| Conductor: |
David Stern |
| Chorusmaster: |
Raymond Fu |
| Rehearsal Pianist: |
Wong Kin-bong |
| Repetiteur: |
Lily Yeung |
| Set Designer: |
Charfi Hung |
| Costume Designer: |
Mandy Tam |
| Lighting Designer: |
Leo Cheung |
| Director & Producer: |
Lo King-man |
|
The Cast |
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| Macbeth: |
Gary Simpson (25, 27, 29/9)
Marco Chingari (26, 28/9)
¡@ |
|
Lady Macbeth: |
Xiuwui Sun (25, 27, 29/9)
Frabcesca Patane (26, 28/9) |
| Banquo: |
Haojiang Tian
¡@ |
|
Macduff: |
Luigi Frattola |
| Malcolm: |
Alex Tam (25, 27, 29/9)
David Quah (26, 28/9)
¡@ |
|
Dama: |
Katusha Tsui-Fraser |
| Medico: |
Pong Chung-lam |
|
Assassin: |
Sylvester Che | |
|
|
The Story |
|
| Background |
|
| The opera takes place in Scotland in the middle of the 11th century. |
|
| Act I |
|
| Scene 1 |
On the evening following a day of heavy fighting, Macbeth and Banquo encounter three covens of witches. They address Macbeth as Thane of Glamis and prophesy to him that he will be Thane of Cawdor and future King of Scotland. Banquo, however, will not reign but will be father to kings. The witchers then disapper.
Messengers from King Duncan arrive, bringing Macbeth the news of his new title. They announce that the Thane of Cawdor has been executed for treason. Macbeth will assume his office. |
|
| Scene 2 |
In Macbeth's castle, through a letter from her husband, Lady Macbeth learns of the happy news. Driven by boundless ambition, she decides to do everything to secure her husband's path to power
It is announced that King Duncan will spend the night in the castle. Lady Macbeth views this occasion as a welcome opportunity of spurtting on her husband to murder the King in his sleep. Macbeth hesitates but can no longer resist his wife's merciless urgings and resolves to commit the momentous crime. His conscience begins to plague him. Torturois thoughts almost drive him mad. The cold-blooded Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, has no sympathy for such pangs of conscience.
On the following morning, Macduff and Banquo discover the horrible murder and immediately call together all those assembled in the castle. All, including Macbeth and his Lady, curse the unknown murderer. |
|
| Act II |
|
| Scene 1 |
| With Duncan's death, the witches' second prophecy has been fulfilled: Macbeth is King of Scotland. But the so easily won crown soon proves to be a curshing burden: had not the witches prophesied that Banquo's offspings would bear the crown? Macbeth quickly makes up his mind to commit a further murder. |
|
| Scene 2 |
| An assassin is hired to kill Banquo and his son, who are on their way to the castle to attend a banquet at Macbeth's invitation. The Assassin and his accomplices prepare the ambush. Banquo is murdered. His son escapes. |
|
| Scene 3 |
During the evening's festivities, there suddenly appears, visible only to Macbeth, the ghost of the murdered man; at this moment, Macbeth almost loses all control.
Macduff, a Scottish nobleman, recognizes the truth and leaves for England. He wished to join Malcolm, Duncan's son, for the campaign against Macbeth. |
|
| Act III |
|
| Macbeth returns once again to the witches. He wishes to learn more about his fate. The prophecies prove to be cryptic: no man born of woman can harm him, and none can defeat him unless Birnam Wood moves against him. Eight specters of kings apper before Macbeth in an errie hallucination. He collapses in terror. |
|
| Act IV |
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| Scene 1 |
| In the country side, refugees from Scotland sing of their oppressed nation. Macduff learns of the death of his wife and children, slaughtered on Macbeth's orders. He swears vengeance. |
|
| Scene 2 |
| Incapacitated by mental derangement, Lady Macbeth sleep-walks through the gloomy castle and tries in vain to wash away an imaginary blood stain from her hands. She finally dies insane. |
|
| Scene 3 |
| Macbeth arms himself fot the struggle against his enemies, who are approaching the castle from Birnam Wood. The soldiers carry branches as camouflage; thus it appears as if the wood is moving toward the castle. Macbeth feels his end is near, but he is still able to go confidently into action against Macduff, the enemy leader. |
|
| Scene 4 |
Macduff informs Macbeth that he was not born of woman but was ripped from his mother's womb, by caesarian birth. The witches had so prophesied.
Macbeth is killed in the duel. Maclcolm becomes the new King of Scotland. |
Chorus of The Opera Society of Hong Kong
The Opera Society of Hong Kong was established in 1992 by a group of dedicated singers. The Society has since performed its mission to promote western opera, operetta and vocal music in the Hong Kong community while maintaining an outstanding standard of performance. With the vision of keeping abreast with world-renowned choruses, the Chorus strives to achieve professional standard. Under the direction of Raymond Fu, Chairman of the Society and Chorusmaster, the Chorus has achieved a consistently high standard of performance.
Since its establishment, the Chorus has performed in over 15 operas and many standard choral repertoires. In 1999, the Chorus was invited by the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra to join their Millennium Concerts in Dongguang and Guangzhou, and made its highly successful debut in the Mainland. The Chorus has worked with famous orchestras such as St. Martin in the Fields and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra; and in 2001 performed the film and music project Voices of Light/The Passion of Joan of Arc with the Anonymous 4.
The Society lays emphasis on nurturing its members through participating in various forms of intensive training. Members? ability has been enhanced through activities such as master classes with world-renowned soprano Barbara Bonney and conductor Constantine Kitsopoulos etc.
Chorusmaster: Raymond Fu
Rehearsal Pianist: Wong Kin-bong
Assistant Chorus Master/Mistress: Wong Yiu-tong, Tony / Rita Leung
Administrative Assistant : LAM, Vincent
SOPRANO
BACH, Petra
CHAN, Claudia
CHEUNG Kit-shan, Veronica
CHING, Lily
FU, Shirley
FUNG, Brigit
FUNG, Peggy
HO Ka-yiu, Jenny
HO, Donna
KWOK Yuen-ling
KWONG, Katherine
LAI Ka-man, Amy
LEE, Winnie
LEUNG, Noel
LUK Kit-ying, Chris
MAN, Angel
MOK Yee-ying, Emily
WONG Wai-man
WONG, Frances
YIP Ching-yee
YOUNG, Carrie
YU, Monica
ALTO
CHENG Chi-suen
CHENG, Marilyn
CHOY, Juliet
CHUI Shing-yan, Janet
HO, Elizabeth
KONG, Selana
LAI Pui-yin, Ada
LAM Wai-yee, Maria
LAW Pui-ha
LEUNG, Rita
LO, Bertha
NG, Connie
TSANG Shing-ying
TENOR
BUTT Hiu-tung
CHAN Kam-hung
CHEUNG Man-yee, Leslie
CHEUNG Shu-kan
CHUI Ho-wa, Daniel
CHUNG Chi-wing
FU, Ka-lung
HO Kam-tim, Arthur
KWONG, Michael
LEE Kun-fai, Kenneth
LO Tak-chung, Eric
POON Kit-sang, Anthony
TAM Chi-ho, Hebert
WEI Yu-heng, Galax
WONG Chi-lok
WONG Yiu-tong, Tony
YEUNG Tat-ming, David
YEUNG, Yun-loong
YING Ee-ping
BASS
CHAN Hong-lun
CHAN Kam-yan
CHEN, Alex
CHUNG, Desmond
KONG, Bill
KWOK Kar-kit
LAM Lik-hin
LEE Ka-hing
LEUNG, Valiant
PONG Chung-lam
TANG Sai-kin
WONG Po-to
YEUNG, Felix
YUEN, David
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