Verona.

In 2013, he made his debut with the Maggio Fiorentino as Sleep and Corydon in Purcell's The Fairy Queen. His other operatic performances include Don Bartolo in Barber of Seville, First Soldier in Strauss' Salome, Bauer in Schoenberg's Gurrelieder, the title role in Viktor Ullmann's Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Silvio in Leoncavcallo's I Pagliacci, Marco in Gianni Schicchi, Don Alfonso in Cosi fan tutte, Ping in Turandot, the Holländer in Wagner's Der Fliegende Holländer as well as Dulcamara in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore.

He has most recently performed as Amonasro in Verdi’s Aida, Papageno in Mozart's The Magic Flute, Alcindoro and Benoit in Puccini's La Boheme, and Klingsor in Wagner’s Parsifal, amongst others.

His concert performances include bass soloist for Bach's Magnificat and Saint John's Passion, Buxtenhude's Membri Jesu Nostri, Mozart's Coronation Mass, Mozart and Faure's Requiem and Mozart C minor Mass.

Terence Toh

Chorus Master

Terrence Toh is a Singaporean choral director and music educator. He holds a Master of Music from Boston University and has studied under Dr. André de Quadros, Dr. Owen Brian William and Dr. Diana R. Dansereau. Terrence’s research interest is in the transformative and empowering powers of music, music education and music-making.

In his international debut as a conductor, Terrence led his choirs to four gold awards at the 21st Century International Choral Festival in Genting, Malaysia. He also received the “Best Interpretation Award” and the "Most Promising Conductor Award” in the same festival.

Choirs under his direction have won recognition and accolade locally and internationally. His choirs are regularly featured in Esplanade’s Limelight, a series that features the best school choirs in Singapore. He is also the founder of EVOKX, a community choir that engages the youths in raising funds and awareness for social causes.

Terrence currently directs the choral programs at Anglican High School, CHIJ Katong Convent, Nanyang Junior College, Pasir Ris Secondary School, Pioneer Junior College and Singapore University of Technology and Design. He joined the Singapore Lyric Opera in 2015 as the Chorus Master for Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci (2015) and Puccini’s Turandot (2016).

Rose Loh

Choir Mistress