Last year we enjoyed a very popular visit to Grange Park Opera and this June we return for a performance of their highly anticipated and already sold-out 'introduction' to Wagner's Ring Cycle - Das Rheingold. During our stay we also head down to Northington, near Winchester and The Grange Festival for their new production of Handel's Giulio Cesare.
The Grange at Northington, Hampshire, is one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in Europe. First built in the 1660s as a Palladian brick mansion, it was transformed in the early 19th century into a magnificent neoclassical residence resembling a Greek temple, complete with resplendent Doric portico.
The Estate, owned by the family of John Baring, Lord Ashburton, was the original home of Grange Park Opera from 1998 until 2016. Grange Park Opera then moved to their new home at West Horsley Place in Surrey (where we will see Das Rheingold). Meanwhile, The Grange Festival was founded back in Hampshire in 2019. Confused.... you won't be! Two outstanding companies in two unique locations performing 5* opera.
We have dinner in Farnham on our first evening, attend Giulio Cesare at The Grange with dinner on the second afternoon & evening and then Das Rheingold at Grange Park on our final afternoon & evening.
For those travelling from the Northwest & Midlands we have a matinee performance of Anything Goes at Kilworth House Summer Theatre on the way home!
For Giulio Cesare, David Alden directs a thrilling new production with countertenor Tim Mead as Giulio Cesare and soprano Sarah Brady as Cleopatra, with Christian Curnyn conducting the period orchestra Early Opera Company in their Festival debut.
For Das Rheingold this first installment of their new Ring Cycle (which will take place over the next four summers) is directed by Charles Edwards and comes exactly 150 years after the first Bayreuth performance. The Orchestra of English National Opera is conducted by the BBC Music Magazine ‘Rising Star’ conductor, Harry Sever. He was Ring Cycle Conducting Fellow at Longborough Festival Opera so already has great experience of the work.
For those travelling from the Northwest & Midlands we have a matinee performance of Anything Goes at Kilworth House Summer Theatre on the way home!
We do hope you can join us for what I am sure will be two outstanding performances.
Deposit is £750 per person and the balance is due 15 April.
