Summer 2020 sees new productions of La Cenerentola and Manon Lescaut as well as a remake of Paul Curran’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Dance@TheGrange continues with a thrilling programme of new commissions, award-winning pieces and critically-acclaimed dancers

The season also includes two staged concert performances of My Fair Lady and concludes with Jonathan Dove’s community opera, The Monster in the Maze, in what will be the opera’s first fully-staged production in a UK opera house

The Grange Festival’s ambitious fourth season is set to start on Friday 5 June 2020 with an exciting new programme of opera, including its first fully-staged community opera, dance and a concert staging of a musical. The Festival’s residency partnership with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra continues with the orchestra accompanying nearly all productions during the 2020 season.

Following their witty staging of The Barber of Seville in 2018, director Stephen Barlow and conductor David Parry reunite to open the season on 5 June with more Rossini. Their new production of La Cenerentola boasts a strong international cast led by Sicilian mezzo-soprano Josè Maria Lo Monaco who returns to The Grange to sing the title role of Cinderella/Angelina, with the young Maltese tenor Nico Darmanin as her prince, Don Ramiro.

The following night (6 June) Britten expert Paul Curran revives his heralded production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which was first seen in Valencia in 2016. ROH Young Artist Patrick Terry sings Oberon with former ENO Harewood Artist Rhian Lois as Tytania and Festival favourite Jonathan Lemalu as Bottom. Hampshire children play the fairies. Clever programming sees further performances fall on the 60th anniversary to the day of the premiere (11 June), as well as on the summer solstice (20 June) and midsummer’s day (24 June). Anthony Kraus conducts all performances.

After his success in Falstaff last year, Francesco Cilluffo returns to The Grange Festival to conduct Puccini’s Manon Lescaut in a new production by Stephen Lawless which opens on 21 June. Having sung the roles of Alice and Ford in Falstaff, Elin Pritchard and Nicholas Lester now sing Manon and her brother Lescaut respectively. 2017 Grange Festival International Singing Competition finalist Samuel Sakker sings Des Grieux.

The Festival’s first musical - Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady - receives two performances (3, 4 July) and will be directed by Guy Unsworth and conducted by Alfonso Casado Trigo, who led the hugely successful Candide in 2018. After her Festival debut as Susanna (Figaro) in 2019, Ellie Laugharne shows her versatility as a singer by taking the principal role of Eliza Doolittle.

This summer also sees the return of Dance@TheGrange directed by Wayne McGregor, the Festival’s Director of Dance, who has commissioned two new pieces for the Festival. Principal of The Royal Ballet and Festival Patron Edward Watson will perform a new work created for him by the South African dancer and Olivier Award nominated choreographer Mthuthuzeli November who enthralled audiences at The Grange in 2019, whilst US-based British choreographer Gemma Bond returns home for her first-ever commission in the UK. In addition, Brandon Lawrence and Celine Gittens, both Principal dancers with Birmingham Royal Ballet, will perform Wayne McGregor’s Olivier Award winning duet from 2Human. Company Wayne McGregor’s magical work FAR concludes its ten-year global tour with its final performances at the Festival.

Highlighting its commitment to education and community outreach, The Grange Festival culminates with two performances (18, 19 July) of Jonathan Dove’s internationally-acclaimed opera for children, young people and adults, The Monster in the Maze, in what will be the work’s first fully-staged production in a UK opera house.

Directed by Thomas Guthrie and conducted by Alice Farnham, the cast includes Xavier Hetherington as Theseus, Henry Waddington as Daedalus, Yvonne Howard as Mother, and brings together 200 members of the local Hampshire community (120 children, teenagers, parents and grandparents aged between 7 and 70+, as well as 80 musicians from the Hampshire Country Youth Orchestra) to participate in the opera as the people of Athens. The voice of Minos, King of Crete, will be recorded by Stephen Fry.

Artistic Director Michael Chance comments: “We present another distinctive programme, imagined for The Grange and building on our three-year legacy. We are fortunate to attract so many operatic luminaries. I feel confident that the collaborations, the opportunities for emerging singers, the celebration of eminent names, as well as the devising of insightful and penetrating productions will electrify our audiences.”

Public booking opens on 10 March 2020

5, 12, 14, 19, 27 June, 2 July 2020
The Grange, Northington

David Parry conductor | Stephen Barlow director | Andrew D Edwards designer | Sinéad McKenna lighting designer | Josè Maria Lo Monaco Angelina | Nico Darmanin Don Ramiro | Christian Senn Dandini | Luciano di Pasquale Don Magnifico | Roberto Lorenzi Alidoro | Carolina Lippo Clorinda | Maria Ostroukhova Tisbe | Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Rossini La Cenerentola

6, 11, 13, 20, 24 June 2020
The Grange, Northington

Anthony Kraus conductor | Paul Curran director and set designer | Gabriella Ingram costume designer | Patrick Terry Oberon | Rhian Lois Tytania | Chris Darmanin Puck | Roberto Lorenzi Theseus | Angharad Lyddon Hippolyta | Peter Kirk Lysander | Dominic Sedgwick Demetrius | Angela Simkin Hermia | Eleanor Dennis Helena | Jonathan Lemalu Bottom | Graeme Danby Quince | Ben Johnson Flute | Sion Goronwy Snug | Adrian Thompson Snout | Johnny Herford Starveling | Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Britten A Midsummer Night’s Dream

21, 26, 28 June, 5, 12 July 2020
The Grange, Northington

Francesco Cilluffo conductor | Stephen Lawless director | Adrian Linford designer | Lynne Hockney movement director | Elin Pritchard Manon Lescaut | Nicholas Lester Lescaut | Samuel Sakker Des Grieux | Stephen Richardson Geronte | Kamil Bien Edmondo | Angharad Lyddon Musician | Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Puccini Manon Lescaut

3, 4 July 2020
The Grange, Northington

Alfonso Casado Trigo conductor | Guy Unsworth director | Ellie Laugharne Eliza Doolittle | Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Lerner & Loewe My Fair Lady

10, 11 July 2020
The Grange, Northington

Dance@TheGrange

Mthuthuzeli November choreographer | Edward Watson
New commission

Gemma Bond choreographer
New commission

Wayne McGregor choreographer | Brandon Lawrence | Celine Gittens | Birmingham Royal Ballet
2Human

Wayne McGregor choreographer | Ben Frost Music | Company Wayne McGregor
FAR

18, 19 July 2020
The Grange, Northington

Alice Farnham conductor | Thomas Guthrie director | Ruth Paton designer | Suzi Zumpe choral director | Yvonne Howard Mother | Henry Waddington Daedalus | Xavier Hetherington Theseus | Stephen Fry
the voice of Minos | Hampshire community members The people of Athens | Hampshire Youth Orchestra

Jonathan Dove The Monster in the Maze