Smetana’s Libuše at The Bloomsbury Theatre

The British fully-staged première of Smetana’s Libuše at The Bloomsbury Theatre

University College Opera is proud to present the British Première of Bedřich Smetana’s Libuše. Returning to the newly refurbished Bloomsbury Theatre, the cast and orchestra, composed of both professionals and students, will be led by musical director Charles Peebles and director Cecilia Stinton

Composed in 1871-72, UCO reimagines Smetana’s Bohemian queen and her medieval court in the modern-day city, where soaring skyscrapers promise glamour and wealth at a human cost. Born into a celebrated legal dynasty, Libuše, having inherited her late father’s firm, is queen of the corporate world and obliged to assert herself as its leader, working tirelessly to expand the firm and prove herself. A quarrel between her two most-valued senior partners, Chrudoš and St’áhlav, throws the stability of her company into jeopardy and Libuše feels the true loneliness of being a woman at the top. Who can give her the support she needs?

Running time: 3 hours with interval

Sung in Czech with English subtitles

Performances: 18/20/22/23 March 2019 at 7.30pm

Standard: £25
Concessions (60+,U18): £17
Students + UCL Staff: £9

Follow us on social media for more informationFacebook: UCOpera
Twitter: @ucopera
Instagram: @universitycollegeopera
Website: ucopera.co.uk

Principal cast:

KIRSTIN SHARPIN
Libuše

BOB DAVIES
Přemysl

JOHN MACKENZIE
Lutobor

EVE DANIELL
Krasava

WILL BENNETT
Radovan

JAMES QUILLIGAN
Chrudoš

BEN HARDING
Sťáhlav

ANANYA SAMUEL
Radmila

Production team:
Producer – Lizzie Thomas
Director – Cecilia Stinton
Musical director – Charles Peebles
Set designer – Holly Muir
Lighting designer – Alex Forey
Assistant producer – Helen Xinwei Chen
President – Claire MacKenzie
Treasurer – Tom Allinson