The Serious Business of Comedy It’s a sign of a great production when the audience leaves with a stronger understanding of the composer’s intentions than any synopsis could provide. That was certainly the case with last night’s Ariadne auf Naxos, a spellbinding new production from Laurent Pelly. While the idea of a play within a […]
The Barber of Seville at Grange Park Opera
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 […]
Eugene Onegin at The Grange
Love Letters from Russia It’s summer opera season, and we are enjoying a spectacular series of performances across southern England. The Grange, a new venue for me, is near Winchester in the heart of the Hampshire countryside, and I was lucky enough to catch one of the last performances of Eugene Onegin there this year. […]
I Puritani – Royal Opera House
Oropesa is Transcendent as Elvira at Covent Garden It’s been 35 years since The Royal Opera last staged Vincenzo Bellini’s three-act I Puritani, a key work in the bel canto canon, so last night’s opening of Richard Jones’ new production was a big moment in the Royal Opera’s season. One of the key reasons for […]
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 […]
Tosca at Glyndebourne
The First Cut is the Deepest We are a bit late to the party in reviewing American director Ted Huffman’s new production of Tosca at Glyndebourne. I only managed to get to see the fourth performance of the opera house’s first production of Puccini’s “shabby little shocker”, as described by critic Joseph Kerman in 1952. […]
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 […]
Der Rosenkavalier – Garsington Opera
A Fabulous Frolic, Magnificent Vocals and a Deeper Message Travelling to Garsington for a summer opera spectacular is always a treat. The stunning setting, together with an evening of exemplary opera, seldom disappoints. Der Rosenkavalier, a late-Romantic opera by Richard Strauss, has a fairytale storyline perfect for an idyllic evening in the country. This production, […]
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 […]