I've been asked to plan a concert at one of the National Trust properties in May. Most of the practical organising has been done, and I've got a few ideas for the programme, which will be based on flowers and fairies. The garden around then venue will be full of bluebells, magnolias and rhododendrons at the time of the concert, and it's incredibly beautiful.

The Church we will be using will be fairly small - so we will be limited to solos and duets because of space at the front - and as we are an opera company it must include at lease some opera. I do have in mind one excellent soprano soloist, but for the rest we can draw on any voice, including an excellent countertenor, though basses are perhaps going to be the hardest to get hold of, and we don't want to have to pay too many soloists because of the budget!

The ideas I've had so far are:


Purcell Sweeter than roses, Hark the echoing air
Britten I know a bank where the wild thyme blows
      from Act I of A Midsummer Night's Dream

Arne Where the bee sucks

Linley O bid your faithful Ariel fly

Handel Where ‘ere you walk (Semele)
 Ombra mai fu (Xerxes)
 Verdi prati (Alcina)
 Silent Worship

Gounod Faites-lui mes âveux - No. 7 (from Act III of Faust)
Mozart Zeffiretti lusinghieri from Act III of Idomeneo )

Quilter Silent Noon

Bizet La fleur que tu m’avais jetee (Carmen)

Britten Op. 37 Hush She Comes… Orchid Aria: Flowers Bring To Every Year The Same Perfection (The Rape of Lucretia)

Mascagni Son pochi fiori (from Act I L'Amico Fritz )

Malcolm Williamson items from From a child’s garden

Delibes Flower duet (Lakme)

However, this is the first time I have this sort of thing, and I'm very aware that much of the above reflects my own preferences and repertoire. (I am not singing by the way!). Also we have just done a concert series, and the audience very much liked some of the 'lighter' items we did, which I don't have a great deal of knowledge of....

All ideas and comments will be very welcome - I think it would be great to present all possibilities to our small 'committee' and then go from there!

Many thanks. xx

You've got Handel and Mendelssohn - how about a bit of Haydn, if you want to include another anniversary composer?

The obvious lighter item for a spring concert is Poisoning Pigeons in the Park, after all it starts 'Spring is here, spring is here.'

I know you say space is limited but could you manage a quartet? If so you could Now is the Month of Maying, fairly obvious I suppose. Also quite fun for a quartet is Il est bel et bon.



Really???? Does that mean that if I move to cornwall I could stop having to sing tenor?!

Thanks for all the ideas!

Poisoning pigeons in the park sounds like fun... though seagulls are more populous here! lol

Yes, please move to Cornwall! There are lots of tenors - must be something to do with the sea air!

We've got plenty of sea air here, it must be all the radon you've got!

Ah yes.... that must be it. I do live a mile from where Marie Curie had her breakthrough discovery. I used to sing alto and now I sing high soprano!

So did I/do I. *worries about radioactivity in this part of Hampshire*

Why not ask your soloists what they have in their reps too? Also look over the recent productions of the opera company to see what they have done in living memory as they will have music ready and waiting perhaps.