Saffron Opera Group

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Saffron Opera Group

Saffron Opera Group is a diverse group of opera-loving people - singers, instrumentalists, audience members....
www.saffronopera.org.uk

Saffron Opera Group was formed in 2013 and its inaugural performance was on September 14th 2014 at Saffron Hall. This concert performance of Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg was performed in German (with English titles), by a fabulous cast of professional soloists, the St Albans Symphony Orchestra and Saffron Opera Group Chorus, all conducted by Michael Thorne. Since then we've gone from strength to strength adding most of Wagner's operas to our credits including a complete Ring Cycle, and also works by Mozart and Stravinsky.

10/09/2026

GET TO KNOW THE CAST OF DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES: The central theme of the opera is the journey experienced by Blanche de la Force, sung for us by the wonderful Fflur Wyn. This role is a huge contrast to the effervescent Despina, Fflur brought to life for us in SOG Cosi, but shows what a versatile singer and actress she is. In the role of her father, the Marquis de la Force, we are delighted to welcome back William Dazeley, whose Beckmesser won universal critical acclaim in our 2024 Meistersinger. Andrew Henley, an audience favourite at SOG, last heard here as the Steuermann in Dutchman, returns as Blanche's caring brother, filling the hall with his glorious tenor.
Y O U D O N O T W A N T T O M I S S T H I S !!
TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE - HAVE YOU GOT YOURS YET???

31/08/2026

GET TO KNOW THE CAST OF DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES: We are delighted to welcome back to SOG Deborah Humble as the Prioress (audiences will remember her stunning Waltraute in Gotterdammerung). Georgia Mae Bishop also returns to SOG as Sister Mathilde having delighted audiences as both Magdalene in Meistersinger and also Annina in Rosenkavalier. Emily Vine also returns as Sister Constance - last seen at SOG as the adorable Barbarina in Figaro. Making debuts with SOG are award winning mezzo-soprano Catherine Backhouse as Mother Jeanne (recently heard as Waltraute in the Regents Opera Ring and also as Judith in Bluebeard's Castle in Edinburgh). Leading the Carmelite nuns in the roles of Mother Marie and Madame Lidoine are sopranos Giselle Allen and Katy Thomson. Giselle is well known as a regular guest artist with Opera North including in one of her signature roles - Ellen Orford in Peter Grimes (Berlin, Bergen, Aldburgh) and is in demand internationally. In recent seasons she has added Salome and Elektra to her repertoire and she will sing Sieglinde in the forthcoming Walkure at Grange Park. Katy Thomson (soprano) was a Britten Pears Young Artist (2021-2022), Garsington Opera Alvarez Young Artist (2021 & 2022) and an Oxford Song Young Artist (2022-2023) and is demand both on the opera stage and the concert platform. She had a big success as the Marschallin in Rosenkavalier when she jumped in to sing the iconic role at short notice at Garsington Opera and wowed audiences and critics alike with her performance.

24/08/2026

GET TO KNOW THE CAST OF DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES: In case you were wondering, there are also some male roles in this opera! Regular audience members will recognise almost all of our male cast members from previous performances. The roles of Thierry (the footman) and M. Javelinot (the doctor) will be sung by Jonathan Finney, the First and Second Commissioners will be sung by Peter Bronder and Paul Sheehan respectively with Andrew Mayor as the Jailer and Philip Clieve as the Chaplain of the Monastery. New to SOG is Alistair Sutherland who will sing the Officer. Alistair has sung roles such as Onegin, Nick Shadow (Rake's Progress) and Dulcamara (L'elisir d'amore) and later this year he will sing the Steuermann (Tristan) with London Opera Company and Klaremberg (Queen of Spades) with Gothic Opera.

15/08/2026

GET TO KNOW THE CAST of DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES: That's not yet enough Carmelite Nuns, so let us introduce you to Sister Claire, Mother Geraldine, Sister Antoine, Sister Catherine, Sister Felicity and Sister Gertrude to be sung by Sopranos Isabelle Atkinson, Nina Bennet, Cressida Sharp, Charlotte Forfar, Helen Bailey and Kirsty Taylor-Stokes. These fabulous singers are already gracing the stages of the concert halls and opera houses of the UK and further afield in a variety of both standard operatic repertoire, contemporary works and recital programmes and are very much in demand as soloists in oratorio and concert repertoire. Make sure you read their full biographies in the programme!

06/08/2026

GET TO KNOW THE CAST of DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES: Well, the first thing you need in an opera of this name is some Carmelite nuns! Singing the roles of Sister Anne, Sister Alice, Sister Martha, Sister St Charles and Sister Valentine respectively are mezzo sopranos Anna Loveday, Alice Ruxandra Bell, Katie Stevenson, Serenna Wagner and H**e Hamilton. All established soloists, between them they have sung at Glyndebourne, Opera Holland Park, Bayreuth, Longborough, New Palace Opera, English National Opera, Garsington and Oxford Opera to name but a few! Come and hear the depth of sound from their combined voices!

24/07/2026

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!! See you there!

13/09/2025

GET TO KNOW THE CAST OF Der fliegende Holländer: Heading up our cast are Simon Thorpe as the Dutchman himself and Mari Wyn Williams as Senta, both of whom have sung with us before - and boy, these roles fit them like gloves! SOG audiences will have heard Simon as Kothner in last year's performance of Die Meistersinger, but he has many other Wagnerian roles in his repertoire too, including Wotan and Telramund, as well as major roles in the Italian canon including Scarpia and Falstaff. Mari last sang with us in Parsifal, as one of our flowermaidens and since then has emerged as one of the most exciting sopranos of her generation, singing the dramatic repertoire. As well as her Wagnerian roles, Verdi's Lady Macbeth is becoming something of a signature role for her. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS !!

12/09/2025

GET TO KNOW THE CAST OF Der fliegende Holländer: An SOG favourite and regular is BACK!!! Andrew Greenan has probably sung more roles with SOG than any other singer! It's a delight to have him back with us as Daland, Senta's father. You will remember his Wotan/Wanderer, Gurnemanz and of course Baron Ochs too as well as numerous other roles. In demand elsewhere in UK and internationally, Andrew has most recently sung Bernstein's On the Town in Japan, Swallow Peter Grimes with Bergen Philharmonic under Edward Gardner at both the Bergen and Edinburgh Festivals, The General The Gambler for the Festivale dalle Valle d'Itria in a new production by Sir David Pountney, and Baron Ochs at Lithuanian National Opera.

06/09/2025

GET TO KNOW THE CAST OF Der fliegende Holländer. Returning to SOG after his success as Walther in Die Meistersinger last year, is Charne Rochford - one of Britain's most promising heldentenors. His performance as Erik with SOG marks an exciting role debut. His other dramatic roles include Siegmund, Tristan, Tannhäuser, Achilles, Cavaradossi, Bacchus and Siegfried and he is also much in demand on the concert platform, singing with many of the UK's foremost orchestras and opera companies and also internationally.

26/08/2025

GET TO KNOW THE CAST OF Der fliegende Holländer. Andrew Henley who will sing the Steuermann, is a tenor increasingly in demand for his vocal "refinement" and "lyrical elegance". He is the winner of the 2025 Pendine International Voice of the Future Award at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod, with repertoire including Don Ottavio, Nemorino, and the Britten roles of Novice in Billy Budd and Lechmere in Owen Wingrave. Andrew is also much in demand as a concert soloist and has sung at the Royal Festival Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Cadogan Hall and Southwark Cathedral amongst others. Andrew made his debut with SOG in Der Rosenkavalier and we are delighted to have him with us again for the Flying Dutchman.

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Saffron Walden

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http://www.saffronopera.org.uk/

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