yo er op s ’ r a g g e B a r e h T e p by gay n joh o with s y alwa e r a oor p e th the citadel23rd Oct, 24th Oct & 25th Tickets gillygate available at Yorkopera.co.uk YO31 7EA YORKOPERA.CO.UK Reg. Charity 700279 Oct us 23rd - 25th October
yo er op PATRON Sir Thomas Allen CBE PRESIDENT Pauline Marshall VICE PRESIDENTS Professor David Blake, Professor Nicola LeFanu HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS Leslie F. Bresnen, Pat Easton, Alasdair Jamieson, Pauline Marshall, Paul Richardson, Kathleen Shouksmith, Richard Shouksmith, John Soper, Margaret Soper COMMITTEE Chair: Ian Thomson-Smith Secretary: David Hartley Treasurer: Adrian Cook Hamish Brown, Hannah Cahill, Wendy Jackson, Alexandra Mather, Margaret Soper LIBRARIAN Kaye Cook FRIENDS A.S. & A.K. Cook. S.Goodhead. D. & J. Hartley, A. Jamieson, R.D. Parkin, E. Sturmheit, R.Wade, D. Pearson, The Chu Family, G. & W .Thomson-Smith, C. Thornton PRODUCTION SPONSORS York Gin
Citadel, following last year’s Mozart’s Operatic Masterpieces. The hall is looking splendid following a summer refit, and we are grateful to Kiara Rough and the York City Church for making us so welcome. The Beggar’s Opera is an anomaly in York Opera’s repertoire, in that it isn’t really an opera, but a satirical parody of the operas of Handel and his contemporaries, aimed squarely at a working class audience. In the hands of our marvellous director, Chris Charlton-Mathews, our production reminds us that the vices of both poor and rich from that day to this remain the same – although maybe the rich are less likely to receive punishment. Listen out for a few references that may not have been in Gay’s original script! We hope you enjoy our vision of the seedier side of life. The music is presented in the 1920s Frederick Austin arrangement. We are grateful to Chris, to our musical director John Atkin, and to our choreographer Jane Woolgar for all their patience and encouragement. We are also very grateful for the sponsorship of York Gin; corporate support of this type helps to keep live theatre possible. It’s also very good gin! On Saturday 8th November York Opera returns to The Citadel in the company of York Railway Institute Brass Band for a special concert in memory of Clive Marshall, a York Opera stalwart for over fifty years. Please join us for an evening of Opera Meets Brass, with all proceeds going to St Leonard’s Hospice in this, their fortieth year. 2026 sees a very significant anniversary – York Opera’s sixtieth birthday. The first of two celebratory concerts will be in March, followed by a ‘party’ opera, Die Fledermaus, in the Theatre Royal 3rd-6th June. Auditions for principal roles are being held on 19th and 20th November, and rehearsals commence in January, following our traditional Christmas concerts on 1113th December. We hope to see you at these exciting events! Ian Thomson-Smith - York Opera Chair
’ r a g g e B a e Th r e p ay n g joh by ith ys w us o alwa are oor p e th THE VILLAINS Mr Peachum - Adrian Cook Mat of the Mint - Alex Holland Lockit - Anthony Gardner Jeremy Twitcher - Bill Read The Jailor - David Hartley Nimming Ned - George Moore The Beggar - Ian Thomson-Smith The Player - Jake Mansfield Macheath - Mark Simmonds Simeon - Owen Williams Wat Dreary - Richard Spivey Crook Fingered Jack - Will Gausden Filch - Hamish Brown
’ r a g g e B a e Th r e p ay n g joh by ith ys w us o alwa are oor p e th THE VIXENS Mrs Peachum - Cathy Atkin Polly Peachum - Alexandra Mather Lucy Lockit - Sophie Horrocks Diana Trapes - Rosie Geelmuyden Mrs Vixen - Helen Tomlinson Jenny Diver - Katie Cole Molly Brazen - Liz Gardner Mrs Coaxer - Kaye Cook Mrs Slammekin - Mandy Shackleton Sukey Tawdry - Samantha Goddard Dolly Trull - Suzanne Ford The Ladies of the Tavern Sue Lindley, Lydia Bousfield, Maggie Soper, Anastasia Williams, Jo Hartley
MANAGEMENT OF THE OPERA Director - Chris Charlton-Mathews Musical Director - John Atkin Choreographer - Jane Woolgar Repetiteur - Tim Tozer and Steve Griffiths Costumes - Maggie Soper, Anna Day, Sandra Rowan Staging - Wilf Tomlinson, Ian Thomson-Smith Props - Teresa Carr, Jane Carr Lighting - Wilf Tomlinson, Sage Dunn-Krahn Front of House - Adrian Cook Publicity and Marketing - Wendy Jackson, Pauline Marshall Photography - David Kessel, John Saunders Music Stands - RAOS Musical Theatre Company
Chris, based in York, began his dramatic career on St Swithin’s Day 1989, playing the Saint’s mother in a school assembly play. At university he discovered Gilbert and Sullivan, performing tenor and baritone roles and directing The Pirates of Penzance (twice), Ruddigore, and The Yeomen of the Guard. Since graduating, Chris has balanced full-time work and fatherhood with performing and directing for Hull Savoyards and Titwillow Productions. With York Opera, he has played Dr Daly (The Sorcerer) and Schlemil (The Tales of Hoffmann). After asking to be considered for future G&S works, he directed The Elixir of Love (Donizetti) — set in post-WWII Italy — and now The Beggar’s Opera (Gay). He lives in hope. JOHN ATKIN MUSICAL DIRECTOR Born and bred in York, John studied music in Leeds, Harrogate and Bath. His first theatre work was as off-stage bass trombone in Puccini’s Turandot at York Theatre Royal with City Opera Group (now York Opera). John has since worked widely across the north and is currently MD for York Musical Theatre Company, White Rose Theatre, and Ripon Amateur Operatic Society. He has previously conducted York Light Orchestra, York Opera, Bristol Light Opera, Keynsham Orchestra, and Ebor Brass. As a pianist, John has performed with Echo Forty Two Big Band, The John Miller Big Band, The Michael Da Costa Singing Academy, and York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir, and has accompanied artists including Sarah Redgwick (ENO/Opera North), John Rigby (ALW Musical Supervisor), and Broadway’s Natalie Weiss and Danielle Steers. Recent credits include The Last Five Years, Chess, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, La Traviata, The Selby Abbey Proms, and The York Beethoven Project. Most recently, he served as Assistant MD and musical theatre consultant at SLP College, Leeds. Upcoming projects include Calendar Girls the Musical, Nine to Five, Sweeney Todd, Bake Off the Musical, and Beethoven’s Symphonies Seven and Eight.
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