Private School News

Young Musican from CHRIST COLLEGE lands lead role in WNO MAX production.

Jonathan in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
Christ College Young Musician of the Year, Jonathan Robinson, has been cast as the lead role of Count Heinrich in the forthcoming production by WNO MAX of Judith Weir’s opera The Black Spider, directed by Rhian Hutchings. Invited to audition for the role after having participated in workshops run by the WNO, Jonathan will now have the chance to perform in front of the composer in July.

Christ College’s Director of Music, Richard West, commented, “This is a very fine achievement; it will be a fantastic opportunity for Jonathan to experience authentic operatic rehearsal processes and be a part of such an exciting venture.”

The opera is a work that incorporates both horror and comedy. Count Heinrich has ordered the people in his village to move the trees nearer to his estate in order to provide a shady walk for him on a sunny day. However, this task is not easy and the villagers obviously struggle!

Following this order, a mysterious being in the form of a green man appears and offers to move the trees in exchange for a young lady from the village that he will make his wife. A young, feisty villager named Christina steps up and offers her hand but, as she is set to marry a fellow villager (Carl), she has no intention of going through with the marriage to the green man.

The green man is fully aware of her deceit and kisses her hand. The consequences include the birth of the black spider out of Christina’s hand and the villagers’ attempt to kill the spider that is causing ill health and death and the demise of the village.