The award-winning Bristol Opera returns to the Olympus Theatre in Stoke Gifford this spring with a new production of ‘The Vampire’.
Nominated for the Rose Bowl Award for Best Opera in 2009, 2010 and 2011 (winning the award in 2009 and 2010), Bristol Opera presents its 2012 production of ‘The Vampire’ by Heinrich Marschner, sung in English with an orchestra.
‘The Vampyre’ (1819), by Lord Byron’s friend John Polidari, on which the opera is based, changed the traditional image of the vampire from a rotting corpse into a handsome, aristocratic, seductive, and amoral character, Lord Ruthven, an eighteenth century Scottish lord. Desperate to become immortal, Lord Ruthven is tasked by the Vampire Master to slay three virgin brides on the eve of their weddings within twenty four-hours to enable him to live another day. The romantic hero of the piece, Lord Edgar Aubry, is anxious to prevent this happening, as the third victim is to be his beloved Malwina. In a race against time, and as the Vampire grows ever stringer, the opera builds in excitement and drama to a climatic conclusion.
The production is being shown at Olympus Theatre on the WISE Campus of South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (formerly Filton College) in New Road, Stoke Gifford, from 9th to 12th May.
Shows start at 7:30pm and tickets are available in advance from Iris Shopland on 0845 8337124.
Related link: What’s On in Stoke Gifford (The Journal)
