Bampton Classical Opera

From modest beginnings in 1993, originally under the auspices of West Ox Arts, Bampton Classical Opera has grown to be respected as one of the UK’s most accomplished and interesting small companies.  

In addition to annual staged productions in the delightful Deanery Garden, adjacent to St Mary’s (which becomes our indoor ‘opera house’ if the weather causes upset), BCO performs regularly at the magnificent Victorian-country-house venue of Westonbirt School near Tetbury, and at St John’s Smith Square in Westminster (now re-named as Smith Square Hall), one of London’s architectural masterpieces.  It has performed at festivals around the country and, most remarkably, has twice recently been selected as a finalist in the prestigious International Opera Awards, effectively the Oscars of the operatic world.  Each year it attracts national critics and glowing press reviews, most recently in the magazine Opera Now which claims “there’s still nothing lovelier in the British operatic summer than Bampton Classical Opera”.

Bampton has won over many converts to opera, a form of music theatre which can sometimes appear forbidding to those who are unfamiliar – how does the Bampton magic work?  Our Deanery venue (with huge thanks to the owners Mr and Mrs Armitage) is loved by our audiences and the event is delightfully relaxed – dress up or how you wish, bring a picnic or order one ready-made, sample our well-stocked bar – and settle down to enjoy an evening of stunning singing (with orchestra) by some of the UK’s finest and liveliest young singer-actors.  

All of our operas come from the time of Mozart but our ‘USP’ is to select little-performed rarities, which give audiences something fresh and intriguing, rather than the familiar repertory which can be heard anywhere.  One of the composers we’ve especially ‘adopted’ has been Antonio Salieri (1750-1825), and this year’s opera The Landlady (La locandiera) has been chosen to mark the 200th anniversary of the composer’s death.  Salieri’s melodious and often hilarious operas are hardly ever performed nowadays, despite in his lifetime being the most accomplished and respected opera composer across Europe, teacher of Beethoven and Schubert amongst many others.

As with all Bampton operas, the Italian script of The Landlady (La locandiera) has been translated into English and audiences always love our appealing rhyming versions.  It’s a charming comedy about the tribulations of a wily and determined tavern landlady, Mirandolina, who has to fight off the unwanted attentions of her gentleman guests, but also rashly takes on the challenge of ‘educating’ the Baron, a man who claims to dismiss and dislike all women.  Mirandolina proves to be a feisty feminist, determined to show the Baron just who wears the trousers.

Tickets are selling fast: www.bamptonopera.org  or telephone 01993 851142.  Bampton Classical Opera has been running to national acclaim for over 30 years – if you haven’t been before, don’t miss it whilst it’s still here!  Remember you need to bring garden chairs as we don’t provide seating – it’s part of our relaxed ethos.

“Brilliant – won me over to opera”; “The performers were such wonderful singers and actors – music was divine, and the whole experience was delightful!”; “This company could seduce even the most resistant critic into the world of opera” (recent audience comments). 

Driver volunteer needed: We are looking for someone to help as a van driver to transport our scenery and costumes to central London and back on Tuesday 16 September, with pick-up/unload day before and day after in Bampton.  Hire vehicle possible.  

Please email jeremy@bamptonopera.org for details.

Website: https://www.bamptonopera.org/eventfuturedetail.htm?event=770