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Pountney’s vivid Simon Boccanegra finds a welcome new home at the Theatre in the Woods

Sir Simon Keenlyside (Simon Boccanegra)
© Marc Brenner
Elin Pritchard (Amelia) and Otar Jorjikia (Gabriele Adorno)
© Marc Brenner
Grange Park Opera Chorus
© Marc Brenner
Elin Pritchard (Amelia)
© Marc Brenner
Simon Boccanegra, Act 3
© Marc Brenner
By Mark Pullinger, 06 June 2025
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“vivid stage pictures are created, none greater than the Council Chamber scene”
Reviewed at The Theatre in the Woods, West Horsley on 5 June 2025
Programme
Verdi, Simon Boccanegra
Performers
Grange Park Opera
Gianluca Marcianò, Conductor
Sir David Pountney, Director
Ralph Koltai, Set Designer
Sue Willmington, Costume Designer
Tim Mitchell, Lighting Designer
The Gascoigne Orchestra
Grange Park Opera Chorus
Robin Tebbutt, Revival Director
Sir Simon Keenlyside, Simon Boccanegra
James Creswell, Jacopo Fiesco
Elin Pritchard, Amelia Grimaldi
Otar Jorjikia, Gabriele Adorno
Jolyon Loy, Paolo Albiani
David Shipley, Pietro
Rosa Sparks, Amelia's maid
Sam Utley, Captain
More Opera reviews
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
Ukraine matters: Tchaikovsky’s Mazeppa at Grange Park Opera
Roy Westbrook, 14th June
Why is Tchaikovsky’s very fine opera still a rarity outside Russia? David Pountney directs a new production at the Surrey festival. 
****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
More reviews...
Read reviews of
David ShipleyElin PritchardGianluca MarcianòGiuseppe VerdiGrange Park OperaGrange Park Opera ChorusJames CreswellJolyon LoyMark ShanahanOtar JorjikiaRalph KoltaiRobin TebbuttSam UtleySimon BoccanegraSir David PountneySir Simon KeenlysideSue WillmingtonThe Gascoigne OrchestraTim Mitchell
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Mark Pullinger
Mark Pullinger
Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.