The underworld upstairs: Monteverdi's L'Orfeo at the Gatehouse, Hampstead

HGO's production of Holst's Sāvitri is a smart choice for a socially distant era. But why mess with a winning formula?

La bohème may not seem the obvious choice for a very small theatre, but HGO carry it off with aplomb, with the help of Rodolfo sung by a star in the making.

A musically sensitive account of Monteverdi’s Poppea, with simple staging and 1950s costumes, sees singing triumph noticeably over the relative theatrical inexperience of HGO’s talented young cast. 

Benjie del Rosario ignites a thrilling Pagliacci, while Cavalleria rusticana is potentially as good but marred by intelligibility and balance issues.

A brilliant modern revisioning by Genevieve Raghu, in a superb contemporary translation by Benjamin Hamilton, makes Don Giovanni feel more relevant than ever for the Tinder generation and their disposable approach to love. 

Hampstead Garden Opera’s new staging of Xerxes is slick and contemporary with a well thought-out re-interpretation of the plot, offering a fresh perspective to the opera.