Stowe Opera - Just moved in

Winslow Hall

This week sees performances by Stowe Opera of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro at Winslow Hall in Buckinghamshire. Performances started on 21 July and run until 29 July. They are directed by Yvonne Fontane who sings the Countess and conducted by Robert Secret, founder of the opera company. This represents a welcome return for a company which from 1995 to 2006 gave a highly regarded annual summer season of opera at Stowe but his since been rather quiet. Previous successes have included Les Contes d'Hoffmann, La Traviata, Hansel and Gretel, Rusalka and Il Trovatore.


Building works put paid to performances at Stowe, and now the company has been offered a home by restaurateur Christopher Gilmour. A few years ago Gilmour bought Winslow Hall in Winslow, generally regarded as being to designs by Sir Christopher Wren and for many, the perfect small English country house. Since buying the house Gilmour has been devoting himself to all the repairs that were necessary but now feels able to welcome the opera company. This year they are performing just one opera, but Gilmour hopes to be able to present two operas over two weeks next year.

His aims are entirely laudable, his is quoted in the Evening Standard, 'The aim is to break even. It is absolutely impossible to make a profit even if we sell all the tickets, but next year we might get a sponsor. And the idea was born out of a love of opera rather than a wish to make money.'

Further details at the Stowe Opera website.