Live opera returns to Garsington: Beethoven's 'Fidelio' in semi-staged performances

Beethoven: Fidelio - Garsington Opera in 2014

Amongst the losses from Garsington Opera's 2020 season was the revival of John Cox's production of Beethoven's Fidelio with Toby Spence in the role of Florestan. With the relaxation of lockdown, Garsington Opera has been able to schedule four semi-staged performances of Beethoven's Fidelio on 12, 14, 18 and 20 September 2020. Toby Spence will be Florestan with Katherine Broderick as Leonore, and Douglas Boyd conducts with members of the Philharmonia Orchestra.

When Garsington Opera last performed Fidelio, after the season at Wormsley Douglas Boyd conducted the Garsington cast in a performance of Beethoven's opera at the Philharmonie in Paris with L'Orchestre de chamber de Paris. For that occasion Peter Mumford, who had directed Opera North's semi-staged Ring cycle including designing video projections, and created a semi-staging involving video projections and it is this version that Fidelio will be performed at Garsington in September.

Further details are due to be announced, but it is wonderful to be able to report on live performance with an audience again.