Ravishing Rodelinda: Handel al fresco at Garsington Opera

Lucy Crowe (Rodelinda)

Tim Mead (Bertarido)

Ed Lyon (Grimoaldo) and ensemble

Hugh Cutting (Unulfo)

Ed Lyon (Grimoaldo) and Lucy Crowe (Rodelinda)

By Roy Westbrook, 15 June 2025

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“a feast of fine English countertenor singing”

Reviewed at Garsington Opera, High Wycombe on 13 June 2025

Handel, Rodelinda, regina de' Longobardi

Garsington Opera

Peter Whelan, Conductor

Ruth Knight, Director

Leslie Travers, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Ben Pickersgill, Lighting Designer

The English Concert

Lucy Crowe, Rodelinda

Tim Mead, Bertarido

Ed Lyon, Grimoaldo

Marvic Monreal, Eduige

Brandon Cedel, Garibaldo

Hugh Cutting, Unulfo

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

Three card trick: compelling new Queen of Spades at Garsington

Roy Westbrook, 29th May

Jack Furness directs a terrific new Queen of Spades at Garsington – haunting and harrowing.

****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.