Cipolwg
The hosts
Lorna Prichard
Elin Jones
Season one
Join comedian, journalist and lifelong opera fan Lorna Prichard as she glances into the world of opera. Lorna interacts with singers, conductors, experts and audience members whilst investigating the weird and wonderful side of opera and classical music.
Episode 1: The Italian Job
This week, world-renowned conductor Carlo Rizzi chats with Lorna about the enduring popularity of Giuseppe Verdi. Lorna dissects one of Verdi’s rediscovered operas Les vêpres siciliennes during this episode’s interval drinks. And we find out what makes Verdi the ‘big cheese’ of opera with some opera trivia from Elin Jones, WNO Dramaturg.
Episode 2: The Other Woman
Keen to find out more about the role of women in opera, Lorna sits down with Soprano Elin Pritchard. Together they discuss the most influential female characters in opera. And what better place for this week’s interval drinks than WNO’s new production of Carmen, in which Elin makes her debut as Micaëla. Later, WNO Dramaturg Elin Jones reunites with Lorna for a spot of Carmen trivia.
Episode 3: Mozart in the Jungle
Lorna meets baritone John Ieuan Jones and rediscovers her passion for Mozart. We then join her for interval drinks during The Marriage of Figaro. What makes this Mozart favourite stand the test of time? And later, find out everything you need to know about the child genius composer with Elin. Did Mozart really write the overture to Don Giovanni the day of the performance?
Episode 4: Music is always with you
Lorna meets WNO Chorus member Sian Meinir and talks about her involvement with some of WNO’s exciting youth and community projects. This week’s interval drinks comes with a twist, as Lorna interacts with audience members following a WNO community concert at Galeri, Caernarfon. And just as he turns 250, Beethoven is the subject of this week’s opera trivia.
Episode 5: Cav&Pag Part 1
Lorna sits down with acclaimed tenor Gwyn Hughes Jones to talk about his illustrious career. This week’s interval drinks are virtual and feature a very special guest, Lorna’s Mum! Together they explore a recorded performance of Cavalleria Rusticana, which is the focus of this week’s trivia with our very own Dramaturg Elin Jones.
Episode 6: Cav&Pag Part 2
The second part of Lorna’s Cav&Pag special, finishing up her chat with Gwyn Hughes Jones and discussing Pagliacci over interval drinks.
Episode 7: What about Strauss?
Lorna meets Soprano Fflur Wyn and explores her connections to the works of Richard Strauss. Later, Lorna and her Mum embark on some virtual interval drinks during a recorded performance of Der Rosenkavalier. And Elin’s back with trivia exploring the varied repertoire of Strauss.
Episode 8: Politics in Opera
Lorna discusses the role of politics in opera and classical music. The subject of this week’s interval drinks and trivia is Verdi’s masterpiece Rigoletto.
Episode 9: A Vixen’s Tale
Lorna meets with soprano Meriel Andrew to talk about her career highlights and discovers what it was like for her to share the stage with her daughter Martha in a recent performance of The Cunning Little Vixen.
Episode 10: Madam Butterfly
Lorna meets director Angharad Lee to talk about her work on a recent production of Madam Butterfly. This enduring classic by Puccini is also the focus of this week’s interval drinks and trivia with WNO Dramaturg Elin Jones.
Season two
An Artist's Journey
WNO Dramaturg Elin Jones hosts this three-part special which explores the journey of an artist from their first experiences of classical music through to their first professional performance. Comedian and journalist Lorna Prichard joins Elin to interview young singers, students and performers to find out more about each stage on the path towards a professional career.
Episode 1: First steps
WNO Dramaturg Elin Jones explores what opportunities there are for young people to get involved with performance from an early age. Lorna Prichard speaks to Jenny Pearson and Morgana Warren-Jones (WNO Youth Opera North Wales) for a wider discussion about the role of youth groups in developing young singers. Lorna also chats to a young participant to find out more about why performance is important to them.
Episode 2: Training
Elin Jones looks at the process of training a young artist at conservatoire level. Lorna Prichard meets Tim Rhys-Evans who talks about his role as an educator at Royal Welsh College of Music and Dramaand previous experiences running youth groups such as Only Boys Aloud. Lorna also sits down with tenor Huw Ynyr and conservatoire student Canna Roberts.
Episode 3: Becoming a professional
Elin Jones considers the next stage of an artist’s journey and what lies ahead for them beyond graduation. Lorna chats to soprano Alys Roberts and tenor Elgan Llyr Thomas who discuss graduate performance opportunities and what life is like when beginning work as a full-time professional.