L’incoronazione di Poppea vividly brought to life at the Grange

Kitty Whately (Poppea) and Sam Furness (Nerone)

Sam Furness (Nerone) and Kitty Whately (Poppea)

Jonathan Lemalu (Seneca) and Sam Furness (Nerone)

Anna Bonitatibus (Ottavia) and Christopher Lowrey (Ottone)

By David Truslove, 10 June 2024

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“captivating playing from La Nuova Musica”

Reviewed at The Grange, Alresford on 7 June 2024

Monteverdi, L'incoronazione di Poppea, SV 308

The Grange Festival

David Bates, Conductor

Walter Sutcliffe, Director

Jon Bausor, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Wolfgang Goebbel, Lighting Designer

La Nuova Musica

Kitty Whately, Poppea, La Fortuna

Sam Furness, Nerone

Jonathan Lemalu, Seneca

Anna Bonitatibus, Ottavia, La Virtù

Christopher Lowrey, Ottone

Vanessa Waldhart, Amore, Drusilla

Frances Gregory, Arnalta, Famigliare 1

Gwilym Bowen, Lucano, Soldato 1, Famigliare 2

Jorge Navarro Colorado, Liberto, Soldato 2

Fiona Kimm, Nutrice

Armand Rabot, Mercurio, Famigliare 3

Die Fledermaus at The Grange: Cabaret meets G&S

David Karlin, 20th June

A fine singing cast gives creditable performances in Johann Stauss II's most famous operetta, but Paul Curran's updating of Act 2 to 1930s Berlin takes the fizz out of the Champagne.

***11

The Rake's Progress at The Grange: richly entertaining

David Karlin, 23rd June

Singing performances are excellent, the staging is well crafted and Stravinsky's eclectic score entertains from start to finish. But it's an evening's opera that doesn't touch the soul.

****1

Obsession at The Grange: The Queen of Spades

David Karlin, 23rd June

In a setting that might be The Grange itself, a production which steadily tightens its grip until a blistering finish.

*****

A stylish Così fan tutte at The Grange Festival

David Truslove, 16th June

Entertainment ideal for country house opera-goers, enhanced by some fine singing and excellent playing from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

****1

Tension accumulates in Handel’s Tamerlano at The Grange Festival

David Truslove, 10th June

Some exceptional singing intermittently enlivens Daniel Slater's production which, dramatically and emotionally, takes time to ignite.

***11

Kilts in the library: Macbeth opens The Grange Festival

Dominic Lowe, 9th June

Murder in the library? No, this isn't a re-run of Poirot, but a new production of Verdi's Macbeth to open The Grange Festival's 2022 season.

***11

More reviews...

David Truslove

After many years as a musician – conducting choirs, singing as a lay clerk at Winchester Cathedral and an involvement in education, David now writes programme notes, occasionally composes and enjoys a busy schedule of reviewing.

L’incoronazione di Poppea vividly brought to life at the Grange Festival