A heartening return to live opera at Highgate's Lauderdale House

By Timmy Fisher, 14 August 2020

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“Sātyavan’s suffering brings our own insecurities into sharp relief”

Reviewed at Lauderdale House, London on 13 August 2020

Holst, Sāvitri (One-act opera with orchestra : open air performance per Government COVID guidelines: dates presently provisional)

HGO

Thomas Payne, Conductor

Julia Mintzer, Director

Alexander Aldren, Satyavān

Jack Roberts, Satyavān

Esme Bronwen-Smith, Sāvitri

Joanna Harries, Sāvitri

Lizzie Holmes, Sāvitri

Dan D'Souza, Death

Theo Perry, Death

Laura Calcagno, Dancer

Charlotte Osborne, Soprano

Alice Usher, Soprano

Verity Bramson, Soprano

Alicia Mallace-Goulbourne, Soprano

Charlotte Diamond, Soprano

Natalie Davies, Mezzo-soprano

Meriel Cunningham, Mezzo-soprano

Deborah Holborn, Mezzo-soprano

HGO serve up a treat with La bohème redux

David Karlin, 9th November

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.

****1

Singing triumphs: Monteverdi's Poppea, Hampstead Garden Opera

Charlotte Valori, 12th May

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.

***11

Tragic tears of a clown: Cav and Pag at Hampstead Garden Opera

David Karlin, 14th May

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

****1

The very model of a modern sexual opportunist

Charlotte Valori, 15th November

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.

****1

Slick and contemporary: HGO's Xerses

Nahoko Gotoh, 26th April

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.

****1

Hilarity with a sharp edge: Albert Herring

David Karlin, 15th November

Excellent ensemble work makes for a compelling rendering of Britten's satirical chamber opera Albert Herring, with some impressive young tenor and baritone voices.

***11

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Timmy Fisher

Timmy read musicology at Durham University, studying composition with Richard Rijnvos. He has written for Gramophone and The Spectator, and composes for both film and the concert hall. He has a special interest in contemporary choral music, and co-hosts The Classical Music Pod with Sam Poppleton, available on iTunes and Spotify. Follow him on twitter at @timmy_fisher.