OCO past productions
2016 - Lizzie Strata
How OCO began
Oxfordshire Contemporary Opera was founded after the success of a first production, Lizzie Strata. The Opera, based on the comedy Lysistrata by Aristophanes, was performed at College House, Stanton St John, under the banner of Stanton St John Opera Company. It starred Dawn Burns, and its success made the team that wrote and produced that opera determined to repeat the formula with a formalised and expanded remit for the whole of Oxfordshire.
Composer Michael Betteridge, writing in the Oxford Mail
Simmonds’ score happily swerves through numerous styles without apology … The score’s eclecticism adds to the comedy and enjoyable frothiness of the narrative, as well as clearly defining some of the stronger characters in the opera. The small band of piano, percussion, double bass and reeds were used exceptionally effectively and efficiently as we veered from gloomy dark double bass and timpani, to high staccato piano and clarinet conversations.
Similarly Willcock, in his bold libretto, does not shy away either. Aristophanes’ original is famed for its innuendo and entertaining lack of subtly. Willcock is faithful in this respect. However this isn’t just public school boy smut – Willcock’s libretto is peppered with wonderful, seemingly unlaboured poetry, including clever internal rhymes that ensure the flow of the opera. Sondheim, Porter and Gilbert would all approve. “
2021 - @emele
The opera @emele is a reworking of Handel’s opera Semele which was based originally on a story from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. However, @emele is presented as a comic opera in the style of Gilbert and Sullivan combining the surreal and the absurd together with contemporary political satire. Simmonds and Willcock could never have dreamt that their plot twists of a politician leaving his wife and moving a pregnant girlfriend into Downing Street or the Press publishing a revealing photo of a politician and his assistant “liaising” behind closed doors could have mirrored some of the explosive events of 2021.
Simmonds’ score reflects many strands of 21st century musical styles. These stylistic features move from Neoclassical Baroque for Jupiter through Second Viennese atonal music for Apollo, as he subjects his fellow Gods to Freudian analysis, right up to romping Rock’n’roll for the Chorus as they react to their indecisive and perfidious political leaders. The instrumental ensemble is small, just three players, but these three musicians conjured up marvellous music with the piano supporting throughout. The four principal soloists; Matthew Scott Clark, Naomi Rogers, Aidan Smith and Jessica Wise, revelled not only in the music but also in the opportunity to perform during the difficult covid days of 2021.