Nicholas Kenyon

A Buxton International Festival production reimagines Handel’s Amadigi di Gaula within a Love Island‑inspired setting, using reality‑TV visuals to frame the opera’s magical elements. Hilary Cronin’s Melissa and Rowan Pierce’s Oriana receive strong praise, while counter‑tenors Tim Morgan and James Hall deliver contrasting vocal impact. Erin Helyard leads The English Concert with more energy in fast passages than resonance in slower ones. The inventive staging is described as witty, economical and full of potential.

London’s 2026 opera season features major new and returning productions across the Royal Opera House, BBC Proms, Garsington Opera and Glyndebourne. Highlights include Lisette Oropesa’s acclaimed performance in I Puritani, Juan Diego Flórez leading La fille du régiment, and a concert performance of Weber’s Oberon under Mark Elder. Country‑house venues present new stagings of La traviata, Tosca, Monteverdi’s Il ritorno d’Ulisse, and Gerald Barry’s operatic adaptation of The Importance of Being Earnest, showcasing a wide range of classical repertoire throughout the summer.

A new Royal Opera House production of Bellini’s I puritani highlights Lisette Oropesa’s commanding performance as Elvira, marked by exceptional vocal control and emotional depth. Richard Jones’s stark staging abstracts the Civil War setting while visually reinforcing the heroine’s psychological collapse. Oropesa outshines a mixed cast, with Francesco DeMuro’s Arturo struggling to match her vocally. Strong supporting performances and Riccardo Frizza’s sensitive conducting elevate the production, demonstrating the continued power of bel canto when led by compelling voices.

A radically reimagined Eugene Onegin at the Grange Festival uses chorus and dancers to mirror the protagonists’ emotions, creating a cohesive and inventive staging by director Max Webster. Standout performances by Ruzan Mantashyan and Vladislav Chizhov anchor the drama, supported by sharply minimalist sets and a restructured interval that enhances narrative continuity. Lidiya Yankovskaya’s dynamic conducting drives an expressive performance from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, contributing to a compelling and freshly conceived interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s opera.

Performances at Grange Park Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville were energetic and often impressive, notably James Newby’s assertive Figaro and Alish Tynan’s sharply observed Berta. Despite strong individual contributions, the direction relied heavily on outdated slapstick and uneven coordination, undermining Rossini’s refined musical wit. The conducting and orchestral approach lacked precision, leaving the overall staging lively but insufficiently attuned to the opera’s elegance and originality.

A vibrant Opera Holland Park staging of Will Todd and Maggie Gottlieb’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland delivers a witty, family‑friendly adaptation featuring strong performances, vivid designs, and eclectic music. The production effectively engages young audiences with lively character portrayals and colourful staging, despite the score offering few memorable moments. Positive audience reactions, especially from children, signal the show’s success as part of the company’s outreach and education efforts.

A ranking of opera’s most iconic villains explores how composers from Mozart to Puccini created characters whose moral corruption, manipulation or cruelty drive their stories. From Alberich’s theft of the Rheingold to Don Giovanni’s predatory violence, each figure is assessed for the dramatic and musical power they bring to their operas, highlighting the blend of allure, ambiguity and psychological depth that defines opera’s greatest antagonists.

Glyndebourne’s new staging of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo features William Kentridge’s dense and visually intricate designs, which overshadow the clarity of the drama and the impact of the music. The production’s layered sketches, animations, and shifting imagery make the narrative difficult to follow, particularly with the split portrayal of Euridice through both singer and dancer. Despite the visual excess, strong individual performances and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment’s stylistically refined playing under Jonathan Cohen provide musical strength. The staging opts for the opera’s consoling 1609 ending rather than the tragic original, concluding with an uplifting apotheosis. The production leaves a lasting impression through its imagery, though at the cost of overwhelming the opera’s musical essence.

Rory Kinnear’s semi-staged Pelléas et Mélisande at the Aldeburgh Festival presents Debussy’s opera with clarity and emotional intensity, emphasizing the score’s atmospheric power. Sophie Bevan, Jacques Imbrailo and Gordon Bintner lead a strong cast, while Ryan Wigglesworth’s direction of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra anchors the production with exceptional detail and control.

A new Grange Festival staging of Handel’s Giulio Cesare delivers a witty, musically vibrant production featuring standout performances from four countertenors and an expressive cast led by Tim Mead and Sarah Brady. Director David Alden blends humor with musical sensitivity, while Christian Curnyn’s conducting ensures refined pacing and cohesive ensemble work. Strong vocal contrasts, inventive staging, and polished orchestral support contribute to a celebratory tribute to outgoing artistic director Michael Chance.

A scaled-down staging of Verdi’s Don Carlo at Grange Park Opera emphasizes character drama over spectacle, supported by expressive lighting and atmospheric sets. Strong performances include Michel de Souza’s Rodrigo, Matthew Rose’s commanding King Philip and Elin Pritchard’s moving Elisabeth. Despite some pacing pauses and an overly energetic approach from conductor Gianluca Marciano, the production delivers powerful musical and psychological depth, with Verdi’s orchestration highlighted throughout.

John Tavener’s final major work, the ritualistic opera Krishna, premiered 13 years after his death, supported in part by King Charles’s encouragement to stage the surviving score. Grange Park Opera’s production, directed by David Pountney with choreography by Shobana Jeyasingh, presents multiple incarnations of Krishna through chant, dance and Eastern-influenced musical language interwoven with Western echoes. Strong performances, distinctive orchestration and ritualistic staging underscore Tavener’s lifelong spiritual explorations. The production is praised as an ambitious and fitting realisation of the composer’s final artistic vision.

Longborough Festival Opera’s first major Handel staging presents a bold but uneven interpretation of Orlando, supported by Sinéad O’Neill’s imaginative production and Christopher Moulds’s stylish musical direction. Beth Taylor delivers an intense, psychologically vivid performance in the title role, complemented by strong contributions from Anna Devin and Kelli-Ann Masterson. Though the musical set pieces lack full impact, possibly due to the small orchestral forces, the production stands as an impressive start to what could become a new Handel tradition at Longborough.

Opera Holland Park opens its season with Puccini’s La fanciulla del West, performed with strong vocals and traditional staging but hampered by an unconvincing narrative and extreme vocal demands. Amanda Echalaz leads a capable cast, though acoustic and staging challenges reduce the impact of intimate scenes. Despite inventive orchestration and committed performances, the production cannot fully overcome the opera’s structural weaknesses or its uneven musical memorability.

Glyndebourne presents its first staging of Puccini’s Tosca in an innovative production by Ted Huffman marked by brutalist modern visuals and a heightened sense of violence. Vladislav Sulimsky’s imposing Scarpia dominates the drama, with Caitlin Gotimer’s Tosca gaining force in the pivotal second act and Matteo Lippi receiving strong audience response for his arias. The London Philharmonic, led by Robin Ticciati, delivers a sharply defined and emotionally charged performance that underlines Puccini’s dramatic orchestral writing. The production is uneven but compelling, concluding with a striking final act and running through June before returning with a new cast in August.

English National Opera’s first new production in Manchester demonstrates strong performance standards and technical ambition, but the chosen opera, Angel’s Bone, is judged weak in dramatic development and musical cohesion. Despite striking staging and committed performances, the work’s characters remain unsympathetic and its eclectic musical style fails to form a compelling whole. The production marks a significant step in ENO’s partnership with Manchester, though its long-term integration in the city remains uncertain.

Deborah Warner’s updated staging of Britten’s Peter Grimes returns to the Royal Opera House with heightened impact, driven by Jakub Hrůša’s tense, sharply defined conducting and Allan Clayton’s increasingly nuanced portrayal of the troubled fisherman. Set in a bleak Essex environment, the production intensifies the hostility of the townspeople while highlighting the compassion of Ellen Orford and Balstrode. Strong supporting performances, incisive design elements, and vividly shaped orchestral sea interludes contribute to a compelling, world‑class interpretation that underscores the enduring power of Britten’s drama.

Guidance is offered on finding affordable opera tickets across the UK, highlighting strategies such as joining mailing lists, seeking youth discounts, exploring regional companies, attending dress rehearsals, and considering cinema relays. Examples from major institutions including the Royal Opera House, ENO, Opera North, and Glyndebourne illustrate pricing variations and access schemes. While subsidy cuts and rising costs challenge companies, targeted discounts and new audience initiatives aim to maintain accessibility and foster long-term engagement.

Welsh National Opera presents a resourceful and forceful staging of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman despite financial and political challenges. Director Jack Furness and designer Elin Steele craft a minimal but atmospheric production centred on a strong chorus, while Tomáš Hanus conducts with drive in his final new production. Performances are led by Simon Bailey’s powerful Dutchman, Rachel Nicholls’s intense Senta, and Leonardo Caimi’s clear Erik, with a compelling final‑act confrontation. The staging highlights Senta’s troubled inner world and signals the company’s determination as it approaches its 80th anniversary season.