FAUST – GOUNOD
Presented on Dec 1, 3, 5, 11 at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin as part of the Dublin Grand Opera Society’s Winter Season
Fernando Bano – Faust
Caroline Dumas – Marguerite
Louis Hagen Williams – Méphistophélès
John O’Flynn – Valentin
Colette McGahon – Siébel
Mary O’Sullivan – Martha
Frank O’Brien – Wagner
Luis Bertholon – Conductor
Denise & Marcel Feru – Producers
FIDELIO – BEETHOVEN
Presented on Dec 2, 4, 6, 9 at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin as part of the Dublin Grand Opera Society’s Winter Season
Nelli Skolnik – Leonora
Maurice Maievski – Florestan
Gian Koral – Pizzaro
Frederic Vassar – Rocco
Ann Moran – Marzelline
Patrick Ring – Jaquino
Peter McBrien – Fernando
Albert Rosen – Conductor
Ken Neate – Producer
ORFEO ED EURIDICE – GLUCK
Presented on Dec 8, 10, 12, 13 at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin as part of the Dublin Grand Opera Society’s Winter Season
Bernadette Greevy – Orfeo
Lorraine Marenzi Jones – Euridice
Hila Gharakhanian – Amor
Napoleone Annovazzi – Conductor
Dario Micheli – Producer
JOSE CARRERAS RECITAL
The William O’Kelly Memorial Recital
at the RDS Concert Hall, Dublin on Monday 29th September 1980 at 8pm
Featuring Jose Carreras
with Eduardo Muller (accompanist)
The winter season was notable for an enjoyable “Fidelio” and what was described as a ‘moderate “Faust”‘. Irish singers figured prominently, with bass-baritone John O’Flynn a sturdy Valentine and Colette McGahon being praised for her Siebel. It was left to Ken Neate’s skilful production of Beethoven’s “Fidelio” to redeem the season and here again Irish artists such as Paddy Ring (Jaquino), Peter McBrien (Fernando) and Ann Moran (Marzelline) did extremely well. Ring felt that at this point the society was under pressure from the Arts Council to engage more Irish and although the fees still remained small there was an improvement. With veteran stage manager Pat McClellan ‘threatening’ to retire, the society reckoned it was time to look around for an assistant to Pat, who had given such herculean service over the years. Josephine Scanlon was their choice and with her operatic background she was well qualified. She was married to well-known Cork-born actor and entertainer Chris Curran and had taken leading roles in grand opera, including Violetta (“Traviata”) and Leonora (“Trovatore”). After a few months as assistant to Pat McClellan she had to admit it was demanding work. ‘I was mainly in charge of supplying stage properties and I quickly came to know every antique shop in Dublin. I even took materials out of my own house for props as well as cajoling friends to lend me some. I was amused sometimes when visiting artists thought I was the society’s treasurer and asked me to get them accommodation or help them to buy jewellery. My job was really to supply the opera director with all the props he required and in this respect I got excellent advice from Pat McClellan. He had a habit of saying, “We must work ’til we drop, Jo.” I don’t think the critics were aware of the problems that existed backstage, for it was sometimes touch and go whether productions actually went on in time.’ When Monica Condron (hon. sec.) sat down to write her report for that year of 1980, it was not surprising that she should open it with a reference to the late Colonel O’Kelly. She stated that the year in a sense had been a trial period for the society and that during his thirty-eight years as chairman he had built a fortress to withstand almost all onslaughts. Following his death, the society seemed to be, as it were, holding its breath and waiting under its new management. ‘Now that waiting is over,’ she added, ‘and it can breathe again. Very little has changed. There is, of course, a new chairman, who with the co-operation of the members is carrying on the traditions already set. No two people can work or think alike but as long as their aims are the same then the continuation and success of the society is assured and we need have no fears for the future.’ Ms Condron’s was an interesting report and clearly hinted that in the years ahead there would perhaps be ‘onslaughts’ on the society’s policies, artistic and otherwise. How long more it could remain a ‘fortress’ was a moot point. There was, it could be surmised from the report, no immediate need for apprehension. Meanwhile, the passing of Dr Colm McDonnell, husband of Margaret McDonnell, who remained the driving force behind the Ladies’ Committee and its fund-raising efforts, was genuinely mourned by DGOS members. The McDonnells had always been a very united couple and Colm had supported his wife in all of her activities for the DGOS, going so far on numerous occasions to host events in their home and grounds in order to raise money. As Margaret was to tell me once, ‘Colm like myself, knew the society badly needed funds and whenever I sought his support it was always forthcoming. Going to the opera gave him a lot of enjoyment and we always made a social night out of it – he had good friends.’ Carmel McHale, Maire Hogan, Moyra Potter and others in the Ladies’ Committee felt that Margaret could not have achieved so much for the society without Colm’s support and encouragement. ‘He was always there in the background helping her,’ added Carmel McHale, who remembered some outstanding fund-raising functions at the McDonnell home.
(Extracted from “Love and Music: The Glorious History of the Dublin Grand Opera Society” by Gus Smith, 1998)
Opera in Ireland 