The Intimate Opera Company was an English opera company based in London which specialized in performances of

chamber opera Chamber opera is a designation for operas written to be performed with a chamber ensemble rather than a full orchestra. Early 20th-century operas of this type include Paul Hindemith's ''Cardillac'' (1926). Earlier small-scale operas such as Pergoles ...

s. Founded in 1930 by British baritone and impresario

Frederick Woodhouse Frederick Irvine Woodhouse (13 June 1912 – 8 July 1998)Death notice in the ''Daily Telegraph'', 9 July 1998 was an Australian track and field athlete who competed in the 1934 and 1938 British Empire Games The 1938 British Empire Games ...

, the company was established with the professed aim of reviving forgotten chamber operas of the past. Most of the company's productions were produced on a smaller scale, using only piano accompaniment, costumes, minimal sets, and no props. The company staged its first opera in 1930, Thomas Arne's ''

Thomas and Sally ''Thomas and Sally'' (also known as ''The Sailor's Return'') is a dramatic pastoral opera in two acts by the composer Thomas Arne with an English libretto by Isaac Bickerstaffe. The opera was meant to be performed as an "after piece", which is a ...

'', at a small hall in Tooting. The company later took that production, along with a dozen other operas, across the Atlantic to Broadway's

Little Theatre Little Theatre or Little Theater may refer to: Australia *Little Theatre, Adelaide, South Australia * Little Theatre, Sydney, former name of the Royal Standard Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales *Melbourne Little Theatre, an amateur theatre company ...

in 1938. In 1936 the company staged the world premiere of

Ralph Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams, (; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

' ''

The Poisoned Kiss ''The Poisoned Kiss, or The Empress and the Necromancer'' is an opera in three acts by the English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. The libretto, by Evelyn Sharp, is based on Richard Garnett's ''The Poison Maid'' and Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1844 ...

'' at the Cambridge Arts Theatre, conducted by Cyril Rootham. In 1952 conductor and composer Antony Hopkins succeeded Woodhouse as the company's Artistic Director. Under his leadership, the company presented several more new operas, including performing the world premiere of Hopkins' opera ''Three's Company'' at the

Guildhall School of Music The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a conservatoire and drama school located in the City of London, United Kingdom. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz ...

on 21 November 1953. In 1963 Stephen Manton replaced Hopkins as artistic director, though Hopkins remained as a director and music adviser of the company.

Recordings

Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Purcell's style of Baroque music was uniquely English, although it incorporated Italian and French elements. Generally considered among the greatest E ...

and Thomas Arne: ''Masque from Timon of Athens'',

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...

, 1958

References

{{authority control British opera companies Opera in London