Grange Park Opera
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Watch a quick meeting with some of the excellent artists performing at the 2012 festival
FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY - MONDAY 2 JULY 2012
Grange Park Opera is honoured that the charismatic baritone Simon Keenlyside will be part of the 2012 festival.
With the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra he will perform opera arias and songs from the shows.
YOUR COMMENTS 2011
"We had a simply BRILLIANT night and thought Rusalka was a triumph in every way.......each tiny detail was so beautifully executed - from the tops of their heads to the tips of their toes (or tails) the performers were outstanding - the orchestra was magical and the setting dreamy." MS
"I hope this is not the last Wagner you do. My impression was that the audience was completely spellbound. I was more taken by it than by almost all the other many stagings of it that I have seen. Congratulations on it - not least on the casting." Tom Sutcliffe
"It was GREAT, Wasfi! The venue is tremendous. I shall certainly try to be back next year. Well done you for all your energy in collecting the loot to keep the show on the road." John Sessions
"I was sort of funkily dressed with my Prada suit and shirt, Berluti shoes and my hat, but honestly, I had no idea it was a black tie event ... so for that I do apologize." Wael Binali (from Wasfi - "he was very hip and rather marvellous")
"Rusalka was a triumph, you would not have seen a better production anywhere, congratulations. Grange Park is still our No 1 Highlight of the year, it really is so special." Mr B
"I think tonight’s performance of Rigoletto was the best opera I have ever been to. I was blown away by it." MR
"We last saw Rigoletto at Verona where it was 40 deg C but the production was no match for Grange Park's." Mr & Mrs F
"The opera more than compensated for the rain. It was glorious." Mr & Mrs S
"We so enjoyed the production of Rigoletto ... love the sets and period, the blend of voices was excellent and all the notes were splendid and the personalities shone through. A magic evening, a highlight of my operatic year." GB
"Tristan was the best Grange Park experience of the 10+ years we have been coming." RM
"I loved that you dared to do Tristan - and did it (unsurprisingly) so well." VS
WASFI'S MIDSUMMER MONSOONS
There was a glorious start to the festival but 11 days before Midsummers Day an ominous showery dullness rested over the British Isles. Just 9 days before the Solstice we had Tsunami Sunday and short stripey wellingtons became part of every summer outfit. Week 3 was the worst; there was a theory that it was Rusalka's revenge for cutting off her tail. Four days before the solstice it was 12 degrees... fur- lined boots, Barbour, fur hat... and I got a cold. In order to cheer up the audience I did my speech dressed as a frog. Week 4 had a bad start but by the end (Sunday 26th) it was summer again in Hampshire.
Alas Nevill Holt was dull and drizzly: the last night there was 14 deg.
Tradition has it that we say everything about the festival is marvellous - but this year the weather was not.
All reviews are posted on the REVIEWS page.
Some FILM CLIPS:
Tristan & Isolde dress rehearsal
Tosca (Act 1) at The Grange in 2010