THE FAERIE QUEENE
by Henry Purcell

A semi-opera, adapted from William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream

This year, The Young People's Opera Society of BC has come together to put on a magical show full of regal royalty, bumbling buffoons and fancy fairies. The Faerie Queene has a wonderful team working hard to make this show happen. Ellie King has filled the role of artistic director, and she has brought out the potential of all the cast. In addition, we have Vashti Fairbairn who has musically directed the cast's voices. The show is sure to be entertaining and fun.

The Young People's Opera Society has recently put on a "sneak preview" of the show in the studio theatre at the Surrey Arts Centre. It was a great success. The cast really came together and made the show amazing. Displays of costumes and set designs were set up in the lobby after the show, to give patrons a vision of how they could directly participate in helping the society invest in their show this coming October.

SHOW TIME

Surrey Arts Centre 88th & King George Highway
Surrey, BC

Show Times & Prices:
Oct 20 - Tuesday - Preview Show - 7:00
Oct 21-24 - Wednesday to Saturday - 7:00
Oct 24 - Saturday - 2:30 Matinee

TICKET INFORMATION: If interested in this performance, and would like more information, please email us at yposbc@gmail.com

THE ORIGINS OF THE FAERIE QUEENE

Based on William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", The Faerie Queen focuses on the lives of the fairies, particularly on a fight between the King and Queen of the fairies themselves, Oberon and Titania. Titania has stolen away a changling child. Oberon wants the boy for himself, so that he may be a henchman. When Titania refuses, Oberon calls on Puck to find him a flower that produces a special juice, which when streaked across someone's eyes makes that person fall in love with the first thing they see. Meanwhile, a troupe of "rude mechanicals" come into Titania's forest to practice their play, which they are to perform for Theseus' wedding day. When Puck comes across them, he decides it would be funny to change one of them into a donkey, or, "ass". When he comes back, the rude mechanicals run off, and Titania wakes to fall in love with the ass. Oberon seizes this opportunity to ask her for the changeling boy. In her blind new devotion, she easily gives him up, and Oberon takes the spell off her. When she awakes, she remembers nothing, and the fairies celebrate the reunion of their king and queen.

Henry Purcell wrote the music for this opera in the 17th century. An interesting fact: Purcell did not write music to Shakespeare's words, but rather, wrote music for "masques" in each act. For more information on Henry Purcell's work, click here.

SPONSORS

Please support our sponsor, Joy Tv 10, who is graciously providing us with exposure and announcements.