Small picture of Donizetti

 

 

  

Donizetti's Maria Stuarda

Grange Park Opera, June 7 - July 5, 2005

Production photographs by Alastair Muir, courtesy of Grange Park Opera.

Other photographs courtesy of the Martin Healey Sweet Pea Group

 

Grange Park, a one time derelict country house in Southern England, has become an operatic festival venue increasingly notable for its performances in the new theatre that has been created in the old orangery,  as well as its more obvious social attractions.

Grange tents

 

This year, one of the featured operas was Donizetti's Maria Stuarda, the second production in Britain this year, the other being that from English Touring Opera.

 

The cast includes:-

Maria (Majella Cullagh)

Elizabeth (Janis Kelly)

Leicester (Adrian Dwyer)

Talbot (Jonathan Best)

Cecil (Quentin Hayes)

Anna (Harriet Williams)

 

The director is Stephen Langridge, designer George Souglides and conductor Sergio La Stella

 

Maria Stuarda at the Grange 1

Elizabeth (Janis Kelly)

 

Maria Stuarda at the Grange 2

The Act 2 confrontation between Elizabeth and Maria (Majella Cullagh)

 

Maria Stuarda at the Grange 3

Mary's Prayer (final scene)

 

Queen of dissent: Mary Stuart and the opera in her honour by Carlo Coccia, by Alexander Weatherson gives the background of the opera and, in particular, its relationship to an earlier Mary Stuart opera by Coccia.   

 

 

 

Page initially published in  2005