Stripped back drama & strong musical values: Richard Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos from Glyndebourne Opera at the BBC Proms

Richard Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos - Samantha Hankey, Alina Wunderlin, Robin Ticciati, LPO
Glyndebourne Opera at BBC Proms (Photo: BBC/Chris Christodoulou)

Richard Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos; Rachel Willis-Sørensen, David Butt Philip, Alina Wunderlin, Samantha Hankey, director: Paul Higgins, London Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor: Robin Ticciati, Glyndebourne Opera; BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall
Reviewed 19 August 2026

A stripped back production, but the singers drew us in thanks to high musical values and attention to dramatic detail, creating a satisfying operatic evening.

The Royal Albert Hall is not the most sympathetic of opera venues, but sometimes the need to simplify an existing production can reap all sorts of rewards. In 2024, Glyndebourne Opera brought Bizet's Carmen to the BBC Proms in a production based on that Diane Paulus created for the festival. The result, I felt was 'Intelligent, vivid & satisfying' [see my review].

Having seen a deeply disappointing reinvention of Richard Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos in Salzburg [see my review], I was intrigued to see how the opera stood up to the rigours of the Royal Albert Hall for this year's Glyndebourne Prom. The verdict is 'very well indeed'.

On 19 August 2026, Glyndebourne presented Richard Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos at the Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms. Robin Ticciati conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the production by Paul Higgins was based on Laurent Pelly's new production at Glyndebourne. Rachel Willis-Sørensen was Ariadne, David Butt Philip was Bacchus, Alina Wunderlin was Zerbinetta and Samantha Hankey was the Composer.

There was little or no set, just a pair of doorways in the Prologue to which were added platforms for the opera proper. Laurent Pelly's costumes were largely contemporary and these, combined with the clarity of the production meant that in the Prologue it was clear from the word go who was whom is the mad-cap mayhem of the backstage.

The Prologue was rightly dominated by Samantha Hankey's anxious and intense composer, his attitude emphasised by Hankey's contorted body language and rather fierce makeup. Wearing a rather uninspiring suit, this composer was very much the obsessive, redeemed by Hankey's glorious way with Strauss's music. Each time she/he contemplated music beauties, things soared. Michael Kraus was an older, rather severe Music Master.

On the other side of the divide, so to speak, was Ru Charlesworth's wonderfully glittering dancing master. Charlesworth made the role seem more than it is, combining fine musicality with deft footwork and great personality. This was helped by the Zerbinetta of Alina Wunderlin who had trouble bringing charm and devilishment to the Royal Albert Hall. And she was aided by her mischievous foursome, Mikhail Timoshenko, Caspar Singh, Liam James Karai and Liam Bonthrone. Both Rachel Willis-Sørensen and David Butt Philip made the most of their comic personas in the part.

Richard Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos - Liam Bonthrone, Caspar Singh, Ru Charlesworth, Rachel Willis-Sørensen, Alina Wunderlin, Robin Ticciati, LPO - Glyndebourne Opera at BBC

One advantage of the production was the not only was it clear what was going on, but Prologue's thread of contemplating exactly what a work of art is and how it is created was well demonstrated. All this emphasised by William Relton's wonderfully acerbic Majordomo.

Hankey's composer continued to lurk during the opera in the second part, but without any proper context that might have made sense of Hankey's presence. The staging here was basic, requiring Rachel Willis-Sørensen to lie on the floor. But the singers' commitment and dramatic purpose carried you away and it was perhaps helpful not to have too many directorial pensées.

Anna Denisova, Ekaterina Chayka-Rubinstein, Eirin Rognerud made a fine trio as Naiad, Dryad and Echo, though here they were treated equally. The three brought fine-grained tone and sophistication to their backing group contributions.

Rachel Willis-Sørensen made a sober, serious, yet compelling Ariadne. This Ariadne was well aware of the madcap activities going on around her and reacted. This made the long build up to Bacchus's appearance all the more vivid, particularly as she brought a lovely focused intensity to 'Es gibt ein Reich'. Willis-Sørensen has an ample, richly generous voice with a lovely sense of line, yet as well as letting it open up and fill the hall, she was able to fine things down to haunting intimacy. She made you have a real sympathy for this Ariadne.

Richard Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos - Samantha Hankey, Mikhail Timoshenko, Caspar Singh, Liam James Karai, Liam Bonthrone, Robin Ticciati, LPO - Glyndebourne Opera at BBC Proms (Photo: BBC/Chris Christodoulou)

As Bacchus, David Butt Philip was apparently tireless and this was probably one of the best sung accounts of the role I have heard. It made you realise what we are missing out now that his career is largely based outside the UK. Both he and Willis-Sørensen were alert to the nuances in their roles, paying attention to the text. The result was that, though entirely serious and intent, the first part of their scene together was something of a (tragi)-comedy of misunderstanding. An approach that brought remarkable subtlety to the interpretation, even in the Royal Albert Hall. Incidentally, it was fascinating being able to watch the extent to which Butt Philip used his mid-section (diaphragm/belly) via the visible movement (he was wearing a tight vest under his open robe), making it clear the sheer amount of work went into make that high tenor sound so effortless.

At first, I worried that Alina Wunderlin might be too slim of voice as Zerbinetta for the hall. Certainly there was no doubt about her wonderful coloratura agility, but then in her big scenes in the opera proper, notably but not exclusively 'Grossmächtige Prinzessin', she demonstrated a lovely ability to simply work the room, even a room as wide as the Royal Albert Hall. This turned parts of Grossmächtige Prinzessin' into a wonderfully bravura cabaret.

Mikhail Timoshenko made an energetic and engagingly naughty Harlekin, whilst he plus Caspar Singh (Scaramuccio), Liam James Karai (Truffaldino) and Liam Bonthrone (Brighella) made a lively foursome and in this production they did sing and dance to vivid effect.

Richard Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos - Rachel Willis-Sørensen, Anna Denisova, Ekaterina Chayka-Rubinstein, Eirin Rognerud, Robin Ticciati, LPO - Glyndebourne Opera at BBC Proms (Photo: BBC/Chris Christodoulou)

The staging had little scope for transformation at the end, but we hardly needed it with the attention to detail that Willis-Sørensen and Butt Philip gave the music, so that by the end we were indeed ravished.

Robin Ticciati and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, in more chamber formation, provided fast changing and vivid colours in the music. This is an opera where emotions change rapidly and their account of the score reflected that. In the past, I have found balance problems with Ticciati conducting the full London Philharmonic on the Royal Albert Hall stage, but not here. Everything was sympathetically supportive.

The musical values ensured that this performance was memorable. But the attention to detail from all the singers meant that there was a vivid vein of drama running through the evening too, making it all the more dramatically compelling.

Rachel Willis-Sørensen: Ariadne
David Butt Philip: Bacchus
Alina Wunderlin: Zerbinetta
Mikhail Timoshenko: Harlequin
Caspar Singh: Scaramuccio
Liam James Karai: Truffaldino
Liam Bonthrone: Brighella
Samantha Hankey: Composer
Michael Kraus: Music Master
Ru Charlesworth: Dancing Master
Anna Denisova: Naiad
Ekaterina Chayka-Rubinstein: Dryad
Eirin Rognerud: Echo
William Relton: Majordomo

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