Artwork by Martin Brown. Credit: BBC
Horrible Histories: 'Orrible Opera

Horrible Histories: 'Orrible Opera

  • Radio comedy
  • BBC Radio 3
  • 2023
  • 1 episode

The English National Opera and conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson dive into the Horrible History of opera. Also features Georgia Mann, Richard David-Caine, Alison Fitzjohn, Neal Foster, James McNicholas and more.

Artwork by Martin Brown. Credit: BBC

Key details

Genre
Comedy
Broadcast
2023
Channel
BBC Radio 3
Episodes
1
Stars
Georgia Mann, Richard David-Caine, Alison Fitzjohn, Neal Foster, James McNicholas, Morgan Philpott, Jessica Ransom, Inel Tomlinson and more
Creative
Keri-Lynn Wilson
Company

From dying divas and spellbinding sorceresses to ghosts and generals, join us for a high-decibel dive into the Horrible History of Opera. Experience the very best of music's biggest, bloodiest and most dramatic genre, and discover the stories behind some of opera's best-loved tunes in the company of your favourite Horrible Histories characters, in the 30th-anniversary year of the books by Terry Deary, illustrated by Martin Brown.

Join the English National Opera Chorus and Orchestra for this specially devised concert experience, featuring music from operas including Mozart's The Magic Flute, Puccini's Turandot, Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates Of Penzance and Rossini's The Barber Of Seville.

Presented by Georgia Mann, live from the Royal Albert Hall, London.

2pm
Mozart: The Magic Flute - Queen of the Night's aria ('The Wrath of Hell')
Wagner: The Ride of the Valkyries
Verdi: Macbeth - Witches' chorus ('Welcome Sisters')
attrib. Rossini: Cats' Duet
Puccini: Turandot - 'Nessun dorma'
Offenbach: Orpheus in the Underworld - The Can-Can (Infernal Galop)

2:40 interval: Georgia Mann talks to some of the creatives behind Horrible Histories, including composer Richie Webb, who writes the madcap songs for the TV series.

3pm
Bizet: Carmen - Toreador's Song
Rossini: The Barber of Seville - 'Here at your Service'
Gershwin: Porgy and Bess - 'Summertime'
Ethel Smyth: The March of the Women
Philip Glass: Akhnaten - Funeral of Amenhotep III
Handel: Giulio Cesare - Stormy Winds
Sullivan: The Pirates of Penzance - Major-General's Song ('I am the very model')

Catch-up

Additional details

Production
Event

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Saturday 22nd July 2023 at 2pm on BBC Radio 3
Episode length
120 minutes

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