A breath of fresh air
Working with the set designer takis, Opera Holland Park (for information click here) has reimagined the stage and auditorium of its theatre. The new dynamic and exciting performance space provides maximum safety for audiences and artists under the company’s iconic canopy roof.
Capacity will be reduced from 1000 to 400 seats this season, using individual chairs that can be moved according to the numbers in each household ‘bubble’, to enable social distancing and increase step free access.
Sustainable materials in takis’s designs reflect the natural beauty of the theatre’s setting in Holland Park and a programme of five operas in which nature plays a central role. The Royal Philharmonic Society Award-winning City of London Sinfonia returns as resident orchestra.
Five full productions mark the return of live opera to Holland Park in 2021
To celebrate Opera Holland Park’s silver jubilee and the tenth anniversary of the company’s Young Artists scheme, the season opens on 1 June with The Marriage of Figaro (sung in Italian). Former OHP Young Artists Elizabeth Karani (Susanna), Nardus Williams (Countess) and Julien Van Mellaerts (Count) lead the cast, joined by Ross Ramgobin as Figaro. The production will be conducted by George Jackson, directed by Oliver Platt and designed by takis.
Rodula Gaitanou’s acclaimed 2018 production of La traviata returns in revival, reuniting conductor Matthew Kofi Waldren with Lauren Fagan (Violetta), Matteo Desole (Alfredo), and Stephen Gadd (Germont).
The second new production of the 2021 Season is The Cunning Little Vixen (sung in English). Stephen Barlow, who has previously directed Tosca and Flight for OHP, returns to Holland Park, with Jenni France (Vixen) and Julia Sporsén (Fox), last seen together at OHP in the 2018 production of Ariadne auf Naxos. Jessica Cottis conducts.
Adele Thomas makes her OHP debut directing a new production of Mascagni’s romantic comedy, L’amico Fritz, alongside the Italian conductor, Beatrice Venezi. Kiandra Howarth leads the cast as Suzel, the girl next door who captures Fritz’s heart.
A co-production of The Pirates of Penzance with Charles Court Opera, directed by John Savournin, and starring Savournin, Yvonne Howard and Richard Burkhard, originally scheduled for 2020, closes the main season.
Nurturing young talent
The number of Young Artists Performances this season has been increased to four performances of The Marriage of Figaro, conducted by Lada Valešová and directed by Rebecca Meltzer. The 2020 Young Artists whose debuts were cancelled last summer, Charlotte Badham (Cherubino), Hannah Bennett (Marcellina) and Guy Withers (Basilio/Don Curzio), make their belated debuts with the 2021 cohort of Young Artists.
Opera Holland Park is also delighted to host British Youth Opera in August 2021, while The Royal Ballet School’s return to the theatre is eagerly expected in 2022. Further details of British Youth Opera’s plans and other guest artist appearances and residencies will be announced soon.
Working closely with the community
Despite a 60% reduction in capacity, Opera Holland Park has kept its annual percentage of free and accessible tickets. This year also sees the introduction of a programme of four Discovery Matinees. These performances specifically welcome people who want to try opera out for the first time in a relaxed environment, and those who love opera but find the normal theatre-going experience inaccessible. This year there will also be two Schools Matinee performances of The Marriage of Figaro on 16 and 22 June.
Opera Holland Park’s International Opera Award-winning outreach and education Inspire team is already planning activities to complement The Cunning Little Vixen, starting with the Clever Little Fox OperaUNITY session for families with children under the age of five or those with special educational needs, which takes place on Friday 11 June at 10am.
Opera for Thought, an Inspire project designed for those living with dementia, will focus on The Marriage of Figaro, and workshops will be available to those schools joining us for the Schools Matinees.
Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro
New production by Opera Holland Park, with City of London Sinfonia and the Opera Holland Park Chorus
Sung in Italian with English surtitles
1, 4, 10, 12, 16, 18, 22, 24 and 26 June at 7.15pm
Young Artist Performances on 14 June at 7.15pm and 26 June at 2pm
Discovery Matinee and Relaxed Performance on 20 June at 2pm
Schools Matinee Performances on 16 and 22 June at 12pm
Conductor George Jackson
Director Oliver Platt
Designer takis
Lighting Designer Rory Beaton
Movement Director Caitlin Fretwell-Walsh
Count Almaviva Julien Van Mellaerts
Countess Almaviva Nardus Williams
Susanna Elizabeth Karani
Figaro Ross Ramgobin
Cherubino Samantha Price
Marcellina Victoria Simmonds
Bartolo James Cleverton
Basilio/Don Curzio Daniel Norman
Barbarina Claire Lees
The Marriage of Figaro Young Artists Performances, including Schools Matinees
Associate Conductor Rebecca Meltzer
Associate Director Lada Valešová
Répétiteur Thomas Ang
Count Almaviva Jacob Phillips
Countess Almaviva Sian Dicker
Susanna Charlotte Bowden
Figaro Jolyon Loy
Cherubino Charlotte Badham
Marcellina Hannah Bennett
Bartolo Alex Jones
Basilio/Don Curzio Guy Withers
Barbarina Isabelle Peters
Verdi’s La traviata
Revival of Opera Holland Park’s 2018 production, with City of London Sinfonia and the Opera Holland Park Chorus
Sung in Italian with English surtitles
5, 7, 9, 11, 15, 17, 19, 23, 25 and 29 June at 7.30pm
Discovery Matinee and Relaxed Performance on 19 June at 2pm
Conductor Matthew Kofi Waldren
Director Rodula Gaitanou
Designer Cordelia Chisholm
Lighting Designer Simon Corder
Choreographer Steve Elias
Violetta Lauren Fagan (Alison Langer on 7, 15, 19 and 23 June)
Alfredo Matteo Desole (Stephen Aviss on 7, 15, 19 and 23 June)
Giorgio Germont Stephen Gadd
Flora Laura Woods
Annina Ellie Edmonds
Gastone Michael Bradley
Barone Douphol Nicholas Garrett
Marchese d’Obigny David Stephenson
Dottore Grenvil Henry Grant Kerswell
Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen
New production by Opera Holland Park, with City of London Sinfonia and the Opera Holland Park Chorus
Sung in English with English surtitles
13, 15, 17, 21, 23, 28 and 30 July at 7.30pm
Discovery Matinee and Relaxed Performance on 25 July at 2pm
Conductor Jessica Cottis
Director Stephen Barlow
Designer Andrew D Edwards
The Vixen Jennifer France (Harriet Eyley on 25 July)
The Fox Julia Sporsén
Forester Grant Doyle
Forester’s Wife & Owl Ann Taylor
Schoolmaster & Mosquito Charne Rochford
Priest & Badger John Savournin
Poacher Chuma Sijeqa
Chocholka Harriet Eyley
Lapák, the dog Natasha Agarwal
Jay & Rooster Grace Nyandoro
Woodpecker Chloë Pardoe
Innkeeper John Wood
Innkeeper’s wife Yolanda Grant-Thompson
Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz
New production by Opera Holland Park, with City of London Sinfonia and the Opera Holland Park Chorus
Sung in Italian with English surtitles
16, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29 and 31 July at 8pm
Discovery Matinee and Relaxed Performance on 18 July at 2pm
Conductor Beatrice Venezi
Director Adele Thomas
Designer Annemarie Woods
Lighting Designer Rory Beaton
Suzel Kiandra Howarth
David Paul Carey Jones
Beppe Kezia Bienek
Hanezò Themba Mvula
Caterina Rose Stachniewska
Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance
Co-production by Opera Holland Park and Charles Court Opera (www.charlescourtopera.com)
Sung in English with English surtitles
3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 August at 7.30pm
Conductor David Eaton
Director John Savournin
Designer Rachel Szmukler
Lighting Designer Jake Wiltshire
Major-General Stanley Richard Burkhard
The Pirate King John Savournin
Ruth Yvonne Howard
Mabel Daisy Brown
Samuel Frederick Long
Frederic Peter Kirk
Sergeant of Police Trevor Eliot Bowes
Edith Alys Roberts
Kate Sophie Dicks
Discovery Matinees: The Discovery Matinees welcome people who want to try opera out for the first time in a relaxed environment, and those who love opera but find the normal theatre-going experience inaccessible.
What’s on offer:
Free tickets – many of the tickets for the Discovery Matinees will be allocated free as part of our Under 18s and Over 65s ticket schemes. Find out more about the schemes here.
Subsidised tickets – ticket prices are reduced for the Discovery Matinees, to let you give opera a try without breaking the bank. Prices range from £22–50, with half price access tickets available for disabled people and a companion or carer.
Relaxed Performance – every Discovery Matinee will be adapted to suit people who find it difficult to follow the usual conventions of theatre behaviour, and those who prefer a more relaxed environment.
Audio-description – Discovery Matinees will be audio-described for blind and partially-sighted audiences, with additional commentary explaining the action on stage, including singers’ body language, expressions and movements.
Weekend afternoon performances – we hope a 2pm start to each Discovery Matinee will allow families to fall in love with opera together.
Dates and times: La traviata – 19 June, 2pm / The Marriage of Figaro – 20 June, 2pm / L’amico Fritz – 18 July, 2pm / The Cunning Little Vixen – 25 July, 2pm
Booking Information: Tickets for The Marriage of Figaro, La traviata, L’amico Fritz, The Cunning Little Vixen and The Pirates of Penzance will go on public sale on Wednesday 14 April at 10am, with priority booking for OHP Members and Supporters from Wednesday 24 February. Tickets cost £22-£110.
Discovery Matinee performances, as well as all INSPIRE £22 tickets and Free Tickets for Under 18s, will become available on Wednesday 21 April at 10am. Applications for Free Tickets for Over 65s are now open, and will close on Wednesday 14 April.
Booking dates for the BYO performances will be announced soon.