Simon Crosby Buttle

Coming Late Summer 2026.

Volante Opera Productions is proud to announce our next installment in the #Tolkien based works of composer Paul Corfield Godfrey - "Musical Chapters from #TheHobbit after the Mythology of JRR Tolkien".

www.volanteopera.wales

#hobbit #opera

We're proud to announce our cast for our complete #demorecording of PCG’s #thehobbit after the mythology of #Tolkien.

Simon Crosby Buttle will be performing three roles and returning as Frodo in "Quest of Erebor".

Coming 2026

www.volanteopera.wales

#hobbit #middleearth #frodo #dwarf

We're proud to announce our cast for our complete #DemoRecording of Paul Corfield Godfrey's “Musical Chapters from #thehobbit after the mythology of #Tolkien”.

Angharad Morgan will be performing the role of The Thrush

Coming 2026

www.volanteopera.wales

#hobbit #middleearth

We're proud to announce our cast for our complete #demorecording of Paul Corfield Godfrey's “Musical Chapters from #thehobbit after #tolkien”.

Julian Boyce will be performing the role of #thorin

Coming 2026

www.volanteopera.wales

#hobbit #middleearth #dwarvesoferebor #dwarf

We're proud to announce our cast for our complete #DemoRecording of Paul Corfield Godfrey's #thehobbit after #tolkien

Huw Llywelyn will be returning from our recording of "The Lord of the Rings" to the role of #BilboBaggins.

Coming 2026

www.volanteopera.wales

#hobbit #middleearth

YouTube video by TolkienGuide Paul Corfield Godfrey and Simon Crosby Buttle talk Operatic Lord of the Rings

Here’s a link to an interview we did with Tolkien Collector's Guide’s OnThe Trail and Trotter about Paul Corfield Godfrey’s operatic #thelordoftherings after the mythology of #tolkien

Many thank to them for being wonderful hosts!

youtu.be/MSyV7Lcp_DE?...

Released September 5th and is available to pre-order at www.volanteopera.wales/category/all... as a 15 CD digibook. Musical scores, and of course Paul's previous epic adaptation of the Silmarillion are also available.

YouTube video by TolkienGuide Paul Corfield Godfrey and Simon Crosby Buttle talk Operatic Lord of the Rings

youtu.be/MSyV7Lcp_DE join us for a long chat with plenty of music included as @trotter.tolkienguide.com and I dive into an amazing project by Paul Corfield Godfrey and @scbuttle.bsky.social (and me of course hehe) the 'epic chapters from The Lord of the Rings'.

even more using the music titles as guides to the people.

Our work isn’t complete but we’re at a point to share our findings to now before diving back in with the music.

What started off as a small listing of a vocal score by Frederick Tolkien has expanded exponentially into a much larger discovery process. Many hours of wading through various websites to get pointers and then finding verification in archives - we’ve found many things just from the music covers and

Galadhon's work on the Tolkien family, and many archives. A huge thanks to you all. More details as they emerge and and if you have details that might be useful, be it musical scores, details on performers, etc, feel free to reach out. The more material we can gather, the better the results.

Myself, @scbuttle.bsky.social from Volante Opera Wales, Emma Mary Jones also of Volante, and Steve Jones (Olorin at @tolkienguide.com ) have so far detailed a lot of information lost to time, but not archives. Many thanks go out to Jeremy the Tolkien Collector's Guide, to John Rateliff,

The Piano Makers | Volante Information on our research and recording project centred around the Tolkien family in the 1800-early 1900s.

www.volanteopera.wales/the-piano-ma...

and London were involved in making pianos, but beyond that they were also involved in making music. Librettists, singers, composers, and performers, the Tolkien family was prominent at that time and we have been working to gather as much of the music as is possible. More details to follow.

We are incredibly proud to announce a little project of ours, concurrent to our work on Paul Corfield Godfrey's JRR #Tolkien operas, The Piano Makers, an ongoing project that will result in a release of music from the 1800s of many Tolkien's. As many of you will know, Tolkien's family in Birmingham

Paul Corfield Godfrey has spent decades preparing this work and in a little under three months it will be released. Pre-orders and more details available at www.volanteopera.wales/category/all...

Our release of Musical Chapters from The Lord of the Rings after the mythology of JRR #tolkien reached an important milestone today when @scbuttle.bsky.social took possession of the proofs of the full and vocal scores. Don't forget to watch the trailer for more details.

youtu.be/R0xnCDMtJnE?...

FULL SCORE:
This is the score that is used by a conductor or as a serious study score.

VOCAL SCORE:
These are what are used in rehearsal by Singers and the pianist. All of the vocal parts are there and the orchestral is reduced down to a piano part that is easier to follow.

We’re very happy to also announce that along with our #demorecording of #thelordoftherings we also have pre-orders for both Vocal and Full Scores of this massive work!

www.volanteopera.wales/category/all...

#tolkien #opera #classicalmusic

Pretty standard choreography… I think I’ve done that in quite a few shows.

I do know of one production that was done and set in outer space with the male chorus in comedy space suits… many of my colleagues were in it and none speak well of it!

Wagner does seem to lend itself to less than ideal productions… as if it’s not challenging enough to stage (and sometimes comprehend) there has to be a personal “gimmick” from some of the directors

I’ve been in quite a few and it’s definitely what it feels like.

This adaptation, whilst similar in length to the Ring Cycle, has a lot of characters and a lot of story to get through. It does not feel its length but it does feel like one hell of a musical journey!

Just short of 16 for the main narrative, over an hour of extras!

Paul’s original plan was much longer, we whittled it down to this size without sacrificing story elements.

It’s not in a rush, but also doesn’t wallow.

Thank you @tolkienthoughts.bsky.social for highlighting our 'little' production. We are so excited for people to hear it in September. Those at Oxonmoot will be able to hear from Paul and he and @scbuttle.bsky.social will be there with boxes, and scores for the musical minded among attendees.

15 CD Album - Musical Chapter from the Lord of the Rings | Volante Deluxe 15 CD Digibook of our Complete Demo Recording of Paul Corfield Godfrey's Musical Chapters from The Lord of the Rings after the mythology of JRR Tolkien. This recording contains 14 CDs of the co...

And the direct link to pre-order the 15-CD album (releasing in September) is here: www.volanteopera.wales/product-page...

The 17-hours Lord of the Rings opera from Paul Corfield Godfrey & Volante is now available for pre-order! www.theonering.net/torwp/2025/0...

@onthetrail.tolkienguide.com

Available to Pre-Order now: www.volanteopera.wales

Full Trailer: youtu.be/R0xnCDMtJnE

#tolkien #thelordoftherings #opera #classicalmusic #lordoftherings #jrrtolkien #hobbit #operacycle

Support for Welsh National Opera Choristers

#Tolkien folks, those of you in the UK who have a few minutes, could you sign this petition at equity.eaction.org.uk/SupportWNOCh...

Later this year we will be releasing Paul Corfield Godfrey's The Lord of the Rings opera cycle and without the singers, @scbuttle.bsky.social, Volante Opera and