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Horrible Histories 'Orrible Opera

Horrible Histories 'Orrible Opera promo.jpg

In July 2023 Horrible Histories returned for their second appearance at the BBC Proms. Filmed at the legendary Royal Albert Hall in front of two sold-out audiences (a combined audience of 10,000 people), it was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, before the TV edit aired two months later on CBBC with additional commentary from Henry VIII.

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Queen Victoria and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart hosts a special live concert as part of the BBC Proms season, introducing us to the world of Opera. Mozart is sure that the Horrible Histories audience will love it, with all its grisly and gruesome stories. Queen Victoria is less sure - she thinks opera is totally unsuitable for children; in fact, she thinks the audience need to leave at once! Can Mozart change her mind? He’s going to try - with the help of some of the most famous songs in operatic history, plus new Horrible Histories songs as well as firm favourites from the show’s past.

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This special live event was a special collaboration with the English National Opera, the BBC Proms and the Birmingham Stage Company. Renowned conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson joined us, as did several of the best operatic singers in the business for what proved to be an amazing experience for everyone involved.

Clips

Setlist

  • 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)

  • 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’)

Cast & crew

CAST

MUSIC

PRODUCTION

Richard David Caine
Alison Fitzjohn
Neal Foster
James McNicholas
Morgan Philpott
Jessica Ransom
Inel Tomlinson
Deborah Tracey

with

Tom Stourton

ORCHESTRA

English National Opera
CONDUCTOR

Keri-Lynn Wilson

HORRIBLE HISTORIES COMPOSER

Richie Webb​

HORRIBLE HISTORIES SONGS ARRANGED BY

Iain Farrington

OPERA SINGERS

WRITING 

Rainelle Krause (soprano)
Isabelle Peters (soprano)
Gweneth Ann Rand (soprano)
David Butt-Philip (tenor)
Charles Rice (baritone)
John Molloy (bass)

Ben Ward

Claire Wetton

STAGE DIRECTOR

Neal Foster

OB DIRECTOR

Ollie Bartlett

PRODUCER

Josh Grant

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

Melissa Hardinge

Richard Bradley

Simon Welton

EDITOR

Al Rogers

GALLERY:

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