Double Bryn Terfel, Siwan Rhys, Bozzini Quartet, My Beloved Man – Review

In the world of privately funded country house opera, seen by dedicated yet modest audiences, much remains hidden. The optional dressing up and high ticket prices often steal the headlines, mostly negative. As these short seasons, which began in May, near their end, we should turn our focus to these small enterprises. What goes on beyond their frivolous pleasure garden image?

Yes, their work is significant. Recent weeks have highlighted some of their contributions at Longborough and Garsington, but there are more such endeavors. These little festivals are helping to rescue the UK’s classical music scene. Despite the destruction of the habitat that nurtured our national companies—by Arts Council funding cuts, political indifference, and a disregard for music education—these festivals continue to offer support. Whatever aid may come, recovery will require more money and time than even a culturally supportive government could provide.

Behind the scenes, off-season and with tiny budgets, these festivals are crucial. They systematically support musicians, nurture singers at all levels, and teach stagecraft. This involves local communities of all ages. They have evolved from haphazard events into supremely professional fixtures, showing their muscle and contributing to the classical music landscape.

At Grange Park Opera (GPO) in Surrey, one of its main festival highlights took place recently. Despite biblical rain, the dedicated volunteers who painted the theatre red and gold ensured it remained a dry, purpose-built haven. One of the world’s greatest singers, Bryn Terfel, frequently performs here. Wasfi Kani, founder and CEO, has a fabled ability to raise donations to pay Terfel, but his frequent performances suggest something more invaluable in the venture.

Two particular strands of GPO’s activities stand out. Pimlico Opera, working with prisoners since 1989, will stage “Made in Dagenham” at HMP Bronzefield in March 2025, Europe’s largest female prison. Equally important is Primary Robins, a scheme reaching 6,500 key stage 2 children in deprived areas with no music provision. This amounts to 100,000 hours of music teaching per year. The administration involved is beyond imagination, yet the positive effects on the children show the scheme’s impact.

Last week, a new children’s laureate for literature was appointed, Frank Cottrell Boyce. Why not have one for music? Nicholas Daniel, oboist and campaigner for music education, could be an excellent nominee. Keir Starmer, aware of his own privilege from free music education in schools, might support this idea.

Terfel starred in a well-matched double bill, crisply directed by Stephen Medcalf and conducted by Gianluca Marciano, with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Rachmaninov’s “Aleko,” based on Pushkin’s “The Gypsies,” is a passionate melodrama. Terfel, singing the title role, made the most of its expressive potential. The dances at the start, though theatrically sparse, provided a melodic prelude to the main action.

In contrast, “Gianni Schicchi,” Puccini’s comedy about the titular trickster, allowed Terfel to showcase his comedic talents. Clad in red biker leathers, he delivered a performance marked by sly humor. The cast included Luis Gomes, Sara Fulgoni, Robert Winslade Anderson, Jeff Lloyd Roberts, Ailish Tynan, and Terfel. Rising star soprano Pasquale Orchard delivered her big aria, “O mio babbino caro,” with innocent poise.

Some non-operatic events also warrant mention. At the Southbank Centre’s Sound Within Sound festival, Welsh pianist Siwan Rhys played stunning sonatas by Galina Ustvolskaya. The Bozzini Quartet featured Ruth Crawford Seeger’s dazzling String Quartet in their program. At the Barbican’s Classical Pride festival, the Fourth Choir performed “My Beloved Man,” a program across centuries celebrating queerness and love, with readings from Samuel Barnett and Petroc Trelawny.

These events show how the margins can reach the center, offering lessons for the broader cultural landscape.

Source: The Guardian, Grange Park Opera, Pimlico Opera, Primary Robins.