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Music hire

Available for hire from Birmingham Opera Company: brilliantly re-imagined orchestrations for small forces. 

"...some of the mightiest sounds ever imagined by the mind of man, communicate every bit as awesomely as they might at Bayreuth or Covent Garden. It is as I said, a miracle." - Rupert Christiansen, The Spectator on The Ring Saga

Recent productions include - Harvard College Opera (US) Edmonton Opera (CA), Deutsche Oper Das Rheingold auf dem Parkdeck (above), English National Opera's drive-in La boheme (below) and Grimeborne Festival ( see below).

ORCHESTRATION -  Birmingham Opera Company first established its reputation with brilliantly re-imagined orchestrations for small forces: Offering greater flexibility of configuration in and out of a theatre or for use in film/television production.Maintaining the quality of the original scale work;

FORCES - Can be performed with or without a separate chorus. 

LANGUAGE - All titles available in original language or in specially-commissioned English translations. 

We can advise on rights for the translations. 

For further info email: [email protected]


The Ring Saga

An abridged version of Wagner's Ring Cycle, available separately or as a whole:

Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold) 1 hour 54 mins approx; Die Walküre (Valkyrie) 2 hours 52 mins approx; Siegfried 2 hours 12 mins approx; Götterdämmerung (Twilight) 2 hours 44 mins approx.

Version by Jonathan Dove and Graham Vick

For 12 singers

Orchestration for 18 players by Jonathan Dove

Violin 1

Violin 2

Viola/Violin

Cello 1

Cello 2

Double Bass

Flute/Piccolo

Oboe/Cor Anglais

Clarinet/Bass Clarinet/Tenor Saxophone

Bassoon

Horn 1

Horn 2

Trumpet/Flugelhorn

Trombone

Tuba/Bass Trumpet

Timpani/Percussion

Harp

Organ

Director Julia Burbach and Conductor Peter Selwyn on their Ring for Grimeborne Festival, Arcola Theatre, Hackney Empire (UK)

Falstaff

Verdi 

Version for 15 players by Jonathan Dove 

Violin 1

Violin 2

Viola

Cello

Double Bass

Flute/Piccolo

Oboe/Cor Anglais

Clarinet

Bassoon/Contrabassoon

Horn 1

Horn 2

Trumpet

Trombone

Timpani/Percussion

Harp, doubling cymbals

La bohème ( see video above) 

Puccini 

For 7 singers 

Version for 15 players by Jonathan Dove 

Violin 1

Violin 2

Viola

Cello

Double Bass

Horn 1

Horn 2

Trumpet

Trombone, doubling triangle and tubular bells

Flute/Piccolo

Oboe/Cor Anglais

Clarinet/Bass Clarinet

Bassoon

Timpani/Percussion

Harp, doubling cymbals

Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) 

Mozart 

Orchestration for 15 players by Jonathan Dove

Violin 1

Violin 2

Viola/Violin

Cello

Double Bass

Flute/Piccolo/Alto Flute

Oboe/Cor Anglais

Clarinet/Alto Saxophone/Tenor Saxophone

Bassoon

Horn 1

Horn 2

Trumpet

Trombone

Timpani/Percussion

Piano/Accordion/Celeste

Fidelio 

Beethoven 

For 7 singers 

Orchestration for 17 players by Julian Grant, including Leonore No. 3

Violin 1

Violin 2

Viola

Cello

Double Bass

Flute/Piccolo

Oboe

Clarinet 1

Clarinet 2

Bassoon

Contrabassoon

Horn 1

Horn 2

Trumpet/Flugelhorn

Trumpet 2

Timpani

Keyboard

 

Macbeth 

Verdi 

For 10 singers 

Orchestration for 16 players by Julian Phillips 

Violin 1

Violin 2

Viola

Cello

Double Bass

Flute/Piccolo

Oboe/Cor Anglais

Clarinet/Eb Clarinet

Bassoon

Horn 1

Horn 2

Trumpet

Trombone

Timpani/Percussion

Harp, doubling cymbals

Organ, doubling bass drum and suspended cymbal

Also available: 

The Two Widows 

Smetana, a new version for cast of four, arranged for piano quintet by Christopher Willis 

Vixen Sharp Ears (Cunning Little Vixen) 

Janáček, version by Jonathan Dove

Although this was commissioned by Birmingham Opera Company, it is now held by Universal Edition. 

For further info email: [email protected] 

Published: 28th May, 2020

Updated: 11th January, 2025

Author: Richard Willacy

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