Projects – 2023
- Thu09Mar2023Sat11Mar2023
London Road - University of Chichester Triple Threat
Alexandra Theatre
Regis Centre
Bognor Regis
Inspired by true events, Alecky Blythe and Adam Cork’s revolutionary musical narrates the lives of a Suffolk community rebuilding its reputation after a series of neighbourhood murders. Yes, LONDON ROAD is uplifting! Ours will be only the 7th production ever staged, and with musical theatre aficionados descending on Bognor Regis from across the country for this rare event, this is a chance not to be missed!If you don’t know LONDON ROAD, think Come From Away, and how that managed to bring us into another difficult human story with uplifting energy. This promises to get our Triple Threat Triple Bill off to a truly thrilling start!
Directed by Sarah Redmond, with Musical Direction by Nigel Newman, Choreography by Dena Lague and Design by Elly Wdowski. This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Nick Hern Books.
PERFORMANCE DATES:
THURSDAY 9 MARCH 7.30PM
FRIDAY 10 MARCH 7.30PM
SATURDAY 11 MARCH 2.30PM + 7:30PM - Sat11Feb2023
An Evening Of Gilbert & Sullivan
19.30Ropetackle ArtsCentre
Shoreham by SeaLove, betrayal, comic relatives and marital disputes, all add up to an entertaining evening of Gilbert and Sullivan! Included in the programme will be some of the very best from many of their comic operas including The Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado, Iolanthe, The Gondoliers and The Yeoman of the Guard.As former members of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, we welcome back Yvonne Patrick, Louise Crane, David Menezes, Ian Belsey, Richard Woodall, and Lesley-Anne Sammons leading from the piano. - Mon02Jan2023Tue31Jan2023
Vocal Coaching, Opera Course - Royal Academy of Music
Performance Dates: Tue, 21-Fri, 24 Mar 2023Space: Susie Sainsbury TheatreVenue: Royal Academy of MusicAlice Farnham conductor
Stephen Medcalf director
Jamie Vartan designer
Simon Corder lighting designerMozart Le nozze di Figaro, K 492
First performed in Vienna in 1786, Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro has become one of the most popular operas ever composed. The familiar story concerns love, infidelity and servants outwitting their masters. The Beaumarchais play on which the opera is based is a satire on the injustices of the Ancien Régime. In Mozart and Da Ponte’s version, the battle of the sexes takes centre stage, and the politics are skilfully disguised within the farce. Mozart’s genius was to understand and to portray the innermost desires and anxieties of human beings, regardless of their gender or social class. His extraordinary gift for characterisation through music makes The Marriage of Figaro the ideal vehicle for opera students to hone their craft.
- Sat17Dec2022
Sussex Vocalworks - Merry Musicals
Merry Musicals Christmas Concert
Conductor Sarah Forbes
Accompanist Lesley Anne Sammons - Thu15Dec2022
Sussex Vocalworks - RNLI Carols
Shoreham Lifeboat Station
Shoreham by SeaFive Gold Rings Christmas Concert
Rehearsal from 6.00pm, concert 7.00- 8.30pm
Conductor Sarah Forbes
Accompanist Lesley Anne Sammons - Sun11Dec2022
Sussex Vocalworks - Five Gold Rings
St Mary de Haura
Shoreham by SeaFive Gold Rings Christmas Concert
Rehearsal from 1.30pm, doors open 3.30pm, concert 4.00pm
To include Mass in G by Schubert and a selection from Carols for ChoirsConductor Sarah Forbes
Accompanist Lesley Anne Sammons - Tue01Nov2022Wed30Nov2022
Vocal Coaching, Opera Course - Royal Academy of Music
Performance Dates: Tue, 21-Fri, 24 Mar 2023Space: Susie Sainsbury TheatreVenue: Royal Academy of MusicAlice Farnham conductor
Stephen Medcalf director
Jamie Vartan designer
Simon Corder lighting designerMozart Le nozze di Figaro, K 492
First performed in Vienna in 1786, Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro has become one of the most popular operas ever composed. The familiar story concerns love, infidelity and servants outwitting their masters. The Beaumarchais play on which the opera is based is a satire on the injustices of the Ancien Régime. In Mozart and Da Ponte’s version, the battle of the sexes takes centre stage, and the politics are skilfully disguised within the farce. Mozart’s genius was to understand and to portray the innermost desires and anxieties of human beings, regardless of their gender or social class. His extraordinary gift for characterisation through music makes The Marriage of Figaro the ideal vehicle for opera students to hone their craft.
- Sat01Oct2022Mon31Oct2022
How to Work with an Accompanist
Chichester University Campus
Lesley Anne is creating and tutoring a new class for first year students of the Theatre Craft Module (Chichester University) under the title of “How to Work with an Accompanist”
- Tue27Sep2022Wed28Sep2022
Tarantara - Gilbert & Sullivan
Chichester Festival Theatre
Rehearsal Accompanist – Lesley Anne Sammons“Trailblazers of their time, Gilbert & Sullivan’s repertoire remains unparalleled. Featuring favourites from The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, HMS Pinafore, Yeomen, Gondoliers and Iolanthe, plus some sparkling gems that may be less familiar, this gala concert performance will delight both Gilbert & Sullivan aficionados and newcomers alike.
Performed by singers from Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera, Opera North, Garsington, Carl Rosa and D’Oyly Carte including Alexander Robin Baker, Rebecca Bottone, Barry Clark, Siân Dicker, Yvonne Howard, Lauren Joyanne Morris and Matthew Siveter with a 26 piece orchestra, led by conductor Martin Handley (ENO, BBC Concert Orchestra, Australian Opera and regular presenter for BBC Radio 3).
The perfect antidote for those mid-Winter blues and a glorious celebration of all that’s best in Gilbert & Sullivan’s extraordinary operas!”
- Wed14Sep2022
HurlyBurly Theatre
Portsmouth Guildhall
HurlyBurly Theatre makes playful experiences for babies and adults with gentle classical singing at their heart.
- Sat30Jul2022
Barefoot Opera Gala
Battle
Barefoot Opera Gala in Battle featuring Sarah Dunbar, Helen Mairee Cooper, Roberto Abate and Sam Young.
Featuring The Barefoot Band:
Lesley Anne Sammons Musical Director
Steve Dummer Clarinet,
Lucy Mulgan double bass - Wed27Jul2022
Intergen Opera
Intergenerational Opera bringing together Sussex Junior School Children and Pensioners in a performance of Hansel and Gretel by Englebert Humperdink
SING YOUR STORY
Age does not define us, our voice can unlock the past and create the future
Intergenerational Opera is a music outreach programme running in East Sussex bringing together Primary School children and elderly people from the community including those with Dementia through creative music workshops. The project will use music to develop communication and social interaction, boost confidence and creative expression and to generally improve overall wellbeing for all its participants. Each Intergenerational project will run in conjunction with the school term in weekly sessions. Relationships formed during the project are predicted to outlive the project.
Sessions are run by two professional opera singers and supported by pianist Lelsey Anne Sammons.
Music is learnt by ear and created by participants. The project culminates with a performance to which parents and carers are invited.
Intergenerational Opera is generously funded by Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival however much more funding is needed to run these important community outreach projects. Please get in contact if you are able to contribute financially/ would like to be involved in the funding or would like us to bring Intergenerational Opera to your community.
- Fri15Jul2022
RED - by Lucy Mulgan
Hastings Schools Tour
A children’s opera by Lucy Mulgan commissioned by Barefoot Opera.
A fun retelling of an old Fairy tale with Alice Privett (Red), Jenny Miller (Mum & Granny), Oscar Castellino (Wolfie) accompanied by The Barefoot Band:
Lesley Anne Sammons – MD and Pianist
Aine Mcloughlin – accordion
Derek Scurll – percussion
Lucy Mulgan – Double Bass - Wed08Jun2022
Alfresco Showtime in Cornwall
Alfresco Showtime in Cornwall with Musical Theatre Students from Chichester University.
Three reduced Musicals: Grease, Chicago and Phantom of The Opera
- Tue01Mar2022Thu31Mar2022
Atlanta Forever
The Hawth, Crawley
ATALANTA FOREVER | EXCERPT 3 – TRAM INTO MOTLEY CAP from UNIVERSITY OF CHICHESTER MUSICAL on Vimeo.
Atalanta Forever written by Amanda Whittington, original songs by Kieran Buckeridge.
Subtitled “The Fight for Women’s Football “
Set in 1920.A partnership between University of Chichester Conservatoire’s Musical Theatre Triple Threat Commission Company and Mikron Theatre decided to develop the original touring show into a full-scale musical – and they premiered it at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley.
“Across the country, female teams pull huge crowds in fund-raising games for wounded soldiers. Huddersfield’s Ethel and Annie take a shot at the big time. Teammates at Atalanta AFC, they’re soon tackling new football skills, mastering the offside rule and kicking back at the doubters.
Cheer for Atalanta as our plucky underdogs learn how to play the game, take on the legendary Dick, Kerr’s Ladies – and find the toughest opponent of all is the FA.
“Whittington’s script offers gems for sports fans, classicists, social historians, feminists and pacifists old and young, fully justifying Mikron Theatre Company’s boast that it creates ‘theatre for everyone’ … winning entertainment.” The Guardian.”
Once in a while a show comes along that you know nothing about and it blows you away.” Sussex Express
Projects – 2021
- Sun12Dec2021
Sussex Vocalworks - Jubilate
St Mary de Haura
Shoreham by Sea‘JUBILATE’ Christmas ConcertA performance of Jubilate by Bob Chilcott
Conductor Sarah Forbes
Accompanist Lesley Anne Sammons - Fri22Oct2021Sun24Oct2021
Bloom Britannia
St Mary in the Castle, Hastings
Barefoot Opera Community Project present a new work composed by Orlando Gough with libretto by Stephen Plaice.
“Bloom Britannia is our home-grown, professional opera project, three years in the making, telling a story inspired by our lives in Hastings and St. Leonards.
An affectionate, comic opera, bringing together influences from folk, pop and jazz, this is an opera like no other, and is at the heart of our mission to engage new participants, as well as new audiences, in the experience of opera.”
Director: POLLY GRAHAM | Artistic Director: JENNY MILLER | Conductors: CHRISTOPHER STARK/MARK AUSTIN
The Barefoot Band
Piano: Lesley Anne Sammons
Percussion: Derek Scurll
Trombone: Patrick Kenny
Guitar: Dan Jefferies
Double Bass: Lucy MulganViolin: Ruby Colley
Violin: Bev Lee Harling
Clarinet: George Sleightholme
Accordion: Aine Mcloughlin - Fri08Oct2021Tue02Nov2021
Orfeo ed Euridice / Zanetto
Gluck’s famous opera Orfeo ed Euridice, featuring one of the world’s most loved arias, “Che faro senza Euridice,” retells the classic Greek tale of the poet Orpheus and his journey to the underworld to find and return his one true love. Barefoot Opera condenses and intensifies Gluck’s score in order to create one powerful act.
The second part of the evening features Zanetto, by Puccini’s contemporary Mascagni, (Cavalleria Rusticana). Silvia, a rich and beautiful courtesan who both finds and renounces true love, strongly resembles her operatic cousin Violetta from La Traviata by Verdi and shares a similar fate.
“Wonderful show-couldn’t stop smiling from the first note to the last – stunning musicians and production – Go tonight if you can”
Audience member (Barber of Seville 2019)
Cast & Creative Team
Euridice/Sylvia: Lizzie Holmes (Sept 6th Victoria Mulley)
Orfeo/Zanetto: Emma Roberts (Sept 6th Lila Chrisp)
Amor: Laura West
Musical director: Lesley-Anne Sammons
Director: Lysanne van Overbeek
Designer: Bettina John
Company: Barefoot OperaBattle Festival (Battle Abbey grounds)
PICNIC OPERA Glyndebourne style
6:30 pm, 8th August 2021St Leonards-On-Sea: (St John the Evangelist)
7 pm, 13th August 2021Grimeborn, London: (The Arcola Theatre)
7 pm, 5th, 6th, 8th September 2021Maidenhead: (Norden Farm Arts Centre)
7:30 pm, 16th September 2021Bourne End: (Wooburn Arts Festival)
7:30 pm, 2nd October 2021 - Wed23Jun2021Sun04Jul2021
Cosi Fan Tutte
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
COSÌ FAN TUTTE
23, 26, 27 & 29 June & 1, 3 & 4 July
Two men are engaged to a pair of sisters. A bet is made: with enough temptation, would the sisters remain faithful, or be led astray? The men take up disguises and a farcical seduction begins. Composed at the height of Mozart’s creativity, Così fan tutte is a witty and sharply satirical look at relationships and human nature. Director and previous winner of the European Opera-directing Prize Sam Brown joins Lesley Anne Sammons (La Calisto, 2019), conducting the Barefoot Band in her own re-imagining and orchestration of the opera, in an English translation.
Message from Longborough Box Office:
“All performances of Così fan tutte are currently sold out. Recent government announcements have suggested that summer may bring new guidelines around social distancing. If we are able to add additional capacity to any of our performances we will announce this through our mailing list.”
- Mon04Jan2021
Accompanist for Sussex Voiceworks
19.15St Peter's Church hall, Shoreham-by-Sea.
Lesley Anne is the regular accompanist for Sussex Voiceworks, which is a mixed voice, well established choir with members from Brighton to Worthing and inland to Henfield. It is open to all who love singing, no audition is needed. Under its dynamic young musical director, Sarah Forbes, the choir learns and performs a mix of choral favourites, classical pieces and contemporary songs.It typically holds two major concerts during the year, with workshops, smaller recitals, tours and combined performances with other choirs, plus social events.
Rehearsals take place on Mondays, 19.15-21.15 at St Peter’s Church hall, Shoreham-by-Sea.The choir helped to support professional singers during the COVID lockdowns by engaging some of them to support its activities.
Founded in 1974 the choir is a registered charity, a member of Making Music and of Brighton & Hove Arts Council.”
Two men are engaged to a pair of sisters. A bet is made: with enough temptation, would the sisters remain faithful, or be led astray? The men take up disguises and a farcical seduction begins. 
Projects – 2020
- Fri23Oct2020Sun25Oct2020
Bloom Britannia
(Cancelled due to Covid 19)
Barefoot Opera Community Project present a new work composed by Orlando Gough with libretto by Stephen Plaice.
Bloom Britannia is our home-grown, professional opera project, three years in the making, telling a story inspired by our lives in Hastings and St. Leonards. With diverse musical influences, characters we can all relate to, quite a few surprises and a lot of laughs… it’s an opera, but not as you know it!
- Wed16Sep2020
Soho House Summer Concert
An open air, socially distanced Summer Concert of opera favouritesThe Barefoot Band is joined by Opera Soloists: - Mon31Aug2020
Longborough Summer Concert
An open air, socially distanced Summer Concert of opera favouritesThe Barefoot Band is joined by Opera Soloists: - Sat01Aug2020Sat31Oct2020
La Cenerentola
London and the South East
(Cancelled due to Covid 19)
A new arrangement of Rossini’s classic fairy tale by Lesley Anne for The Barefoot Band.
Barefoot Young Artists Tour perform La Cenerentola by Rossini with various dates from August to October in London and the South East. - Tue23Jun2020
Romeo & Me
St Magnus Festival
Orkney(Cancelled due to Covid 19)A new take on Juliet’s story devised by Lesley Anne Sammons and Lucy Mulgan with help from Bernstein, Prokofiev and a host of others!
Performed with the The Weaver Ensemble - Mon22Jun2020
Mars and Venus and The Loves of Pygmalion
St Magnus Festival
Orkney(Cancelled due to Covid 19)Lesley-Anne performs with the The Weaver Ensemble – Baroque Dance with a twist!
Set on the stage of London’s Drury Lane Theatre in 1717, The Loves of Mars & Venus tells the story of how the English choreographer, John Weaver, fought to achieve his dream of creating a proper dance drama in a world which saw dance as a frivolous (if lucrative) sideline. Weaver uses the story of the love affair between Venus, the goddess of love, and Mars, the god of war, and the revenge of her husband, the god Vulcan, to create the first modern ballet.
(This act is entirely based on historical fact.)
Click on the image for more information
- Thu21May2020
- Sun17May2020
A Man of No Importance
19.30Brighton Fringe Festival
Blatchington Mill Theatre, HoveBrighton Festival Fringe First! A compelling mixture of Ahrens and Flaherty’s musical genius delivered by one of the finest company of young performers on the circuit of an award-winning story of family, friendship and acceptance in 1960s Dublin.Winner of the 2003 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, A Man of No Importance is the second successful collaboration by the team of Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, all of whom won Tony Awards for Ragtime.Click on image for more information
- Fri15May2020Sat16May2020
A Man of No Importance
14.30 & 19.30Regis Theatre
Bognor RegisA compelling mixture of Ahrens and Flaherty’s musical genius delivered by one of the finest company of young performers on the circuit of an awardwinning story of family, friendship and acceptance in 1960s Dublin. Winner of the 2003 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, A Man of No Importance is the second successful collaboration by the team of Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, all of whom won Tony Awards for Ragtime.Director Miranda Kingsley, Musical Director Stuart Hutchinson, Choreographer Wendy White and Design by Ryan Dawson-Laight bring the same panache as they did to their previous sensational Ahrens and Flaherty production Lucky Stiff.
Press about the Chichester companies:
University of Chichester students were outstanding! ★★★★★ – Theatre Royal Winchester
Exceptional! I couldn’t believe I was seeing this in Bognor! ★★★★★ – Bognor Regis Observer
Fantastic show! Musically perfect along with punchy dance routines and acting fit for the West End.
- Fri13Mar2020Sun15Mar2020
Dido and Aeneas in a Weekend
Ushaw’s 19th Century Exhibition Hall Theatre, Ushaw, County Durham
Barefoot Opera goes north!Barefoot Opera-known for musical excellence and innovative performance bring Purcell’s affecting opera to life in a single weekend. The cast features established and emerging soloists, and a hand-picked chorus.
- Thu12Mar2020
RED
Robsack Wood Primary Academy
HastingsA children’s opera by Lucy Mulgan commissioned by Barefoot Opera.A fun retelling of an old Fairy tale with Alice Privett (Red), Jenny Miller (Mum & Granny), Oscar Castellino (Wolfie) accompanied by Lesley-Anne Sammons on Keyboard and Lucy Mulgan on Double Bass
An open air, socially distanced Summer Concert of opera favourites
An open air, socially distanced Summer Concert of opera favourites
