UPCOMING EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
La Boheme (Puccini) - Solo Tenor Chorus
8,9, 12, 14, 15 August, Main Stage, Waterperry Gardens.
Bertie Baigent conductor Ruth Knight director Jennifer Gregory designer Ben Pickersgill lighting designer
Puccini’s La bohème unfolds in a dreamlike Waterperry of the late-1930s - the decaying estate a bastion of bohemian artistry amidst fast-evolving world events. Expect soaring music, laughter, and heartbreak in an unforgettable night of opera beneath the stars.
In this reimagined La bohème, a band of bright young things inhabit a fantasy Waterperry - part rustic sanctuary, part bohemian haven where creativity thrives. When poet Rodolfo meets outsider Mimì, their instant spark glows amidst Bacchanalian revelry and creative passion. Yet, a creeping threat shadows their joy. Puccini’s radiant, emotional score carries their story with intimacy and beauty, revealing why this timeless opera continues to captivate hearts across generations.
Waterperry Festival Young Artist Gala
12, 14, 15 August, Waterperry Ballroom
Ashley Beauchamp piano Anne Sutton director Em Sparkes director
Purcell’s The Fairy-Queen mixes Restoration masque and pastoral charm, with baroque ornament and ethereal choruses evoking moonlit courtly whimsy. Mozart’s Così fan tutte offers sharp comic portraits of love’s follies with sparkling ensembles and witty arias. In Idomeneo, Mozart turns to deeper drama: noble arias and stirring recitatives of kingly anguish and moral conflict. Weber’s Der Freischütz dives into German Romanticism, forest scenes of supernatural dread and folk‑tinged melodies culminating in tense ensembles. Donizetti’s La fille du régiment bubbles with bel canto brilliance and military gaiety, famed for bravura tenor fireworks and comedy. Barber’s Vanessa gives a 20th‑century American intimacy—elegiac, lushly lyrical scenes probing regret, desire and time.
OPERA NORTH, 18 October - 20 November 2026
Patrick Lange conductor Femi Elufowoju Jr director Rae Smith designer Howard Hudson lighting designer
Rigoletto (Verdi) - Tenor 1 Chorus
In a world ruled by an entitled, ruthless elite, Rigoletto leads a double life. Within the corrupt court he is a jester, existing on the margins and despised for his difference. Outside the court he is a loving, fiercely protective father. When his two worlds collide, bitterness and a quest for revenge will see Rigoletto struggling to outrun a curse.
This bold, award-winning production by Femi Elufowoju Jr was lauded with rave reviews and star ratings when it was first performed in 2022. It is opera at its most gripping: a thrilling tale of power, devotion and revenge with unforgettable music to match, including one of opera’s most famous tunes.
OPERA NORTH, 9 October – 21 November 2026
Garry Walker conductor Patrick Nolan director Leslie Travers/Elizabeth Gadsby designer Malcolm Rippeth lighting designer
Eugene Onegin (Tchaikovsky) - Tenor 2 Chorus
One of opera’s most absorbing coming-of-age stories is re-imagined in 1980s Russia in this brand-new production. Tatyana, a tender young woman, falls hopelessly in love with Eugene Onegin, a dashing, cynical man of the world. Thinking her naïve, he casually rejects her. When, many years later, they meet again, Tatyana is married to another man and the toast of fashionable society. Too late Onegin realises that he loves Tatyana, with devastating consequences for them both.
Tchaikovsky’s most popular opera is a heart-breaking tale of love, regret and missed chances. His music is famed for its emotional depth, sweeping melodies and colourful orchestration, and Eugene Onegin is no different, with live Orchestra and Chorus perfectly capturing all the tenderness and anguish of this ill-fated romance. It’s a timeless classic, given fresh life in this new production.