Fancy a night of Black / Brown Opera? Yes, it exists! Dust off your finery, clink a glass with us and join fellow opera lovers for the highly anticipated The Aspern Papers on Friday 22^nd April at 7.30pm at London’s Susie Sainsbury Theatre.

The Aspern Papers is a novella by American writer Henry James, originally published in 1888. It is one of James’ best-known and most acclaimed longer tales. Set in 19th-century Venice, The Aspern Papers tells the tale of ambitious editor Henry Jonson who is trying to obtain poet Jeffrey Aspern’s romantic letters to Juliana Bordereau – his beautiful muse and lover. Composer Philip Hagemann has adapted The Aspern Papers into a thrilling opera.

The production is presented by Pegasus Opera Company, in association with Hagemann Rosenthal Associates, who creates opportunities for underrepresented artists and breaks down the perception that opera is elitist, and we are here for it.

The Aspern Papers stars Jacob Bettinelli, a bass baritone originally from Hong Kong. He won third place in the Piemonte Opera Voci dal Mondo International Singing Competition in Italy; Lauren Easton, an Australian/Mauritian mezzo soprano plus Melody Compton, Oscar Castellino, Monwabisi Lindi and Julia Daramy-Williams. Legendary Tenor Ronald Samm also stars.

Artistic Director of Pegasus Opera Company and renowned soprano soloist Alison Buchanan (main image) plays Tina. She is the winner of many prestigious awards including the Kathleen Ferrier (Decca Prize), the Luciano Pavarotti, the Washington International and the Maggie Teyte competitions. Alison has performed with New York City Opera in Porgy & Bess and Don Giovanni

About Pegasus Opera Company

Pegasus Opera Company is a professional opera company based in Brixton, London with a family of widespread international artists, participants and supporters. They produce high-quality performances and balance this with a focus on artist development of emerging artists of African and Asian heritage bringing their work onto eminent platforms. For almost thirty years, Pegasus Opera Company has been the go-to organisation for opera and musical theatre singers, composers, instrumentalists and directors predominantly, but not exclusively, from diverse African, Caribbean, and Asian backgrounds.

Established in South London the Company has held true to their founder Lloyd Newton’s credo of ‘harmony in diversity’. Pegasus Opera has inspired many to love opera; and celebrate the music of rich African, Asian and Caribbean diasporas whilst weaving into the fabric of the British performing arts, using creativity to challenge and advocate for positive change.

Patrons of Pegasus Opera are Sharon D Clarke MBE, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa DBE, Baroness Doreen Lawrence OBE, Kristin Lewis, Chuka Umunna MP and Roderick Williams OBE.

Past Productions

Past productions include Carmen, Magic Flute, I Pagliacci on National Tours, Porgy and Bess at the Barbican Concert Hall, Delius’ Koanga at London’s Sadler’s Wells and Treemonisha at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre and UK tour. Most recently the company staged MAMI WATA to a sold-out audience at the Royal Opera House.

Full Schedule

We will be attending The Aspern Papers on Friday 22 April at 7:30pm, at Susie Sainsbury Theatre, Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London NW1 5HT. If you can’t make the date but want to have a fabulous, entertaining time, full list of dates and times are as follows:

• Friday 22 April at 7:30pm,
• Saturday 23 April, 7:30pm
• Sunday 12 April 2022, 2.30pm

Tickets are £35, £25, Concessions £15  BOOK HERE

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