Cipolwg
The hosts
Iwan Teifion Davies
Elin Jones
Robyn Lyn Evans
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 One: 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 Two: 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 Three: 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 Four: 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 Five: 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 Six: 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 Seven: 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 Eight: 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 Nine: 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 One: 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 Two: 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 Three: 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.
Modern Life
In this new three-part special, we explore how opera can reflect modern life. Our hosts delve into the history of opera, discovering how traditional productions have been adapted and new commissions have been created, both to portray contemporary themes and hold up a mirror up to our society.
Episode One: Modern Life with Robyn Lyn Evans
Robyn Lyn Evans joins Elin Jones to explore opera in the modern world. Robyn discusses the merits of adapting traditional operas to portray contemporary life on stage with Sion Goronwy and Paul Carey-Jones and later, Mid Wales Opera's Production Manager Bridget Wallbank.
Episode Two & Three: Modern Life with Iwan Teifion Davies
Elin Jones and Iwan Teifion Davies continue to explore new opera’s capacity to reflect contemporary events, with a specific focus on operas performed in the Welsh language. Iwan is joined by Claire Victoria Roberts, Manon Llwyd, Guto Puw and Gareth Glyn.
Episode Four: Modern Life with Sian Meinir
Elin Jones is joined by Sian Meinir who speaks to Fflur Wyn and Menna Elfyn about new opera commissions and how necessary it is that these reflect modern times.
WNO on tour
Comedian and opera enthusiast Lorna Prichard returns to host both English and Welsh language series Ciplowgand is joined by a range of guests including internationally renowned sopranos Alexia Voulgaridouand Elin Prichard, and a variety of unsung heroes working behind-the-scenes in lighting, costume and technical departments.
Episode One
Lorna meets with Meriel Andrew, a member of WNO’s Chorus,to discuss her experiences with the Company and the impact that touring can have on both a singer’s professional and personal life.
Episode Two
Lorna is joined by musician and new addition to WNO’s Orchestra Llinos Owen, as she embarks on her very first tour with the company.
Episode Three
Lorna sits down with Soprano Elin Pritchard to discuss her experiences of touring both across the UK and internationally.
Season three
In this new series of Cipolwg, Lorna Prichard explores the value of community-based singing. She learns more about the Male Voice Choir tradition in Wales and also investigates how shared musical experiences have impacted the careers of some of WNO’s professional opera singers, currently performing in Blaze of Glory!
Episode One - Blaze of Glory!
Lorna sits down with WNO Associate Artist Dafydd Allen.
Episode Two - Blaze of Glory!
Lorna chats to Siân Bratch about her role as Music Director for Maelgwn Male Voice Choir
Episode Three - Blaze of Glory!
Ifan Hughes, Stage Manager for Maelgwn Male Voice Choir joins Lorna to discuss his experience of working on Blaze of Glory!