Opera comes to Clapham Grand: The Merry Opera Company in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte

Built as The New Grand Theatre of Varieties in 1900 by a consortium of music-hall artistes, the Grand in Clapham has been through various vicissitudes including periods as a cinema and bingo hall, going dark for over ten years when it failed to become a pub, returning as a live music venue and club, now it is billed as a modern palace of variety.  

What it does not seem to have had is any performances of opera, until now!

As part of its 2026 tour, The Merry Opera Company will be presenting Mozart's Cosi fan tutte at The Clapham Grand on 18 February 2026. The tour opens at Blackheath Halls on 29 January and tours venues in the South East until 4 July.

Sung in Amanda Holden's English translation, the production is directed by John Ramster, with Elle Oldfield, Tilly Green, James Beddoe and Marcus Dawson as the lovers, Fleur de Bray as Despina and Matthew Quirk as Don Alfonso. The production is accompanied at the piano by music director Chad Vindin.

Further details from the Merry Opera website.