There was plenty to enjoy in all the summer opera events and festivals this year, and Wagner was at the core of some of these productions.

Tristan & Isolde – Wagner – Grange Park Opera – 1st July

In its quarter centenary year, Grange Park Opera ambitiously produced Richard Wagner’s Tristan & Isolde. This new production was designed and directed by Charles Edwards. His vision was certainly not esoteric, even if at times it was somewhat eccentric.

Tristan’s death in Act III and Isolde’s ‘Liebestod’ were explosive in their delivery adding to the passion of the moment with Wagner having composed some of his darkest and richest music. Rachel Nicholls as Isolde used her substantial vocal abilities to match her dynamic movement and sensuality on stage. Her second act duet with Gwyn Hughes Jones’s Tristan was beautiful to the extreme with both Tristan and Isolde singing in matched unison at the height of their powers. Christine Rice’s voice was indisposed and was substituted by a vocally substantial Harriet Williams singing Brangäne. David Stout’s Kurwenal and Mark Le Brocq’s double role as Melot and Sailor were both outstanding but neither could match the vocal highlight and dramatic intellectual interpretation of Matthew Rose’s King Marke.

Charles Edwards sets were beautifully lit by the designer Tim Mitchell and adorned by the costume designer Gabrielle Dalton.

Stephen Barlow, the conductor, in his own inimitable way kept everything together beautifully giving sufficient space for the singers to make the most of their vocal interpretation.

What a treat and congratulations to Grange Park for taking on such a ‘big’ opera outstandingly!

*Tristan & Isolde* @Mark Brenner, Grange Park Opera 2023

Ariadne auf Naxos – Richard Strauss – Garsington Opera – 24th June

Following on from a brilliant Rosenkavalier two years ago, Garsington has another great success on its hands. Directed by Bruno Ravella with designs by Giles Cadle and lighting by Malcolm Rippeth the team does Garsington proud.

With an opening blank set Ravella, unlike his lush Rosenkavalier, uses detailed stage craft and acting to progress the production. This, combined with the musical direction of the conductor Mark Wigglesworth, offered us a thrilling prologue.

The second half opera within an opera crackled with electricity. The superb textural musical detail, particularly in the unyielding climax, was superbly sung by the Welsh heroine Natalya Romaniw as Ariadne and her Bacchus, the South Korean Young Woo Kim. The Harlequin and the clowns were great support for the captivating flexibility of Jennifer France’s Zerbinetta. The programme also allowed Polly Leech to flourish as an emotional and confused fresh sounding Composer – ‘I need the fee – but don’t want it!’

*Ariadne auf Naxos* @Garsington Opera 2023

Sweeney Todd – Stephen Sondheim - West Green Opera – 22nd July

In the meantime, West Green Opera performed a blood curdling production of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The breathtaking scene of the opera stage surrounded by water and hauntingly lit in Sarah Bath’s lighting design with a preponderance of a blood red backdrop, sets the scene for over two hours of intense opera. A huge unceasing storm added to the sombre, if somewhat cold production.

It is of course a Victorian horror story and, in this case, although poverty is part of the crowd it is the Barber and his earthy cockney foil Mrs Lovett who take vengeance on the Judge who wrongly sent Todd to prison. He subsequently took possession of his wife and daughter and now plans to marry the daughter.

Matthew Sharp’s rendition of Sweeney Todd is at first sympathetic, initially seeming more like a victim, but his murderous abilities soon clearly take hold of the drama with frightening ease. Clare Presland is an easy-going Mrs Lovett and Felicity Buckland as the Prostitute, as well as the no nonsense Beadle Bamford of Jonathan Cooke, add to the suspense of this story.

Jonathan Lyness as conductor keeps a good pace with the score, adding dramatic brush strokes to the music as the horrific drama unfolds, enabling the chorus to supply that last ounce of horror and intensity.

David Buchler