Affectionately known as ’The Master', Noël Coward shot to fame in 1924 with his decadent play The Vortex; 100 years on, we invite you to join Classic FM presenter Zeb Soanes, tenor William Diggle and pianist-composer Louis Mander in a sparkling celebration of the greats of the parlour entertaiment era. Music by Arthur Sullivan, Cole Porter and Noel Coward is interwoven with aphorisms, diary entries and anecdotes from the sharpest of wits, all performed with panache at the candelabra-decked pianoforte. Not to be missed!

Tickest £15 via https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/zeb-soanes/masters-of-wit/2024-10-11/19:00/t-ojyqojy

Unreserved Seating

World Premiere at The Oslo Opera Festival

THE WAVES

A Chamber Opera In Two Acts

Libretto by Tamsin Treverton Jones

Music by Louis Mander

Directed by Einar Bjorge

A spellbinding new opera adapted from Virginia Woolf’s literary masterpiece.

Crafted by the award-winning British composer, Louis Mander, with an exquisite

libretto by Tamsin Treverton Jones, and directed by Einar Bjorge, this is the first

time that Woolf’s poetic meditation on friendship, identity and the transience of

human life has been adapted for opera. Events unfold over the course of a symbolic

day, sunrise to sunset, as we follow the parallel lives of six friends from childhood

through adulthood into old age.  

As Bernard prepares for an evening with his oldest friends, his mind wanders back

to their childhood, remembering how they first met in a nursery, with a garden and

a path down to the sea. Later, as they gather at a London club, old rivalries

resurface, but the friends remain forever bound by their shared memories and

experiences. Together, they mark a painful anniversary - the premature death of

their dear friend, Percival, which has prompted each of them, in their own way, to

search for answers to human existence. It is left to Bernard to conclude that there is

no holy grail, and no alternative to living, but to fight death until the very end.

CAST & CREATIVES

Bernard | William Stevens Baritone

Louis | Daniel Bell Tenor

Rhoda | Pauline Aase Soprano

Neville | William Diggle Tenor

Jinny | Hannah Edmunds Soprano

Susan | Mae Heydorn Contralto

Piano | Stefan Ibsen Zlatanos

Conductor | Louis Mander

Director | Einar Bjorge

Produced in Association with Opera Festival, Oslo 2024 and Gjoril Songvol

Enjoy an enchanting evening of live opera from Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" performed by Hewlett Opera Company’s professional opera singers, conductor Louis Mander and directed by renowned opera coach Maria Jagusz in the picturesque outdoor setting of Willowside Farm GL54 4DA. Bring your own picnic and BYOB. Enjoy an unforgettable summer evening to divert the eyes and ears!

From 5pm

Performance starts at 6pm and finishes approximately 7:45pm

with an interval 

This is a piano duet reduction of the production with 7 opera singers

Important Information for Guests:

• Weather Protection: Be prepared for any weather by bringing rain gear, sunscreen, bug repellent, and bottled water.

• Safety First: No BBQs or open flames are permitted at the event.

• Clean Environment: Please ensure you take all your rubbish home with you.

• Pet Policy: No dogs are allowed at the event.

Pack your favourite picnic treats and BYOB! Join us for a delightful evening of opera in the open-air!

Toilets available on site 

A private sharing event at Hawkwood College, Stroud showcasing the music from Louis Mander’s latest chamber opera The Waves, a moving and captivating adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s groundbreaking novel. This event is for sponsors of the production only.

Music by Louis Mander

Libretto by Tamsin Treverton Jones

Directed by Einar Bjorge

An Amazing Musical Matinee! At the Old Sorting Office Arts Centre, Barnes, London

with Gyles Brandreth and the music of award-winning composer Louis Mander

While away your Sunday afternoon in the capable hands of the nation's best loved raconteur.

Gyles Brandreth will compère live musical performances from the imagination of award-winning composer Louis Mander in his impressive catalogue of opera and musical theatre, written in collaboration with Pam Ayres, Stephen Fry and Hinge & Bracket.

Soprano: Jesscia Hopkins; Tenor: Wiliam Diggle; Baritone: Kieran Rayner; Piano: Louis Mander.

Opening the St Peter’s Church, De Beauvoir Town Carol Service a premiere performance of a brand new musical adaptation of the bittersweet tale of The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen.

Classic FM presenter and much-loved broadcaster Zeb Soanes has collaborated with award-winning composer Louis Mander in a new musical work for narrator & piano, with text adapted from the translation by Hersholt by Soanes, lovingly captured in music by Mander.

"Oh, take me with you! I know you will disappear when the match is burned out. You will vanish like the warm stove, the wonderful roast goose and the beautiful big Christmas tree!"

Narrator | Zeb Soanes

Treble Solo | Wilfred Gibson

Piano | Louis Mander

Image inset. ‘The Match Seller’, by Augustus E. Mulready,1874 ©️ Garrick Club

The World Premiere of A NEW MUSICAL at the 76th Stroud Arts Festival

PETER PAN

Book & Lyrics by Pam Ayres

Music by Louis Mander

Based on J M Barrie’s original play

Music theatre company Hewletts Opera returns to the Festival with a brand new musical based on the enchanting story of the boy who never grew up - Peter Pan!

A show for all the family with book and lyrics by the nation’s much-loved poet Pam Ayres, tunes that go straight to the heart by composer Louis Mander and song from the Minpins children’s choir. This World Premiere is narrated by broadcaster and children’s author Zeb Soanes, and directed by Maria Jagusz.

Adapted with permission from Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity

Doors: 17:30

• Start Time: 18:30

• Date: Sat 22 Oct 2022

• Price: £5.00 - £18.00

Tickets https://thesubrooms.co.uk/whats-on/hewletts-opera-presents-peter-pan-a-new-musical-590

An evening celebrating the art song in its many expressions, this recital forms part of the festival of literature, art and music at St Peter’s Belsize Park in North London, showcasing the talented young bass-baritone Jacob Harrison and pianist composer Louis Mander, in a varied program of music ranging from Schubert and Brahms to the present day.

The recital will include the world premiere of a new song cycle for baritone and piano by Louis Mander Four Songs of Ganymede. Music will also include songs by Hugo Wolf, Brahms and Schubert as well as some haunting American spirituals and also a pair of rarely heard and beautiful song settings by composer Geoffrey Burgon, whose music for Film and TV is known across the world.

Tickets £12 and are available by emailing tickets@stpetersbelsizepark.org.uk or on the door.

On Sunday 15th May, in a very special arrangement for Violin & Piano, made by the composer; Violinist Jonathan Hill and Pianist Nicholas Miller will premiere Mander’s three-movement suite The Lighthouse which was commissioned by the players and inspired by the rugged coast and lighthouse in Jersey.

This work is growing in popularity since its world premiere recording in 2020 and can be found on Spotify, in the original string orchestra version here

https://open.spotify.com/album/4eJFUceJx8BlUtKYtcFy3X?si=xcCkxzvESKCVj2W7emREGA

This recital forms part of St. Margaret’s rich seam of live concerts which are curated by Nicholas Miller and fall every Sunday at 6 pm at the church.

Tickets free. The recital begins at 6pm on Sunday 15th May 2022, St. Margaret’s Putney, Putney Park Lane
London, SW15 5HU

Saturday 19th March 2022. 7,15pm
Medina Theatre, Newport PO30 2DX

Tickets: medinatheatre.co.uk

The Three-Cornered Hat                                        Manuel de Falla
Jacob’s Ladder (world première)                          Louis Mander
Piano Concerto in A minor                                    Edvard Grieg
soloist: Florian Mitrea

The Banks of Green Willow                                   George Butterworth.
Variations on an Original Theme (Enigma)        Edward Elgar

In March we welcome back Florian Mitrea, who brought us Prokofiev’s third piano concerto in 2019. Florian was described by Martha Argerich as ‘an outstanding young pianist’ and he continues to grow his reputation as an award-winning soloist performing from Carnegie Hall in New York, all the major halls in the UK and across Europe. He joins us to play Grieg’s Piano Concerto. The evening also features a world premiere of Jacob’s Ladder by Louis Mander, as well as some familiar favourites from de Falla, Butterworth and concludes with Elgar’s Enigma Variations.

On 11 December, we’ve invited the Hewletts Opera to Stroud, for two performance of The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart’s cherished Opera, a classical masterpiece that has been loved by audiences worldwide since its first performance in Vienna in 1786. The performances will be in full, with live orchestration and will be performed in English.

The Hewletts Opera is an exciting opera company of highly-talented young singers accompanied by an ensemble of skilled musicians, directed by Louis Mander.  The evening performance will begin at 7.30pm. 

The relaxed performance at 2pm is open to everyone but may benefit individuals with autism spectrum conditions, learning difficulties or have other needs that make it difficult for them to access live music. This is for those who wish to engage with live music in a less formal environment and enjoy the experience in their own way, with families and carers. It could also act as a ‘taster’ for a first-time opera goer.

The world premiere of De Profundis, an anthem for SATB choir & organ composed by Louis Mander, during the Evensong service at Gloucester Cathedral on Tuesday 16th November 2021, directed by Adrian Partington and the choristers and organist of Gloucester Cathedral.

This passionate setting of Christina Rossetti’s poem De Profundis will receive its world premiere, with thanks to director of music, Adrian Partington and the music department at Gloucester Cathedral.

Baritone Roderick Williams will premiere Louis Mander’s song cycle A Rondel of Gloucestershire accompanied by pianist Iain Burnside at the 75th Painswick Music Society on 13th November 2021. Programme includes music by Butterworth, Gurney, CW Orr, and Louis Mander

Tickets available at

https://painswickmusicsoc.co.uk/tickets/

The Ludlow English Song Weekend will feature a pair of songs by Louis Mander; two settings of Great War Poet, W F Harvey’s evocative words from Gloucestershire, performed here by Baritone Roderick Williams and Pianist Iain Burnside in this opening recital.

7.00pm OPENING RECITAL

St Laurence’s Church

Roderick Williams baritone
Iain Burnside piano

George Butterworth Bredon Hill and other songs
Bredon Hill
O fair enough are sky and plain
When the lad for longing sighs
On the idle hill of summer
With rue my heart is laden

C.W. Orr from A Shropshire Lad
Along the Field
When I watch the living meet
The Lent Lily

Roderick Williams Three Housman Parodies
Woe
Tea-time parody
What, still alive at twenty-two?

Ivor Gurney                 Walking Song
Louis Mander              A Rondel for Gloucestershire
Ivor Gurney                 On your midnight pallet lying
Ivor Gurney                 In Flanders
Louis Mander              Christmas in Prison
Ivor Gurney                 Captain Stratton’s Fancy

Arr Benjamin Britten           The Ploughboy
Arr George Butterworth     Roving in the Dew
Ralph Vaughan Williams     Linden Lea
Arr Benjamin Britten           The foggy, foggy dew
Arr George Butterworth    Seventeen come Sunday

Baritone Roderick Williams will premiere Louis Mander’s song cycle A Rondel of Gloucestershire accompanied by pianist Iain Burnside at the 75th Painswick Music Society on 25th September 2021. Programme includes music by Butterworth, Gurney, CW Orr, Ian Venables and Louis Mander

Tickets available

https://painswickmusicsoc.co.uk/tickets/

The Mozart Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Philip McKenzie will premiere Louis Mander’s new orchestral work with narrator Just So Stories with verse & narration by Mark Webber at the Cadogan Hall, Sloane Square, London on Saturday 7th August 2021

Performances at 1pm and 4pm 6pm

Programme to include Peter and the Wolf and The Gruffalo

Four talented musicians bring us music by Mozart and Dvorak, as well as pieces composed by pianist Louis Mander.

PROGRAMME

• Mozart Piano Quartet No.1 in G minor K.478

• Mander Zapateado, Idyll & Scherzetto

• Dvorak Theme & Variations from Piano Quartet No.1 in D major Op. 23

PERFORMERS

Violin – Wendy Clark
Viola – Rebecca Saunders
Cello – Imogen Seth-Smtih
Piano – Louis Mander

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

Wendy Clark – Violin
Wendy was born in London. She is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music where she studied violin with Alla Sharova and Trevor Williams, viola with Alexander Taylor and chamber music with Sydney Griller and from where, in 2003, she was awarded an ARAM.

She recently returned to the UK from Greece where she lived and worked for nearly 30 years. As well as bringing up her two children she also taught the violin, coached youth orchestras, gave chamber music recitals and was a member of the Athens State Symphony Orchestra for 25 years. She still returns to Greece to adjudicate music competitions and to mentor the youth string ensemble “ENA” that she founded there.

Wendy is passionate both about teaching and performing. She teaches the violin and viola at Beaudesert Park School as well as privately and organises regular meetings of “Swindon Strings” an opportunity for amateur string players to meet and play.

She is a member of the Highclere String Quartet as well as the Beaudesert Piano Quartet and leads the Newbury Symphony Orchestra. She also performs regularly with the Swindon Symphony Orchestra, North Wilts Symphony Orchestra, Marlborough Concert Orchestra and Truro Symphony Orchestra.

Rebecca Saunders – Viola

Rebecca read music at Cardiff University and upon graduating was awarded the Neville John Strings Prize for her outstanding contribution to music making. Whilst studying the viola at Cardiff with Philip Heyman (WNO), Rebecca led sections in the Symphony, Chamber and String orchestras and performed chamber music on a regular basis in both string quartets and piano quintets. In addition, Rebecca’s orchestral experience includes performing with the CBSO Youth Orchestra, Cardiff Sinfonietta and North Wiltshire Symphony Orchestra. More recently, Rebecca has studied viola under the tutelage of Philip Dukes. During her time as Associate Conductor of the Malmesbury Abbey choir,
Rebecca conducted a wide range of choral music, including a world premiere of Nico Muhly’s ‘Malmesbury Motets’ in 2016.
Following her undergraduate studies, Rebecca studied for a PGCE (Music). Having held teaching posts in senior schools, Rebecca took up the position of Director of Music at St Francis School, Wiltshire; here she developed a passion for inspiring young musicians of a prep school age. Currently, she is Director of Music and Head of Scholarship & Challenge (Arts) at Beaudesert Park School in Gloucestershire, managing a thriving music department with a wide range of ensembles, 17 visiting instrumental teachers and a full calendar of performance opportunities for all children. She is passionate about encouraging children of all abilities to fully develop their musicianship and gain experience as performers and composers.

Imogen Seth-Smith – Cello

Having read music at York University, Imogen went on to study baroque cello at the Konninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague where she was a pupil of Richte van de Meer. She complemented these studies by continuing to study the viola da gamba, an instrument that she had started at York.

Since returning to Britain in 1986 she has played regularly with many of the leading period instrument orchestras here including Academy of Ancient Music, The Orchestra of the Sixteen, Florilegium and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. She is also active as a chamber musician both on cello and gamba and as such has recorded for Virgin Veritas, Musicaphon, Gamut, ASV, Somm and Riverrun recording labels. Imogen teaches Baroque Cello at Birmingham Conservatoire.

Louis Mander

British composer & pianist Louis Mander trained at The Royal College of Music in London and Birmingham University. His music is internationally performed and includes a prolific output of chamber opera, vocal music, and music for film. A Rondel of Gloucestershire will be premiered by Baritone Roderick Williams in 2021. Recent commissions include a full-length opera The Life to Come with a libretto by Stephen Fry and a new musical based on Peter Pan with book & lyrics by Pam Ayres. As an accompanist and recitalist, Louis has collaborated with singers and instrumentalists alike, including baritone Rodney Earl Clarke, David Jones, mezzo-soprano Maria Jagusz and cellist Patrick Johnson. In 2011 whilst living in London Louis co-founded the Crescent Piano Trio and now, the newly formed Gloucestershire-based Beaudesert Piano Quartet.

Four talented musicians bring us music by Mozart and Dvorak at Chapel Arts, Cheltenham, as well as pieces composed by composer-pianist Louis Mander.

PROGRAMME

• Mozart Piano Quartet No.1 in G minor K.478

• Mander Zapateado, Idyll & Scherzetto

• Dvorak Theme & Variations from Piano Quartet No.1 in D major Op. 23

PERFORMERS

Violin – Wendy Clark
Viola – Rebecca Saunders
Cello – Imogen Seth-Smtih
Piano – Louis Mander

To mark All Soul’s Day on November 1st 2020, the choir and orchestra of St Margaret’s, Putney, directed by Nick Miller will premiere Louis Mander’s deeply moving and lyrical English Requiem for SATB choir, Soprano, Baritone and string orchestra.

The service will focus its attention on the Anglican Burial Service in this very special world premiere.

The world premiere of De Profundis, an anthem for SATB choir & organ composed by Louis Mander, during the Evensong service at Gloucester Cathedral on Wednesday 25th March 2020, directed by Adrian Partington and the choristers and organist of Gloucester Cathedral.

This passionate setting of Christina Rossetti’s poem De Profundis will receive its world premiere, with thanks to director of music, Adrian Partington and the music department at Gloucester Cathedral.

The world premiere of Louis Mander’s Epiphany carol for SATB choir & piano Come’s the Light with text by Roger Mcgough will be performed at St. Margaret’s Church, Putney. London at 6.30pm - directed by Rhiannon Llewellyn at their Epiphany Carol Service.

Free admission

Rising star cellist Patrick Johnson and pianist-composer Louis Mander will be returning to the Autumn Concert Series at St. Peter’s Belsize Park on Saint Cecilia’s Day, 22nd November 2019 to perform new and neglected works of the cello and piano repertoire composed during the 20th and 21st Centuries.

The programme will include the world premiere of Louis Mander’s Cello Sonata and Francis Poulenc’s urbane and dark sonata.

Tickets £10 available on the door or to reserve call 020 7586 6522

The Art of Transcription will showcase myriad works arranged for Cello & Piano in a recital of two halves on Friday 10th May at 7.30pm, performed by rising cellist Patrick Johnson & composer-pianist Louis Mander at Beaudesert Park School Performing Arts Centre, Minchinhampton, Stroud.

The first half will include works in arrangement, by J.C Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schumann & Dvorak. The second half will be a foray into the works composed throughout the eras for solo cello, including works by J.S. Bach and Cassado.

Tickets available from Beaduesert Park School 01453 832072

Join Baritone David Jones and Composer-Pianist Louis Mander in this delightful Yule inspired Schubertiade at Vinnie’s Eatery on Saturday 8th December at 7.30pm.

A prizewinner in the 2015 AESS Patricia Routledge English Song Competition, David Jones is equally at home in song, oratorio and opera. He has a particular interest in new music, and has given premieres of works by Nick Bicât, Stephen Deazley, Louis Mander and Josh Spear. 

This intimate recital will include favourite Schubert lieder, parlour songs and some gems of the Art Song repertoire across the nations. Mulled wine and sweet treats will be on sale to complete the Yuletide ambience.

Tickets £8 available on the door or email info@vinnieseatery.uk Reservation preferred

In commemoration of the centenary year 1918, the end of the Great War, baritone Rodney Clarke will perform with composer-pianist Louis Mander music of wartime composers, Ralph Vaughan Williams, George Butterworth, Ivor Gurney and a new song cycle by Louis Mander.

This is by special arrangement with Chapel Arts, an exquisite art gallery and recital venue in the heart of Cheltenham Spa

Tickets £10 available info@thechapelarts.com

Programme to include:

Selections from A Shropshire Lad by Butterworth, Songs of Travel by Vaughan Williams, songs by Ivor Gurney & a new song cycle Four Songs of Experience by Louis Mander

In commemoration of the centenary year 1918, the end of the Great War, baritone Rodney Clarke will perform with composer-pianist Louis Mander music of wartime composers, Ralph Vaughan Williams, George Butterworth, Ivor Gurney and a new song cycle by Louis Mander.

This is by special arrangement with St Peter's Church, Belsize Park, as part of their Autumn at St Peter's festival 2018.

Tickets £12 available through www.spbp.org.uk 

Programme to include:

Selections from A Shropshire Lad by Butterworth, Songs of Travel by Vaughan Williams, songs by Ivor Gurney & a new song cycle Four Songs of Experience by Louis Mander