The Beggar’s Opera
2013 saw the centenary of Benjamin Britten’s birth. Jubilee Opera celebrated this with a full programme throughout the year:- a concert in Aldeburgh Church, a tour with Mahogany Opera of Britten’s “Three Church Parables” to St Petersburg, Orford, London and Buxton, a fully staged production of scenes from Britten operas, ‘A Time There Was’, a ‘Happy Birthday Ben’ tea party with music in Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall and on his birthday weekend a Radio 3 live broadcast of Britten’s ‘Saint Nicolas Cantata’ in Aldeburgh Church. For all these events the children joined international artists and musicians.
The ’book’ below, produced in 2013, gives a quick flip through the history of Jubilee Opera.
It all began with Noye's Fludde...
A 1987 performance, directed by Basil Coleman was the catalyst for the founding of Jubilee Opera.
And a later performance in Orford Church in 2008.
Sets & Costumes...
Productions are created by professional design teams, here Noye’s Fludde by Robin Don.
Battles make good Theatre...
The Siege of Gloucester in ‘All the King’s Men’
The Battle of Waterloo in ‘The Drummer Boy of Waterloo’ (first image)
The Battle of Trafalgar in ‘Hip Hip Horatio’ (second image)
Churches provide magical Venues for Performance...
Orford Church ‘Noye’s Fludde’
Aldeburgh Church ‘Saint Nicolas Cantata’
Southwold Church ‘The Winter Star’
Famous Writers have made it to the Stage...
Oscar Wilde ‘The Happy Prince’
Roald Dahl ‘James and the Giant Peach’
Lewis Carol ‘Alice’
Robert Browning ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’
The Brothers Grimm ‘Cinderella’
Beatrix Potter ‘The Tailor of Gloucester’
Collaborations... 
Rehearsing Britten’s Curlew River with Mahogany Opera Group in St Petersburg.
Our joint production of Krása’s Brundibár also with Mahogany Opera Group in the Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall.
Britten Centenary...
Benjamin Britten’s vision for children runs through all Jubilee Opera’s work, no more so than in 2013 with ‘A Time There Was’, a live broadcast of ‘Saint Nicolas’ and a Centenary Birthday Party in the Jubilee Hall.
Not the End...
“Great fun creating and developing character”
- Jubilee Opera member
“Hard work yet inspiring. You can’t succeed if you don’t put the effort in, always a joy to perform and great fun!”
- Jubilee Opera member
“We always try to see Jubilee Opera – imaginative, interesting and fun”
- Jubilee Opera Audience member
