Opera in Dorset: Mozart's 'Bastien et Bastienne'

by Laura Hounsell in Dorchester, Dorset, United Kingdom

Total raised £1,585

raised so far

32

supporters

Please help us bring a beautiful opera to audiences in Dorset this summer!

by Laura Hounsell in Dorchester, Dorset, United Kingdom

We're still collecting donations

On the 17th July 2024 we'd raised £1,400 with 26 supporters in 28 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.

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Who are Bread and Bus Stop –

 Hello! We’re Bread and Bus Stop, a brand new opera-making team based in Dorset and London. We are: Laura Hounsell, an early career director from Dorchester in Dorset working in collaboration with conductor Oleksandr Filiak (Royal Academy of Music Graduate 2024) and young filmmaker Jack Sullivan (creative producer). 

 “Bread and Bus Stop” is a childhood mis-interpretation of the seaside village of Burton Bradstock in Dorset, where Laura (founder) grew up. It’s a reminder to cherish home and childhood creativity. Our aim is to make joyful, curious, surprising, beautiful productions in Dorset and beyond. 

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Our Debut Opera: Mozart’s Bastien et Bastienne –

Our debut opera will be Bastien et Bastienne, which Mozart wrote when he was just 12 years old. It’s a charming one act singspiel with delightful, floral melodies. 

Our production will be set in Dorset, during the joy and silliness of May Day celebrations. It will be Thomas-Hardy-esque and inspired by west-country folk traditions. The story follows the chaos, heartache and eventual reconciliation that ensues when Colas, the Lord of Misrule, meddles in a young shepherd and shepherdess’s courtship (Bastien et Bastienne).

The cast will bring together emerging talents from Dorset with an orchestra of world class music students from London’s Royal Academy of Music. 

The production will take place on 17th Aug 2024, at 6:30pm in the Amphitheatre at Holme for Gardens in Dorset. 

Tickets are on sale now 

Please have a look at our website and social media too: Website - Instagram - Facebook 

Why we’re Crowdfunding –

 As a brand new company, we’re starting from scratch and all donations will be directly instrumental to allowing us to create this project. Operas, even small scale ones such as this, take a great deal of funds to make happen.

We want to bring affordable, beautiful opera to rural audiences whilst bringing together local artists with emerging talents from everywhere.

Dorset needs more theatre and more opportunities to make theatre.

We need your help to make this happen! 

Where your money will go –

Keeping ticket prices relatively affordable – We’re passionate that opera should be as accessible as possible and we’re determined that our ticket prices should be as affordable as we can afford to make them. We therefore cannot rely on ticket sales as our sole source of income.

 Rehearsal space – Affordable rehearsal space is very hard to find, a large chunk of donated funds will help us rehearse somewhere practical with a piano!

Insurance and other admin – There are lots of essential and hidden administrative costs which we have to consider. The more we can raise, the more we’ll be able to put into the creative aspects of the production itself!

Set and costume – We want this show to look beautiful, the more we raise, the more we can put into our design. 

Transport – The orchestra are going to be primarily students form the Royal Academy of Music. As passionate as we are about working with artists from Dorset, we’re equally passionate about bringing world class young musicians to Dorset audiences and bringing audiences members from everywhere to Dorset. The funding will allow us to transport the orchestra and their instruments to Wareham.

Cast and Company  –  Our cast and company need to be fed and accommodated! 

Future Productions – We intend to continue to grow and develop after our first show in August. Should we have any additional funds thanks to your generous support, they will all go towards future productions. 

 

Meet the team so far –

 All funds raised will allow us to collaborate with more artists, and to continue to build on the networks of young theatre-makers in Dorset and beyond. 

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Oleksandr Filiak - Conductor 

Oleksandr Filiak is a Ukrainian conductor currently studying with Sian Edwards at the Royal Academy of Music, London.
His upcoming engagements include conducting a production of W.A. Mozart's "Bastien et Bastienne" at The Holme Amphitheatre in Dorset and making his debut at the "Tete a Tete" festival in London.
Recently, the world premiere of the opera "King Stakh's Wild Hunt" by O. Podgaiskaya at the Barbican Theater, for which Oleksandr had been assisting at the beginning of this season, was nominated for the "Laurence Olivier Awards 2024" in the category of "Outstanding Achievement in Opera".

Other recent opera productions he has successfully assisted for include J.F. Handel's "Ariodante" at the Royal Academy of Music, R. Dove's "The Monster in the Maze," and L. van Beethoven's "Fidelio" at the Theater und Orchester Heidelberg. During his time at the Royal Academy of Music, Oleksandr has received coaching from esteemed conductors including Sir Mark Elder, Edward Gardner, John Wilson, Alice Farnham, and Daniel Capps.
Oleksandr's musical journey began as a pianist and horn player. He obtained a BA with honors in Piano from the National Music Academy of Ukraine and received training as an organist and harpsichord player.

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Laura Hounsell - Producer/ Director 

Laura is an early career director working in theatre and opera. Having directed numerous productions as a student at the University of Edinburgh and studied short courses in directing with the National Youth Theatre and Central School of Speech and Drama, she’s now resident director with Apropos Theatre, with whom she took a successful show ‘Terrence the T-rex’ to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2023. Self-producing is a scary but thrilling and ultimately hugely rewarding process.

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Jack Sullivan - Creative Producer

 Jack is a filmmaker from South London. He primarily films theatrical productions for the west-end and UK. He also has experience filming live arena concerts, events and documentary pieces. He has recently worked as a camera operator on The Lion King, Hadestown, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Michael Buble: The Higher Tour 2023 and Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour. He recently directed the ‘Terrence the T-Rex’ Trailer and multi-camera archive film for Apropos Theatre and music video ‘Boudoir Tears’ for music artist ‘Pixia’. His passion project, a mockumentary called ‘The Panda’, which he created with Jonah Mann, won an award at the ‘Night of Comedy Shorts’ festival in Milan and received an official selection for the Serbest International Film Festival. 

As well as being behind the camera, he has performed on the stage, produced theatre and lighting designed for some amateur productions in London. His routes to opera started when he performed in the Royal Opera House's revival production of ‘Gloriana’ in 2013.

As well as building the website, creating our teaser and animation (amongst many other things) 

Jack is going to film the show, to capture the day and allow the artists involved to have a record of their work. 

We’re so grateful to Jack for his dedication to the project, endless ideas and problems solving skills.

 Hazel Laing - Poster Designer 

Our beautiful artwork was designed for us by Hazel Laing. Hazel is a Scottish illustrator, currently drawing in South London. Her practice involves getting messy and drawing intuitively. Her work is inspired by historical costume, theatre and childhood, which she enjoys translating into playful prints. She creates screen prints, risographs, etching and collages.  

The artwork is essential to the production and often goes unsung. Hazel is an essential member of the team and we’re lucky to be able to work with her.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!


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Rewards

This project offered rewards

£100 or more

Founding Patron

- A thank you in the Bastien et Bastienne programme and on social media - A complimentary Bastien et Bastienne poster and programme. - Priority booking for future Bread and Bus Stop Productions - Meet the cast of Bastien et Bastienne after the performance *Does not include a ticket to Bastien et Bastienne

£25 or more

Friend of Bread and Bus Stop

- A thank you in the Bastien et Bastienne programme and on social media *Does not include a ticket to Bastien et Bastienne

£50 or more

Founding Friend

- A thank you in the Bastien et Bastienne programme and on social media - A complimentary Bastien et Bastienne poster and programme. *Does not include a ticket to Bastien et Bastienne

£500 or more

Founder

- A thank you on our website, in all future Bread and Bus Stop Programmes and on social media - Complimentary Bastien et Bastienne poster and programme. - Priority booking for future productions - Meet the cast of Bastien et Bastienne after the performance - 2 complimentary tickets to Bastien et Bastienne - 1 Dorset Picnic hamper before the performance of Bastien et Bastienne (please email [email protected])

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