Gothic Opera allows another side of Offenbach to shine at Battersea Arts Centre

Die Rheinnixen
© Craig Fuller

Max Hoehn (director)

Hannah von Wiehler (conductor)

Leon Haxby (arranger)

Isabella van Braeckel (set & costume designer)

Luca Panetta (lighting designer)

Gothic Opera

(Béatrice de Larragoïti, Alice Usher, Charlotte Osborn)

Mae Heydorn (Hedwig)

Alice Usher (Armgard)

Sam Utley (Franz)

Owain Gwynfryn (Conrad von Wenckhem)

Harrison Gration (Gottfried)

Emily Rooke, Anusha Merrin, Hannah Morley, Cicely-Yishou Hé, Lars Fischer, Alexander White, Maximilian Catalano, Chris Murphy (Chorus)

Alice Usher (Armgard) & Sam Utley (Franz)
© Craig Fuller

5pm, Sunday 2 November 2025

Battersea Arts Centre, London

★★★★

Offenbach, Jacques (1819-1880): Die Rheinnixen

(Edited by Jean-Christophe Keck, Libretto by Charles Nuitter & Alfred von Wolzogen, Arranged by Leon Haxby)

'Gothic Opera chose Die Rhiennixen for their seventh season. Once again, they have pulled off a triumph'.

'The performance gripped from beginning to end, the closeness of the action to the audience creating an immersive experience, a treat to see and hear the singers up so close'.

Owain Gwynfryn (Conrad)
© Craig Fuller

'Alice Usher (co-founder) was spellbinding as Armgard ... whilst Mae Heydorn, as her mother Hedwig, had ... steely power when needed'.

'Sam Utley’s Franz was ... tender and warm, with power at the top of his range. Harrison Gration made the strongest vocal impact of the men,his powerful bass-baritone one to watch ...

 whilst Owain Gwynfryn as Conrad (is) another agile baritone to watch out for'.

'The band ... performed Leon Haxby’s arrangement of the score with tight energy, conducted with precision and clarity by von Wiehler'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here. 

The Railway Children becomes a pacy action thriller in Turnage's hands at Glyndebourne

Jessica Cale (Bobbie), Henna Mun (Phyllis) & Matthew McKinney (Peter)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd/Richard Hubert Smith

Tim Anderson (Conductor)

Stephen Langridge (Director)

Nicky Shaw (Designer)

Mark Jonathan (Lighting Designer)

Max White (Video Designer)

Lydia Coomes (Sound Designer)

The Glyndebourne Sinfonia

Richard Milone (Leader)

The Glyndebourne Chorus

Aidan Oliver (Chorus Director)

Gavan Ring (Mr Perks) & Chorus
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd/Richard Hubert Smith

Edward Hawkins (David, Mr Tarpolski)

Rachael Lloyd (Cathy)

Simon Mascarenhas Carter (Police Officer, Chorus)

John Mackenzie-Lavansch (Detective Sergeant, Train Driver, Chorus)

Rhiain Taylor (Police Radio, Chorus)

Bethany Horak-Hallett (Yolanda)

Jessica Cale (Bobbie)

Matthew McKinney (Peter)

Henna Mun (Phyllis)

Michael Wallace (Police Constable, Chorus)

Gavan Ring (Mr Perks)

James Cleverton (Sir Tommy Crawshaw)

Natalia Brzenzińska (Chorus)

Dominic Morgan (Chorus)

Jacquelyn Parker (Chorus)

Rachel Taylor (Chorus)

4pm, Thursday 30 October, 2025

Glyndebourne Opera House, Glyndebourne 

★★★★

Turnage, Mark-Anthony (b.1960): The Railway Children

(Libretto by Hewer, Rachael)

Jessica Cale (Bobbie) & Ensemble
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd/Richard Hubert Smith

'Hewer’s libretto is direct and clear, with switches between narration and dialogue moving the action along with pace. Turnage’s score is tight and equally pacy, with strong use of chamber forces, from single strings to woodwinds and dashes of percussion, the overall style of tense action thriller occasionally giving way to more tender lyricism, all conducted with energetic precision by Tim Anderson'.

'Nicky Shaw’s design is slick and suits the action well, with camera shutter switches between scenes and stylish colour palettes, and Mark Jonathan’s lighting adds further sharpness of focus'.

'Singing from all was faultless, with clear communication, strong depiction of characters and evenness of strength and projection. Jessica Cale was exceptional as the eldest child, Bobbie, ... her bright soprano ... increasing in strength of conviction'.

The Railway Children - full cast
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd/Richard Hubert Smith

'Matthew McKinney was convincing as Peter, ... carrying Turnage’s angular lines well, and Henna Mun was endearingly sweet as Phyllis'.

'A few confusing elements in the updating of characters and a lack of a convincing train notwithstanding, this is an effective take bringing something fresh to an old favourite, and Turnage’s score is full of action and interest throughout'. 

Read my full review on Backtrack here. 

Mark-Anthony Turnage, Rachael Hewer, cast & artistic team
© Nick Boston