Three card trick: compelling new Queen of Spades at Garsington

Aaron Cawley (Herman)

Roderick Williams (Yeletsky) and Sam Furness (Chekalinsky)

Aaron Cawley (Herman) and Laura Wilde (Lisa)

Stephanie Wake-Edwards (Polina) and chorus

Diana Montague (Countess)

By Roy Westbrook, 30 May 2025

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“Boyd found the cumulative tension in this powerful operatic psychodrama”

Reviewed at Garsington Opera, High Wycombe on 29 May 2025

Tchaikovsky, The Queen of Spades (Pique Dame)

Garsington Opera

Douglas Boyd, Conductor

Jack Furness, Director

Tom Piper, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Lizzie Powell, Lighting Designer

Philharmonia Orchestra

Garsington Opera Chorus

Aaron Cawley, Herman

Laura Wilde, Lisa, Prilepa

Diana Montague, The Countess

Stephanie Wake-Edwards, Polina, Milovzor

Robert Hayward, Tomsky, Zlatogor

Roderick Williams, Yeletsky

Simon Shibambu, Surin

Sam Furness, Chekalinsky

Alexandria Moon, Masha

Hannah Poulsom, The Governess

James Micklethwaite, Chaplitsky

Thando Zwane, Narumov

A radically trad Fidelio at Garsington

Peter Quantrill, 27th June

Simple solutions prove the best in Beethoven's "problem" opera as John Cox's staging is revived at Garsington.

****1

Ravishing Rodelinda: Handel al fresco at Garsington Opera

Roy Westbrook, 13th June

Ruth Knight untangles Handel's Rodelinda, directing a new staging at Garsington which features a feast of fine singing.

****1

Garsington’s L’elisir d’amore: Dr Feelgood wins the day

David Karlin, 28th May

Simon Higlett’s exquisite sets and costumes give a backdrop to Donizetti’s frothiest of rom-coms.

****1

Madcap comedy from Verdi: Un giorno di regno at Garsington

David Karlin, 29th June

Christopher Alden, Chris Hopkins and an excellent cast send us a comic roller coaster ride with Verdi’s ultra-rarely performed second opera.

*****

Garsington Opera's new A Midsummer Night's Dream

Roy Westbrook, 16th June

In the first and last acts, ladies entered with a train still attached to a bolt of cloth, which was then cut to length by an attendant. Was this production brought to the stage in a great hurry, allowing no time for costume fittings?

***11

Rameau meets The Kardashians: Platée at Garsington

David Karlin, 29th May

A superb orchestral performance from Paul Agnew and The English Concert lights up a breezy and fun staging of Rameau's ballet bouffon.

***11

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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.

Three card trick: staging, direction and singing compel in Garsington’s Queen of Spades