[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“Opera Anywhere have established an enviable reputation, and have set a new benchmark in excellence” – Nicola Lisle, Oxford Times.
Driven by a passion to produce accessible, innovative and entertaining opera for all ages, Mike and Vanessa Woodward founded Opera Anywhere in 2000. Beginning life, on an especially erected stage on a pond at the centre of their Oxfordshire village, the early performances were Proms concerts, which soon developed into fully staged opera productions.
Since 2000, Mike and Vanessa have taken Opera Anywhere on tour throughout the UK, the main objective to entertain audiences with popular but also less well-known operas. As the name suggests, Opera Anywhere specialises in performing in new and unusual venues but they also are very familiar with theatres and festival locations.
This performance of The Mikado is a new direction for the LMF as it will be the first time that we have brought Gilbert & Sullivan to the stage.
The Mikado is a comic opera in two acts, set in the town of Titipu, it features Nanki-poo who falls in love with Yum-Yum, who, sadly for Nanki-poo, is betrothed to Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner. Ko-Ko needs to find someone to execute, and quickly (chop chop), or it will be his neck on the block. Can some arrangement be found?
Because of the popular nature of this opera, we advise people to book early to avoid disappointment. We have a maximum number of 500 tickets available for this event, and in previous years, this has sold out. Please come early, bring a picnic and friends. Further information specific to this event can be found on our FAQ section of the website. Bayham Abbey is a fantastic venue and will be floodlit for the event.
Doors open 5.30pm for picnics. The performance will begin at 7.30pm and conclude around 10pm.
We have some extra information about the opera at Bayham on the FAQ part of our website, and I will repeat that here for convenience.
- The gates open at 5.30pm and the opera begins at 7.30pm
- The opera consists of two halves, each of around 55 minutes. There will be an interval of 30 minutes and the opera should finish around 10pm
- There is an area directly in front of the stage where we place between 100 and 150 chairs, and this area is kept picnic free
- The audience can arrive from 5.30pm and are invited to bring folding chairs, tables (if required) and picnics. These can be set up anywhere outside the main seating area
- The audience can move into the main seating area once their picnics are finished, using their own chairs (space permitting) or the LMF chairs provided. Alternatively, you are more than welcome to stay outside the main seating area, enjoy the opera and continue your picnic during the interval
- The concert will be amplified so everybody should be able to easily hear the opera
- The LMF would appreciate the audience taking their own litter home with them
- We have use of a field next to Bayham for car parking and this is no more than a 100 metre walk to the Abbey. Car parking marshals and stewards will be in attendance on the day
- There will be a ticket desk at the entrance. Tickets may be available on the day
- If it does rain, then umbrellas are allowed. Under these circumstances, please be aware of other guests
- If it rains too heavily for the singers and the musicians to perform, then the event will be cancelled. We would hope to be able to do this prior to the event and would notify everybody via email if that were to be the case. In this instance a full refund of the ticket price will be made
- It will get chilly by 10pm, so please bring a blanket or warm clothing even if it looks very sunny and bright at 5pm
- English Heritage will provide tea and coffee from the main office in the Dower House. They will also be selling wine and English Heritage souvenirs (including blankets!)
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