12:16pm Wednesday 6th October 2004
By Michelle Fleming
LONDON commuting has an upside.When Robert Hollingworth sat next to Deirdre John on a train bound for Princes Risborough, where he lives with his family, fellow commuters knew little of the idea that was about to be hatched between the two strangers.
Monks Risborough had a treat in store.
Robert, founder and director of solo-voice ensemble I Fagiolini, describes his first meeting with Deirdre.
"I was sitting on the train doing some work on my lap-top and she asked me about it as she was thinking of buying a new one. We ended up getting off at the same stop and we discovered she had a love for music and my interest also came out and it turned out her next door neighbour was an excellent radio producer called Joanne Whitworth, who is now working with us."
The pair came up with the idea of staging The Full Monteverdi at St Dunstan's Church in Monks Risborough, giving villagers and outsiders lucky enough to get a ticket, the chance to witness an evening that was about to send music critics around the world into a tizz.
The show, which was the brainchild of opera director John la Bouchardiere, was an overnight success with singing reviews in the main national broadsheets following July's debut and last week's show at the South Bank.
But exactly what is Robert particularly coy about?
"We are not too keen to give too much away because the joy of this thing is the coup de theatre that starts it. It would be great to explain what it is that happens but we like to keep that element of surprise. Of course some people will have read about it in the press."
He continues: "The church will be turned into an Italian restaurant as it was before and people will be having a bite of Italian food to eat and a glass of something. What I can promise is drama, passion, violence, eroticism and all in the ticket price and some fabulous passionate music, which I think will surprise anyone who thought they know what their music tastes are. It's very innovative idea designed to try to make the most beautiful music that was ever written for unaccompanied solo voices come to life for the 21st century. Other people have done music in this context before but nobody has tried to do an ensemble piece like this.
Joanne Whitworth, former BBC Radio producer, says: "It's an amazing coup for us here in the village to have what is really an internationally acclaimed show, given the size of Monks Risborough and the scale of the venue. They've taken it to the festivals and the major cities in Europe and just performed last week at the South Bank in London to absolutely glowing reviews."
Robert continues: "Jenny had put on concerts in St Dunstan's before she had the Emperor String Quartet there and had a lot of support from the church for the idea. Of course any performing musician loves doing a gig closer to home. It was lovely cycling to rehearsals. Monks Risborough is a very good venue for it as the acoustics are exceptional there. Some of the venues would be difficult but wherever we have gone we've tried to get the ambience right as it's a public space where people have private conversations like a railway station or a restaurant."
Paul moved to Princes Risborough in 1996 just before he got married. He was joined not long afterwards by soprano Anna Crookes, whom he met at university.
"I suppose the community centre would be our first home, although we do practice up in London. It's the administrative hub of this local enterprise which tours all over the world giving about 50 concerts a year.
Robert is full of praise for his singers and actors. "It's a stage job for them and it's a non-speaking role, so it's very demanding. It's what you call a devised piece which makes it all the more challenging as there's no definite plot. As an idea it's not something that's easy to do. It's three times as hard as putting on an opera. What they are doing is incredibly demanding. They are trying to keep an intimate chamber ensemble while being closed up in an enclosed space and they do not have a conductor. One review praised the ultra discreet direction but what they didn't know is that once it's done it's out of my hands I have to sit there like everyone else."
He continues: "I'm going down the lines of unusual music theatre. I love pieces that make people hear music in a different way, be it by using drama, lighting, actors or puppets. I like to give them a different view."
Monks Risborough's parishioners liked Roberts's view so much last time, they gave I Fagiolini a standing ovation which are not too unusual but nonetheless moments to cherish.
Robert concludes: "You don't get them very often - it's not like they'd have you believe in the movies."
The group have produced the first ever DVD of a stage Renaissance work, which will be available on the night.
I Fagiolini, The Full Monteverdi, Sunday, October 10, 7pm. Tickets: 01844 342152
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