OPERA at Oborne and Opera Cameratina get together over Valentine’s weekend to celebrate the distinctive music of America, with an evening of three short operas on Saturday 14th February, an open workshop and song recital on Sunday.

The performances are at the village’s lovely St Cuthbert’s Church, the venue for the summer Opera at Oborne programme.

We don’t generally associate the American repertoire with opera – other than Bernstein’s Candide and some Sondheim works – but this weekend sets out to show the distinctive contribution that American composers have made to opera and art song.

The opera evening features English National Opera soprano Gweneth Ann Rand directing six young singers, with Cameratina artistic director Susanna Stranders, piano. The first short opera is a familiar work with a dark European soul, Kurt Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins, followed by Samuel Barber’s A Hand of Bridge. The final work is Jake Heggie’s At The Statue of Venus, and the evening finishes with some of Aaron Copland’s Old American Songs.

On Saturday afternoon there is an open workshop at 2pm, led by Gweneth, with the young artists preparing the music for the recital at 5pm.

The theme of the recital by Gweneth, accompanied by Susanna, with the young singers, is America’s Musical Journey, including songs by Copland and Bernstein.

Pictured: Gweneth Ann Rand, Susanna Stranders.