Ukraine matters: Tchaikovsky’s Mazeppa at Grange Park Opera

David Stout (Mazeppa) and Rachel Nicholls (Mariya)

Rachel Nicholls (Mariya)

Mazeppa, Act 1

Battle of Poltava

Andreas Jankowitsch (Orlik) and Luciano Batinić (Kochubey)

By Roy Westbrook, 15 June 2025

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“one of the best pit bands around and very welcome visitors to Grange Park”

Reviewed at The Theatre in the Woods, West Horsley on 14 June 2025

Tchaikovsky, Mazeppa

Grange Park Opera

Mark Shanahan, Conductor

Sir David Pountney, Director

Francis O'Connor, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Tim Mitchell, Lighting Designer

English National Opera Orchestra

Grange Park Opera Chorus

David Stout, Mazepa

Luciano Batinić, Kochubey

Sara Fulgoni, Lyubov

Rachel Nicholls, Mariya

John Findon, Andrei

Andreas Jankowitsch, Orlik

Taj Mahal by Nishat Khan premieres at Grange Park Opera

David Karlin, 10th July

Scion of generations of sitar players, Nishat Khan is the perfect person to tell the "greatest love story never told" behind India's most iconic building.

***11

Pountney’s vivid Simon Boccanegra at Grange Park Opera

Mark Pullinger, 5th June

Sir David Pountney's 1997 staging for Welsh National Opera is given a welcome new lease of life at Grange Park Opera, splendidly cast... with one major exception.

****1

A confusing operatic take on The Tempest at Grange Park Opera

Nick Boston, 11th July

Strong vocal and orchestral performances, supported by impressive visuals, struggle to bring coherency to Anthony Bolton's Island of Dreams at Grange Park Opera.

***11

An impressive, minimalist Kátya Kabanová at Grange Park Opera

David Karlin, 27th June

A memorable performance, with Stephen Barlow conducting Janáček’s remarkable score with vividness and clarity, while David Alden's staging is a masterpiece of "less is more".

****1

Aleko on the Arno: Bryn Terfel leads fine new GPO double bill

Roy Westbrook, 6th June

An unlikely pairing opens Grange Park Opera's season, the two works united by the dominant central character of each opera – Sir Bryn Terfel.

****1

Werther in the woods: an intense new production at Grange Park Opera

David Truslove, 17th June

John Doyle's emotional staging of Werther gets to the heart of Massenet's engagement with Goethe in memorable performances.

****1

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Roy Westbrook

Roy Westbrook gained a diploma in music history at London University (Morley College) and was for some years the head of music day schools at Oxford University, where he also led music summer schools. After some years leading the University's business school he has returned to music teaching and writing, and recently took part in the Arts in Residence courses on Bruckner, Mahler and Bach He is co-author (with Terry Barfoot) of a history of opera, and has taught day schools on Sibelius in Oxford and elsewhere.