Held in the majestic grounds of Belcombe Court in the Wiltshire town of Bradford-Upon-Avon, If Opera’s annual festival is the perfect opportunity to discover a new and more frivolous side of opera. Yes, the setting is spectacular, but the non-formal dress code means that the atmosphere is uniquely relaxed – ideal for those who are new to opera, or you’re trying to find the right opportunity to introduce your children to this once rather elitist art form. It is equally true that the keenest opera lover will appreciate not having to wear formal evening dress on a balmy summer’s night and will enjoy the performance considerably more as a result.
This year’s exciting If Opera programme brings two of the greatest operas in the repertoire to the stage: Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor and Strauss’s Die Fledermaus, together with the popular picnic prom featuring JTQ – The James Taylor Quartet and a children’s concert, Little Red Riding Hood. With a reputation for acclaimed productions and a focus on supporting emerging artists and enriching the local community, the company look forward to welcoming loyal patrons and a new generation of opera-lovers.
If Opera’s purpose-built theatre located in the grounds of Belcombe Court, seating up to 316, is fully weatherproof with an enclosed roof ensuring that performances go ahead whatever the weather. To project this year’s beautiful music to full advantage, the company have reconfigured the seating so that the audience surrounds the stage creating a truly immersive experience.
Lucia di Lammermoor (23, 27, 29, 31 August) by Gaetano Donizetti will be performed by the If Opera Chorus and the Bristol Ensemble, sung in Italian with English subtitles. Based on the novel of the same name by Sir Walter Scott, Lucia is one of the most revered of 19th century operas and follows the fortunes of Lucia (Lucy Ashton) sister of the Lord of Lammermoor, and the enmity they have for the Ravenswood family. Think a gothic version of Romeo and Juliet. For this original If Opera production, set designer Ruth Paton, will bring the production to life with her characteristic application of painting and sculptural elements. With a stellar cast directed by Thomas Guthrie, an innovative and award-winning British director, and conducted by Oliver Gooch, Lucia di Lammermoor is the magnificent centrepiece of the If Opera 2024 season.
Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss ll (24, 28 August) will be performed by the If Opera Chorus and the Bristol Ensemble, sung in English with subtitles. In the repertoire of opera houses throughout Europe, certain works have lost none of their sparkle or power and chief of these is Johann Strauss’s effervescent Die Fledermaus, with its seemingly endless parade of gorgeous melodies and stirring waltzes. The opera is a whirlwind of romantic ruses, false identities, practical jokes, infidelities, confusions and Champagne. This is a Fledermaus with a difference. In this specially staged and costumed performance, comic genius Simon Butteriss replaces the operetta’s original spoken dialogue with a racy and fast-paced narration following every twist and turn of this ludicrous tale. Witty, clever, and with knowing nods to the present day, it is delivered with Butteriss’s customary flamboyance and panache.
Little Red Riding Hood (25 August) is adapted from Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes by Donald Sturrock with music by Paul Patterson, brought vividly to life in this sparkling musical adaptation by composer Paul Patterson performed by the Bristol Ensemble. Audiences will be taken on a magical narrated journey through the Enchanted Forest with heroine Little Red Riding Hood and one slightly dim wolf, whose dastardly deeds are thwarted at every turn by a cast of quirky characters. There will be two performances of Little Red Riding Hood, the second will be BSL interpreted and a relaxed performance. At this performance, If Opera welcome people who will benefit from a more relaxed theatre environment, including those with hearing impairments who require British Sign Language interpretation.
Picnic Prom with JTQ – The James Taylor Quartet & Emma Smith (26 August). If Opera’s annual picnic prom is not to be missed. Bring along your friends and a picnic or visit the pop-up bar while music fills the air and you take the chance to explore the secret pathways and hidden nooks of the magnificent grounds, rarely open to the public. Featuring an expanded 6-piece line-up, including Yvvone Yanney, JTQ are perhaps best known and best loved for their unrivalled live performances. Emma Smith will be appearing with her own world-class trio of musicians, having performed in venues ranging from the 02 Arena to the leading jazz clubs of New York City, as well as collaborating and recording with the likes of Michael Bublé, The Quincy Jones Orchestra and Robbie Williams. Expect a wonderfully eclectic, but most of all fun, evening of world-class jazz.
If Opera 2024 from 23 – 31 August at Belcombe Court, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire. For more information and tickets please visit the website.
