The Theatre in the Woods – Grange Park Opera has the perfect setting We are having a blissful summer of Country House Operas. Each house has its distinct story, each one its own unique appeal. It’s hard to pick a favourite, but if I had to vote, Grange Park would certainly be a contender. Bamber […]
L’Orfeo at Glyndebourne
The Devil Has The Best Tunes You might think that Orfeo’s visit to the underworld was a bad trip, but the appearance of sinkholes next to a Purley railway bridge made yesterday’s journey to Glyndebourne from London similarly hellish, with train cancellations and quite a few ticketholders having to cancel. However, the transport-induced shenanigans didn’t […]
Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria – Garsington Opera
From Orfeo to Ulisse: The Second Chapter of a Monteverdi Journey Visiting Garsington for the second time this season (check our review of Rosenkavalier for more of what is on), the production of Il ritorno d’Ulisse from The English Concert seems particularly apposite. I’m moving away from London, and much as I love summer excursions […]
Sir John Tavener’s Krishna at Grange Park Opera
A Transcendental Meditation Last night saw the world premiere of Sir John Tavener’s Krishna at Grange Park Opera in Surrey. Tavener created both the music and libretto for this ‘mystical pantomime’ which has an extraordinary backstory. Completed in 2005, the opera remained unperformed until after the composer’s death in 2013, when his widow brought it […]
A Summer of Opera: England’s 2026 Festival Season
Pimms and Puccini The English countryside comes alive each summer with some of the world’s finest opera, performed in settings ranging from intimate country houses to grand classical estates. The 2026 season promises an exceptional selection of productions, from Monteverdi’s Orfeo, considered the first great opera, to Puccini crowd-pleasers, an operatic take on The Importance […]