Glyndebourne’s Billy Budd makes a welcome return, fresh and devastating as ever

The Glyndebourne Chorus in Billy Budd
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

Nicholas Carter (Conductor)

Michael Grandage (Director)

Ian Rutherford (Revival Director)

Christopher Oram (Designer)

Paule Constable (Lighting Designer)

Mark Ruddick (Flight Director)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Pieter Schoeman (Leader)

The Glyndebourne Chorus

Aidan Oliver (Chorus Director)

Thomas Mole (Billy Budd)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

Allan Clayton (Captain Vere)

Michael Wallace (First Mate)

John Mackenzie-Lavansch (Second Mate)

William Thomas (Mr Flint)

Michael Ronan (Bosun)

Samuel Dale Johnson (Donald)

Ru Charlesworth (Maintop)

Laurence Kilsby (Novice)

Daniel Norman (Squeak)

Dingle Yandell (Mr Redburn)

Daniel Okulitch (Lieutenant Ratcliffe)

Sam Carl (Claggart)

Alasdair Elliott (Red Whiskers)

Adam Marsden (Arthur Jones)

Thomas Mole (Billy Budd)

Alex Otterburn (Novice's Friend)

Clive Bayley (Dansker)

Gabriel Elliott Rous (Cabin Boy)

Sam Carl (Claggart) & Daniel Norman (Squeak)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

5pm, Thursday 2 July 2026

Glyndebourne, East Sussex

★★★★

Britten, Benjamin (1913-1976): Billy Budd, Op. 50

(libretto by Forster, E.M. (1879-1970) & Crozier, Eric (1914-1994))

'Thomas Mole's Billy, full of wide-eyed innocence, held onto his blind belief in Captain Vere right to the very end, despite evidence to the contrary, and was convincingly moving throughout'.

'Allan Clayton's steely tenor was impressive as ever as Vere, and the transition from the troubled and flawed captain to the haunted old man of the Prologue and Epilogue, reflecting on his failure to protect and save Billy, was powerfully moving'. 

William Thomas (Mr Flint), Allan Clayton (Captain Vere)
& Dingle Yandell (Mr Redburn)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

'Sam Carl (Claggart) had the vocal range and ... his baritone was penetratingly evil'.

'The chorus excelled at full-voice, as well as in their quiet chanting resignation, and their choreographed resistance and rapid movement around the levels of the set were solid and convincing'.

'Nicholas Carter conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra with precision and energy, bringing brilliance to Britten’s searing score, especially from the gleaming brass'. 

Clive Bayley (Dansker), Alasdair Elliott (Red Whiskers),
Samuel Dale Johnson (Donald) & Alex Otterburn (Novice's Friend)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton 

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

Glyndebourne's Saul still packs a punch 10 years on

Iestyn Davies (David) and the Glyndebourne Chorus
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photography by ASH

Jonathan Cohen (Conductor)

Barrie Kosky (Director)

Donna Stirrup (Revival Director)

Katrin Lea Tag (Designer)

Otto Pichler (Choreographer)

Merry Holden (Revival Choreographer)

Joachim Klein (Lighting Designer)

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Matthew Truscott (Leader)

Matthew Fletcher (Solo organ)

The Glyndebourne Chorus

Aidan Oliver (Chorus Director)

Sarah Brady (Merab)

Soraya Mafi (Michal)

Christopher Purves (Saul, Apparition of Samuel)

Iestyn Davies (David)

Linard Vrielink (Jonathan)

Liam Bonthrone (Abner, High Priest, Doeg, Amalekite)

Ru Charlesworth (Witch of Endor)

Lucy Alderman, Robin Gladwin, Lukas Hunt, Dominic Rocca, Nathan Ryles, Daisy West (Dancers)

Christopher Purves (Saul) & Linard Vrielink (Jonathan)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photography by ASH

4pm, Sunday 8 June, 2025

Glyndebourne Opera House, Glyndebourne 

★★★★★

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759): Saul, HWV53

(Libretto by Charles Jennens (1700-1773)

'A decade on, it’s looking as fresh as a daisy'.

'Purves’ physical fitness is also impressive, managing to run in circles around the whole stage at one point, before delivering faultlessly controlled and effortless singing'.

Iestyn Davies:

'Right from his extended first entry on a gloriously blossoming "O", it was clear that his voice and presence matched that of Purves'.

Christopher Purves (Saul) & Ru Charlesworth (Witch of Endor)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photography by ASH

'The chorus were on tremendous form, and ... they clambered up and down from high tables, played dead on the battlefield, rising up briefly like zombies, and dramatically delivered choruses from the very front of the stage at full throttle'. 

'Jonathan Cohen conducted the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment with tight energy throughout, and moments for harp, organ and carillon shone through (hats off to the spinning organist (Matthew Fletcher) at the opening of Part 2)'.

'A visual and musical delight, and it hasn’t lost its impact and energetic spark in the intervening ten years'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Iestyn Davies (David)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photography by ASH

Powerfully moving A Child of Our Time at Glyndebourne

Adam Hickox
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd,
Photo: Richard Hubert Smith

Adam Hickox (conductor)

Ian Rutherford (director)

Matthew Fletcher (music preparation)

Nardus Williams (soprano)

Beth Taylor (mezzo-soprano)

Kieran Carrel (tenor)

Michael Mofidian (bass)

The Glydnebourne Sinfonia 

Richard Milone (leader)

The Glyndebourne Chorus

Aidan Oliver (chorus director)

4pm, Tuesday 29 October 2024

Glyndebourne Opera House, Glyndebourne

★★★★

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60

Sir Michael Tippett (1905-1988): A Child of Our Time

Soloists, Glyndebourne Chorus & Sinfonia
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd,
Photo: Richard Hubert Smith

Beethoven:

'There was some impressively deft work from the strings in the outer movements'.

Tippett:

'Simple lighting effects and a few striking image projections added a welcome extra dimension without being overly distracting'.

'The Five Spirituals ... were delivered with full-bodied tone and moving passion, with the solo input from the front of the stage balanced well'. 

'Hickox gave the Glyndebourne Sinfonia and combined vocal forces clear direction throughout and managed the challenge of balance, particularly for players more used to being in the pit'. 

'The soloists and chorus combined brought this memorable and powerful performance to a deeply moving conclusion'. 

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Confusion clouds any central critique in Clément's Don Giovanni at Glyndebourne

Andrei Bondarenko (Don Giovanni), Michael Ronan (Masetto),
Charlotte Bowden (Zerlina) and Chorus
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Richard Hubert Smith

Stephanie Childress (Conductor)

Mariame Clément (Director)

Paul Higgins (Revival Director)

Julia Hansen (Designer)

Bernd Purkrabek (Lighting Designer)

Étienne Guiol (Projection Designer)

Keith Wallis (Fight Director)

The Glyndebourne Sinfonia

Richard Milone (Leader)

Ben-Sau Lau (Fortepiano continuo)

Jonathan Tunnell (Cello continuo)

The Glyndebourne Chorus

Aidan Oliver (Chorus Director)

Andrei Bondarenko (Don Giovanni) & Sam Carl (Leporello)
 © Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Richard Hubert Smith

4pm, Sunday 12 November 2023

Glyndebourne Opera House, Glyndebourne

★★★

Sam Carl (Leporello)

Kseniia Proshina (Donna Anna)

Andrei Bondarenko (Don Giovanni)

Ivo Stanchev (The Commendatore)

Nico Darmanin (Don Ottavio)

Alexandra Lowe (Donna Elvira)

Charlotte Bowden (Zerlina)

Michael Ronan (Masetto)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791): Don Giovanni

(libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte (1749-1838))

Kseniia Proshina (Donna Anna) & Nico Darmanin (Don Ottavio)
 © Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Richard Hubert Smith

'There is so much going on here – keys standing in for gravestone inscriptions (why?), dead body chalk outlines flashing up in lights, rapist masks and a rotting 10-foot high cake topped with the number 2075 (again, why?), to name but a few'.

'Bondarenko was nimble in voice and tone throughout. Sam Carl’s Leporello (complete with Columbo mac) was equally convincing vocally'.

'Proshina showed the full range of emotions, with fear and anger uppermost, with impressively steely coloratura in Act 2. Lowe by contrast gave us real despair and anguish in her tone'.

Sam Carl (Leporello), Andrei Bondarenko (Don Giovanni)
& Ivo Stanchev (Commendatore)
 © Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Richard Hubert Smith

'Stephanie Childress conducted with energy and panache, and on the whole, ensemble was tight, and the complex sextets, septets and chain finales were given strong energy and drive'.

'Musically strong performances all round, but ultimately too much extraneous detail undermined what could have been a strong critique for our times'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Another joyful Glyndebourne return for Annabel Arden's fizzy Elisir d'amore

Maxime Nourissat (Dulcamara's Assistant) & Filipe Manu (Nemorino)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

Adam Hickox (Conductor)

Annabel Arden (Director)

Lez Brotherson (Designer)

Leah Hausman (Movement Director)

Giuseppe Di Iorio (Lighting Designer)

The Glyndebourne Sinfonia

Richard Milone (Leader)

Matthew Fletcher (Fortepiano continuo)

The Glyndebourne Chorus

Aidan Oliver (Chorus Director)

Mariam Battisteri (Adina) & Tiziano Bracci (Dr Dulcamara)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

Mariam Battistelli (Adına)

Filipe Manu/Rhys Batt (Nemorino)

Theodore Platt (Belcore)

Tiziano Bracci (Dr Dulcamara)

Ffion Edwards (Gianetta)

Maxime Nourissat (Dulcamara's Assistant)

4pm, Saturday 11 November 2023

Glyndebourne Opera House, Glyndebourne 

★★★★

Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848): L'elisir d'amore

(libretto by Felice Romani (1788-1865))

Filipe Manu (Nemorino) & Mariam Battistelli (Adina)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

'The single setting makes perfect sense and, as a result, we are immediately drawn into this small yet vibrant world'. 

'The Nemorino ‘team’ carried us through the second act remarkably convincingly, and his (Rhys Batt's) 'Una furtiva lagrima' was astonishing'.

'Mariam Battistelli’s Adina was light and playful, her tone was clear and bright throughout'.

Filipe Manu (Nemorino), Mariam Battistelli (Adina)
& the Glyndebourne Chorus
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

'The chorus were in fine form, but the women deserve special mention for their comic ensemble in Act 2, shifting from their drunken entry to competitive avarice when they learn of Nemorino’s newly acquired wealth'. 

'This production delivered just the right combination of comedy and emotion and, with fine solo and chorus singing throughout, left the audience with a warm glow on a cold November evening'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here. 

Death haunts Glyndebourne Tour's powerful Bohème

Bekhzod Davronov (Rodolfo) & Gabriella Reyes (Mimì)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd/Bill Cooper

Glyndebourne Tour 2022

Rory Macdonald (conductor)
Floris Visser (director)

Simon Iorio (revival director)

Dieuweke Van Reij (set designer)

Jon Morrell (costume designer)

Pim Veulings (choreographer)

Alex Brok (lighting designer)

Klaus Bertisch (dramaturg)

Glyndebourne Tour Orchestra

Richard Milone (leader)

Glyndebourne Chorus 

Aidan Oliver (Chorus Director)

Children's Chorus:

Glyndebourne Youth Opera, Trinity School

La bohème

© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd/Bill Cooper

Bekhzod Davronov (Rodolfo)

Luthando Qave (Marcello)

William Thomas (Colline)

Luvuyo Mbundu (Schaunard)

Darren Jeffery (Benoît/Alcindoro)

Gabriella Reyes (Mimì)

Peter Van Hulle (Death/Parpignol)

Mariam Battistelli (Musetta)

Andrew Davies (Customs Officer)

Patrick Keefe (Police Sergeant)

Sunday 9 October 2022

Glyndebourne, East Sussex

★★★★

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924): La bohème

(libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henry Murger)

William Thomas, Luvuyo Mbundu, Darren Jefferey,
Luthdano Qave & Bekhzod Davronov 

© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd/Bill Cooper

'(The insertion of Death) is a useful conceit, drawing the audience into her fear and ultimate acknowledgement of her fate, as it is clear only we and Mimì see Death’s presence'.

'It is remarkably successful. ... there is an intensity to the setting, paring the action down allowing for full focus on the emotional interactions'.

'Davronov captured well Rodolfo’s impetuous youthfulness, contrasted with Reyes’ emotional intensity, with that added dimension of her visions of Death'.

'Davronov sang Rodolfo with strong clear lines and passion, yet he never dominated proceedings, for it was Reyes that shone with rich lyricism and depth of emotion. Qave as Marcello also deserves mention ... bringing a powerful, rich-toned presence to the role'.

Darren Jeffery (Alcindoro) & Mariam Battistelli (Musetta)

© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd/Bill Cooper

'Rory Macdonald conducted the Glyndebourne Tour Orchestra with energy, maintaining the forward momentum as well as eliciting the rich lyricism of Puccini’s luscious scoring'.

'It succeeds in bringing a new perspective, and the strength of the whole cast mean that this is a production that definitely stands out from the crowd'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.