ABOUT OPERA IN THE ORCHARD

Opera in the Orchard grew out of a dream of my father and grandfather to hold a function in the orchards and garden of Bouncers.  Over a glass or two of wine on the terrace in the company of Steve Rumsey, our next-door neighbour and a professional conductor, the dream slowly took shape, Opera in the Orchard became a reality.

We had three months to find musicians, choose the opera, the singers and the production manager, and all the other things required to put on such an event.  We all had tremendous fun in the process, helped by the generosity of volunteers-namely family!

The setting for the Opera is stunning.  The terrace and lawn overlook the water meadows and the River Blackwater with Danbury in the distance.  The view hasn’t changed much since my grandfather built Bouncers in 1935.  Bouncers Farm is hidden away down a very narrow lane with high banks on either side, the trees forming a tunnel overhead with their arching branches.  This part of Wickham Bishops used to be a thriving apple- growing area and a few of the orchards remain today giving the lane a rural feeling. It is quite, the silence broken only by the song of bird, of which there are many varieties. At nighttime there are the calls of owls and occasionally the bark of a fox-it is a special place to be, especially on a summers evening.  However, on the Friday night before the opera the heavens opened, the sky became black and we were entertained by the most spectacular show of thunder, lightning and rain by the bucketful.  We could only pray for a fine weekend

Saturday arrived and with it the fine weather.  The garden, after the rain, looked sparkling and the colours intense.  It was a busy day for the family-Grandparents, parents, grandchildren and friends all lent a hand to prepare the garden and orchard.  Meals were all served al fresco under the shade of the cherry plum tree.  Sunday dawned with a blue sky and hot sun.  The musicians, singers and production team started arriving early in the day.  Instruments were set up and the rehearsal got under way, with Steve Rumsey as conductor looking very much the part, sporting a huge, white, floppy hat as protection against the sun.  Musicians took advantage of quiet corners of the orchard, to practise their pieces.  The sounds of music were everywhere. The day was magical: children running and climbing trees, a bassoon player practising among the apple trees, arias being sung, people relaxing under the weeping ash and cherry plum trees, taking refuge from the scorching sun.  A picnic lunch was served on the lawn for helpers and cast.

At 5pm the first cars arrived and they kept on coming right until curtain up.  The gardens were a mass of activity with the babble of voices and laughter, the sound of popping champagne corks, clinking glasses and delicious aromas coming from the splendid varieties of picnics being laid out on linen covered tables, picnic rugs or knees - friends meeting friends, old acquaintances being rekindled, the wonderful feeling of a special evening with the informality of being among friends, and through it all the air of expectant excitement as we waited for the opera to begin.

It began at 7pm as the sun was beginning to dip behind Danbury, casting a warm glow over the audience and performers.  We started with “La Serva Padrone” by Pergolessi, followed by an interval during which solo pieces were played by the principal musicians of the orchestra.  The second operetta, “The Telephone” by Minotti, was a very humorous operetta enjoyed by all age groups, the proof being was the sight of all the children lying on their stomachs at the front, chins propped up by their hands and eyes glued to the opera unfolding before them.

The evening came to an end all too soon, night falling quickly, but with the help of car headlights everyone found their cars and departed with encouraging comments and hope that another opera would be held at Bouncers the following year………………… 

From that first night OPERA IN THE ORCHARD has gone from strength to strength; the productions to date being:- Carmen, Don Pasquale, The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi fan tutte, Cavalaria Rusticana & The Impressario,Pagliacci and Not in front of the Waiter,

Call us on 01621 894112 or email us at enquiries@operaintheorchard.co.uk