Obsession at The Grange: The Queen of Spades

Eduard Martynyuk (Herman) and Anush Hovhannisyan (Liza)

Edwin Kaye (Surin), Andrei Kymach (Tomsky) and Alexey Dolgov (Chekalinsky)

Dame Josephine Barstow (The Countess) and Eduard Martynyuk (Herman)

Anush Hovhannisyan (Liza)

Dame Josephine Barstow (The Countess), Eduard Martynyuk (Herman) and chorus

By David Karlin, 24 June 2023

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“for the whole of the second half, every scene gripped us more tightly than the last.”

Reviewed at The Grange, Alresford on 23 June 2023

Tchaikovsky, The Queen of Spades (Pique Dame)

The Grange Festival

Paul Daniel, Conductor

Paul Curran, Director

Gary McCann, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Johanna Town, Lighting Designer

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Grange Festival Chorus

Eduard Martynyuk, Herman

Anush Hovhannisyan, Lisa

Dame Josephine Barstow, The Countess

Andrii Kymach, Tomsky

Ilya Kutyukhin, Yeletsky

Arlene Belli, Polina

Christopher Gillett, Chaplitsky

Edwin Kaye, Surin

Alexey Dolgov, Chekalinsky

Lucy Schaufer, The Governess

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

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

David Truslove, 7th June

Terrific music making with a light directorial touch brings mixed results to Monteverdi's 1643 masterpiece.

***11

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

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David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.

Obsession at The Grange: powerful singing and gothic drama in The Queen of Spades