Joélle Harvey is outstanding in Glyndebourne's incendiary Semele

Jennifer Johnston (Juno), Joélle Harvey (Semele) and Stephanie Wake-Edwards (Ino)

Joélle Harvey (Semele) and Stuart Jackson (Jupiter)

Jennifer Johnston (Juno), Clive Bayley (Somnus) and Samuel Mariño (Iris)

Joélle Harvey (Semele) and Glyndebourne Festival Chorus

By Roy Westbrook, 24 July 2023

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“few Brünnhildes are granted so splendid an immolation”

Reviewed at Glyndebourne Opera House, Glyndebourne on 23 July 2023

Handel, Semele

Glyndebourne Festival Opera

Václav Luks, Conductor

Adele Thomas, Director

Annemarie Woods, Set Designer

Hannah Clark, Costume Designer

Peter Mumford, Lighting Designer

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

The Glyndebourne Chorus

Stephanie Wake-Edwards, Ino

Clive Bayley, Somnus, Cadmus

Joélle Harvey, Semele

Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Athamas

Stuart Jackson, Jupiter

Jennifer Johnston, Juno

Samuel Mariño, Iris

Emma Woods, Choreography

Glyndebourne revives Michieletto’s Kátya Kabanová

Mark Valencia, 3rd August

Damiano Michieletto’s production of Janáček’s opera breaks a key tenet of high-concept opera: where it should reveal, it obfuscates.

***11

All the world’s a jest: Falstaff returns to Glyndebourne

Mark Pullinger, 23rd July

Richard Jones' 2009 production returns to Glyndebourne after a long absence, but the 1940s comedy scrubs up fresh.

***11

A strong new Figaro opens at Glyndebourne

Dominic Lowe, 29th June

Mariame Clément is a popular director at Glyndebourne, and her new production of Figaro shows her trademark approach to hardhitting comedy.

****1

Glyndebourne's Saul still packs a punch 10 years on

Nick Boston, 8th June

Returning from the original run, Christopher Purves and Iestyn Davies were joined by a strong cast and chorus for a revival of Barrie Kosky's striking production.

*****

Unhurried suspense in a very English Parsifal

Peter Quantrill, 17th May

Compelling singers carry the day in the Glyndebourne Festival Opera's first staging of Wagner’s swansong.

****1

Glyndebourne’s season opens with Rossini’s Barber of Seville

David Karlin, 16th May

Annabel Arden’s production provides joyous comedy, with vocal and orchestral performances of the very finest.

*****

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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.