Rare opera comes to Sussex

Heber Opera is delighted to be presenting the rare opera Martha at last, after the pandemic forced us to cancel the original run planned for 2020!

Although Martha (by Friedrich von Flotow) was written in 1844, the girl heroines are surprisingly modern – they’re controlling the action! With an updated translation, the story involves a pair of feisty young women who decide that their lives need some adventure, so they take themselves to the local fair to have some fun. When they find themselves unintentionally hired by two farmers love steps in! Unlike the usual comic opera trope, the farmers fall in love with the girls but it’s the girls who are in control! As it’s a comic opera, there are many misunderstandings on the way to a final happy conclusion.

It is such a shame that Flotow’s opera Martha is only rarely performed today because it has such a good plot and is full of lovely music, including an appearance of ‘The Last Rose of Summer’.

As usual, the Heber Opera’s production will be fully staged, sung in English and performed ‘in the round’, accompanied by the Heber Opera chamber ensemble.

We are delighted to have our regular soloists including soprano Veronica Brooks, mezzo-soprano Grace Lovelass, tenor Matt Connelly, bass Stephen Hawksley and baritones Dick Bacon and Nick Forrest..

Performances will be:

• Steyning Centre on Saturday 1 October
• Uckfield Civic Centre on Sunday 2 October
• Hurstpierpoint Village Centre on Saturday 8 October.

Tickets will be on sale from 15 August – follow the links below.