Garsington Opera is delighted to announce full details of the five operas in the 2024 Season (29 May – 31 July 2024).
Opening the Festival, The English Concert under Baroque specialist Paul Agnew will perform the astounding music of Rameau for the first time in Garsington Opera’s history: Platée is directed by the award-winning Louisa Muller (The Turn of the Screw 2019/2022).
The Philharmonia Orchestra returns for our revival of John Cox’s iconic production of Le nozze di Figaro conducted by Tabita Berglund making her Garsington debut.
The Philharmonia also joins us with Artistic Director of Garsington Opera Douglas Boyd for Britten’s magical setting of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with a cast including Iestyn Davies and Lucy Crowe, and a children’s chorus from members of our Youth Company. We welcome back Netia Jones (Amadigi 2021) as Director / Designer.
Un giorno di regno, the first of Verdi’s two comedic operas, finally appears on the Garsington stage having been part of the cancelled 2020 Season. This rarity features an impressive virtuosic vocal score sung by an international cast and large chorus of our renowned Young Artists. Conducting the Philharmonia will be Tobias Ringborg (Così fan tutte 2022). Acclaimed director Christopher Alden makes his Garsington debut.
A new community opera, A Trip to the Moon by Andrew Norman, features the Garsington Opera Youth and Adult Companies, as well as local school children, soloists Robert Murray and Jennifer France and the Philharmonia under Douglas Boyd.
PLATÉE, JEAN-PHILIPPE RAMEAU May 29 / 31 & June 06 / 08 / 10 / 22 / 30
Sung in French with English supertitles
Insight talk: Tuesday 16 April 2024
Platée – Samuel Boden
La Folie – Mireille Asselin
Thespis & Mercure – Robert Murray
Momus – Jonathan McGovern
Cithéron & Un Satyre – Henry Waddington
Jupiter – Ossian Huskinson
Conductor – Paul Agnew
Director – Louisa Muller
Designer – Christopher Oram
Lighting Designer – Malcolm Rippeth
Movement Director – Rebecca Howell
The English Concert
Garsington Opera Chorus
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART May 30, June 01 / 07 / 09 / 15 / 28 & July 06 / 11 / 14 / 18 / 21 / 23
Sung in Italian with English supertitles
Insight talk: Thursday 25 April 2024
Figaro – David Ireland
Susanna – Claire Lees
Count Almaviva – Rafael Fingerlos
Countess Almaviva – Samantha Clarke
Cherubino – Bethany Horak-Hallett
Doctor Bartolo – Neal Davies
Marcellina – Susan Bickley
Don Basilio – Paul Nilon
Antonio – Frazer Scott
Conductor – Tabita Berglund
Original Director – John Cox
Revival Director – Bruno Ravella
Designer – Robert Perdziola
Lighting Designer – Malcolm Rippeth
Philharmonia Orchestra
Garsington Opera Chorus
“Something olde, something new, something borrowed, something blue” Join the celebration of Figaro’s wedding by dressing as a guest – with blue as inspiration. The theme is entirely optional and another way to enhance your experience.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, BENJAMIN BRITTEN June 16 / 21 / 27 & July 02 / 04 / 13 / 19 Sung in English with English supertitles
Insight talk: Tuesday 7 May 2024
Co-production with Santa Fe Opera
Oberon – Iestyn Davies
Tytania – Lucy Crowe
Bottom – Richard Burkhard
Lysander – Caspar Singh
Demetrius – James Newby
Hermia – Stephanie Wake-Edwards
Helena – Camilla Harris
Theseus – Nicholas Crawley
Hippolyta – Christine Rice
Quince – John Savournin
Snug – Frazer Scott
Starveling – Geoffrey Dolton
Conductor – Douglas Boyd
Director and Designer – Netia Jones
Lighting Designer – D.M. Wood
Fight Director – Christian Sordelet
Philharmonia Orchestra
Garsington Opera Youth Company
UN GIORNO DI REGNO, GIUSEPPE VERDI June 29 & July 01 / 05 / 12 / 15 / 17 / 20 / 22
Sung in Italian with English supertitles
Insight talk: Thursday 2 May 2024
Cavaliere di Belfiore – Joshua Hopkins
Marchesa del Poggio – Christine Rice
Barone di Kelbar – Henry Waddington
Edoardo – Oliver Sewell
Giulietta di Kelbar – Madison Leonard
La Rocca – Grant Doyle
Garsington Opera Chorus
Conductor – Tobias Ringborg
Director – Christopher Alden
Set Designer – Charles Edwards
Costume Designer – Sue Willmington
Lighting Designer – Ben Pickersgill
Video Designer – Matt and Rob Vale (Illuminos)
Choreographer – Tim Claydon
Philharmonia Orchestra
A TRIP TO THE MOON, ANDREW NORMAN (composer / librettist) July 30 (evening only) / 31 (matinee & evening)
Georges Méliès – Robert Murray
Eoa – Jennifer France
Garsington Opera Adult Company
Garsington Opera Youth Company / Primary School Youth Company
Conductor – Douglas Boyd
Director – Karen Gillingham
Designer – Rhiannon Newman Brown
Lighting Designer – Ben Pickersgill
Philharmonia Orchestra