From oratorio to remarkable dance drama: Handel's Susanna from Opera North & Phoenix Dance Theatre with Anna Dennis & James Hall

Handel: Susanna - Anna Dennis - Opera North, Phoenix Dance Theatre (Photo: Tristram Kenton)

Handel: Susanna; Anna Dennis, James Hall, Matthew Brook, Claire Lees, Colin Judson, Karl Haml, Opera North, Phoenix Dance Theatre, director: Olivia Fuchs, choreographer: Marcus Jarrell Willis, conductor: Johanna Soller; Opera North at Theatre Royal Nottingham
Reviewed 21 November 2025

Handel's oratorio turned into a remarkable dance drama, integrating opera and movement with a performance of remarkable focused intensity from Anna Dennis in the title role

Dance has been an integral part of opera since the early Baroque, though quite how the two have integrated has varied over time and place. The French Baroque style of almost synthesis not being followed in other countries, and the UK still seems wary of the operas of Lully and Rameau, unwilling or unable to combine movement and singing in an expressive way.

In France, as the 19th century progressed the integration was more formalised less seamless whilst in Italy opera was not devoid of dance as evenings often contained ballets alongside the opera. This separation has rather continued. So much so that productions like the Royal Opera's recent performance of Verdi's Les vêpres siciliennes happily removed the ballet [see my review] whilst Wexford Festival Opera's recent production of Verdi's Le Trouvère provided a rare outing for Verdi's ballet music for the opera. [see my review]

Modern times have seen dance incorporated into drama in works like Britten's Death in Venice but you are just as likely to see music subservient to dance as in Mark Morris' version of Handel's L'Allegro. In 2024, Olivia Fuchs directed Britten's Death in Venice at Welsh National Opera in a production featuring an innovative collaboration with NoFitState circus, almost redefining the drama in that opera. [see my review]

Handel: Susanna - Anna Dennis, James Hall with Yasmina Patel and Teige Bisnought from Phoenix Dance Theatre - Opera North, Phoenix Dance Theatre (Photo: Tristram Kenton)

So, Opera North's decision to renew its collaboration with Leeds-based Phoenix Dance Theatre via a production of Handel's Susanna, directed by Olivia Fuchs was an intriguing prospect. We caught the final performance of the tour, at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham on Friday 21 November 2025. The opera was directed by Olivia Fuchs, conducted by Johanna Soller with designs by Zahra Mansouri. Choreography was by Marcus Jarrell Willis, artistic director of Phoenix Dance Theatre. 

James Hall was Joacim and Anna Dennis was Susanna with Matthew Brook as Chelsias, Colin Judson and Karl Huml as the Elders, Amy Freston as Susanna's attendant, Claire Lees as Daniel and Dean Robinson as Judge. There were seven dancers (a further two were unfortunately ill) who performed alongside the soloists and chorus. The orchestra featured the modern instruments of the Orchestra of Opera North along with theorbo and two harpsichords (one played by Johanna Soller).

The costumes were modern but in largely muted colours and the set featured a gantry at the rear providing a two-level space which meant dance and singing could operate simultaneously yet separately. Act Two featured translucent glass screens and a bath, but the design approach was admirably uncluttered.

At times the dancers provided doubles to the singers. During Act One's long celebration of the love between Joacim (James Hall) and Susanna (Anna Dennis) there was a dance component too. Rather than distracting, it helped to establish the ravishing pastoral atmosphere. The opera opened with a scene where chorus and dancers mingled: stationary at first, then some moved and some sang to striking effect.

Thankfully this was not a danced oratorio. Music, drama, singing and dance intermingled, yet Olivia Fuchs and Marcus Jarrell Willis knew when to leave well alone. The end of Act Two features a powerful chorus that was presented without dance, but not lacking in movement. Throughout the staging lines were blurred, the chorus members moving (including Peter Sellers-like hand gestures), and Anna Dennis's expressive performance shading into movement too.

Handel: Susanna - Anna Dennis, with Tony Polo and Aaron Chaplin from Phoenix Dance Theatre - Opera North, Phoenix Dance Theatre (Photo: Tristram Kenton)

Susanna can sometimes seem a strange mix of serious and lighter elements with the large-scale choruses providing a challenge to directors. The production's focus was very much on the figure of Susanna and her powerful integrity. Even when completely cornered, Anna Dennis radiated intelligence and integrity, and at the opening of Act Three a simmering anger too. Dennis's performance was mesmerising. We saw her in the role earlier this year with the Dunedin Consort [see my review], but this staging seemed to add another layer to her performance. Even when still or silent she blazed, and this Susanna was a real focus. She was delightful in the 'Crystal Streams' aria, sung in her bath. Then her interaction with the Elders (Colin Judson and Karl Huml) was all outrage. As the drama developed, her focused intensity brought out the quality of Handel's music.

The character of Joacim can seem a bit of an add-on to the drama. He duets with Susanna in Act One, but then absent from home, he simply opens and closes Act Two and only returns at the end of Act Three after the drama is over. Here Olivia Fuchs managed to make James Hall's Joacim seem integral to the drama, helped by Hall's remarkable performance. In Joacim's final aria at the end of Act Two, when he has learned of Susanna's fate, Hall was both searing in his intensity and remarkably physical; his presence was overwhelming and you sense that this mattered. When Joacim finally appeared towards the end of Act Three, Hall made him seem almost approaching physical collapse.

Whilst the opera did end happily, this happiness was hard won. Fuchs did not provide her characters with an easy solution, the staging of Joacim's return and the scenes with Susanna was masterly as the two struggled to achieve some sort of equilibrium. This made the final scenes and their ultimate reconciliation all the more moving.

There was certainly nothing comic about Colin Judson and Karl Huml's performances as the Elders. Both were middle-aged, both entitled, the parallels were obvious yet this was done without pressing. And the final scenes included Anna Dennis enacting Susanna's humiliation on them!

Handel: Susanna - Colin Judson, Anna Dennis, Karl Huml - Opera North, Phoenix Dance Theatre (Photo: Tristram Kenton)

Matthew Brook's Chelsias was all good nature and bonhomie. Brook brought out the musicality of the role, and I rather enjoyed the way his eruption into proceedings at the end of Act Three was somewhat tone deaf; neither Hall's Joacim nor Dennis's Susanna were quite ready.

Claire Lees' Daniel was presented as bright, intelligent and other. It wasn't just Daniel's otherness when it came to gender fluidity, but they were the first splash of vivid colour all evening. Lees was wonderfully engaging, particularly the way she drew Dennis's Susanna and Hall's Joacim together after Susanna seemed to get too focused on Daniel! Amy Freston provided stylish support as Susanna's attendant in Act Two, whilst Dean Robinson was the dignified judge at the end of Act Three.

The chorus was on terrific form. Not only were several roles played by chorus members (Amy Freston, Clare Lees, Dean Robinson) but the chorus, movement and dance seemed to be remarkably integrated. There were rarely any moments where you felt the performance split into separate singing and dancing. In terms of Handelian oratorio, the performance was more than creditable too. This is a chorus touring Handel and Puccini, yet chameleon-like there was no bleed over.

Similarly the orchestra was on stylish form. Yes, these were clearly modern instruments (barring the continuo instruments) but the sound world was well into the historically informed territory. There were few moments when 19th or 20th century over-romanticism crept in. Johanna Soller drew fine performances from all concerned. Her tempos seemed natural, and there was little sense that the dance element was taking precedence as can sometimes happen.

Handel: Susanna - Dylan Springer held aloft by Tony Polo, Teige Bisnought, Aaron Chaplin and Hannah McGlashon of Phoenix Dance Theatre - Opera North, Phoenix Dance Theatre (Photo: Tristram Kenton)

The whole evening flowed well, and an oratorio that can sometimes struggle to find a happy medium between large musical scale and domestic drama seemed to metamorphose into a very satisfying dance drama. I never felt that Willis's choreography pulled focus from the singers, and often it contributed even if the dancers were in the background. Clearly this staging was an experiment, and must be counted a very real success.

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