Opera in the Garden: Thursday 29th June
Passion, Pathos and Musical Surprises
Join us on Thursday 29th June 2023 in the Garden of Kingfishers, Normandy Lane, Lymington for a very special evening performance in collaboration with The Curious Club and in aid of Lymington charity, força - strength against cancer.
Enjoy music from the world's most beautiful Operas and Operettas by four of the UK's most inspiring and talented singers. Tenor Colin Judson will be joined by soprano Ellie Laugharne, baritone James Cleverton and mezzo-soprano Annabella-Vesala Ellis, accompanied by the outstanding Matthew Fletcher on the piano.
Unique open-air performance by four world-class singers
This unique open-air performance by four world-class singers will bring a taste of Glyndebourne to Lymington in the most stunning of settings! Taking place in the garden of Kingfishers in Normandy Lane, Lymington, Hampshire, enjoy picturesque views of the Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve and Solent shore across to the Isle of Wight. The garden will be open from 5 pm with the performance starting at 7 pm.
Picnic on the lawn overlooking the Solent
Bring chairs and rugs, relax and enjoy a picnic on the lawn before the performance. Food and drink will be available at the event (read on for more details!) or bring your own picnic.
Book your tickets now!
Tickets cost just £35 per adult and £25 per person aged under 16, plus booking fee.
Food and Drink options at Opera in the Garden
Once you've booked your tickets, it's time to think about your picnic! The following food options will be available from local businesses for the event, or bring your own picnic. Pre-order a mouthwatering picnic from The Kitchen Social or purchase at the event from The Chilli Chain, The Tipsy Toastie, New Forest Fruit, an Ice Cream van and The Trough Horsebox Bar.
Parking and how to get to Opera in the Garden
Field parking will be available at the event, with access from Viney Lane. Full details will be communicated to ticket holders nearer the time.
Welcoming 5 of the UK's most talented & inspiring performers to Lymington
Colin Judson - Tenor
A frequent guest soloist at the Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne Festival and English National Opera, Colin Judson has established himself as one of the most sought-after character tenors of his generation.
Current engagements include a return to the Royal Opera House as Monostatos Die Zauberflöte, Old Prisoner From the House of the Dead at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Don Basilio and Don Curzio with Glyndebourne Festival, Mime in Wagner’s Siegfried with the Grimeborn Opera Festival and return to Opera North.
Recent appearances include his debut with Opera de Paris as Funeral Director A Quiet Place, Youth, Hotel Porter and Guest Death in Venice, Pang Turandot, Snout A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Kunz Vogelgesang Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Night Porter Death in Venice at the Royal Opera House, Vogelgesang Die Meistersinger, Gamekeeper Rusalka, Bardolfo Falstaff, Squeak Billy Budd and the Schoolmaster Cunning Little Vixen with the Glyndebourne Festival, Spoletta Tosca, Don Basilio Le nozze di Figaro and High Priest of Amon Akhnaten for English National Opera, Flute A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Opera North, Mime Siegfried for Longborough Opera Festival, Opéra national du Rhin, Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, Lisbon, Laca Jenůfa for Pacific Opera Victoria, Dr Caius for Garsington Opera, Bob Boles Peter Grimes for Bergen National Opera and Pedrillo Die Entführung aus dem Serail for Cologne Opera.
Ellie Laugharne - Soprano
Ellie Laugharne is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Birmingham University. She began her career as a Jerwood Young Artist at the Glyndebourne Festival and more recently was an Associate Artist for Opera North and a Company Artist for The Mozartists.
Career Highlights include: Susanna Le nozze di Figaro (The Grange Festival); Eliza Doolittle My Fair Lady (The Grange Festival and Gran Teatro del Liceu, Barcelona); Frasquita Carmen, Cupid Orpheus in the Underworld, Phyllis Iolanthe, Barbarina The Marriage of Figaro (English National Opera); Gianetta The Gondoliers, Princess Zara Utopia Limited, Adina L’elisir d’amore, Frasquita Carmen, Mabel The Pirates of Penzance (Scottish Opera); Pamina The Magic Flute, Despina Cosí fan tutte, Gretel Hänsel und Gretel, Susanna Le nozze di Figaro (Opera North); Polissena Radamisto (English Touring Opera); Susanna Le nozze di Figaro, Lucia The Rape of Lucretia (Glyndebourne on Tour); Governess The Turn of the Screw, Tina Flight, Zerlina Don Giovanni (Opera Holland Park); Bastienne Bastien&Bastienne, Zerlina Don Giovanni, Temperantia Applausus, Emirena Adriano in Siria (The Mozartists); Helene La Belle Helene (Blackheath Halls); Sandrina La Finta Giardiniera, Edna Tobias and the Angel (Buxton Festival); Valencienne The Merry Widow (International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival).
James Cleverton - Baritone
James Cleverton trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Zürich International Opera Studio. Described by the Guardian as “outstanding, handsome-sounding and wonderfully subtle”, he has performed roles including Alberich in Das Rheingold and The Protector Written on Skin (Benjamin) for the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Horemhab Akhnaten and Aristeaus the Man Mask of Orpheus for ENO, Gusmano Alzira (Verdi) for the Buxton International Festival, and Papageno The Magic Flute for Scottish Opera.
On the concert platform, notable engagements include Carmina Burana at the Royal Albert Hall with the RPO and Handel’s Messiah at the Symphony Hall Birmingham with the CBSO.
Annabella-Vesala Ellis - Mezzo Soprano
British-born Bulgarian/Turkish Annabella-Vesala Ellis is an alumni member of The Alexander Gibson Opera Studio (Royal Conservatoire Scotland), the Royal Academy of Music where she completed her Masters and Guildhall School of Music & Drama where she completed her Undergraduate studies. She won second prize both in the Isabella Jay Aria competition and the English Lied (Ivor Gurney). Annabella is a winner of the Norfolk Young Musician competition and in 2017 won second prize in the Ljuba Welitsch Vocal International Competition, Vienna. She has performed with include Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Longbrough Festival Opera, British Youth Opera, Dorset Opera, Regents Opera, Swansea City Opera, Devon Opera and Orquesta Reino de Aragón.
Recent engagements include Constance Fenimore Woolson The Master (Wexford Festival Opera); Neferneferuaten Akhnaten (ENO); New Ofglen The Handmaid’s Tale (ENO); Ankhesenpaaten Akhnaten (Opéra de Nice); Despina Così fan Tutte (Opéra de Nice); Rosina (Barber of Seville) and Orlovsky (Die Fledermaus) in several venues across Europe; Mercédès (Carmen), Suzuki (Madame Butterfly), Tonina (Prima la Musica), Mrs Coyle in (Owen Wingrave) and has covered Carmen, Dorabella (Cosi fan Tutti), La Mère/Mezzo 2 (Le Vin Herbé), Le Loup (Les Malheurs d’Orphée). She has performed alto solo in Bach’s St John Passion; Mozart’s Requiem and C Minor Mass; Bach’s B Minor Mass and his Christmas Oratorio. Annabella has also performed as a soloist in an adapted version of Aida (Savonlinna Opera Festival).
Accompanied by Matthew Fletcher on piano
Matthew Fletcher is an award-winning accompanist, chamber musician and répétiteur. Recent highlights include several televised performances with Danielle De Niese for the BBC, an appearance with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa on Sky Arts, recitals with Sir Thomas Allen, and Wigmore Hall debut recitals with Sam Furness, Gareth Brynmor John and Keri Fuge. He has worked as a répétiteur at Glyndebourne since 2012.
Matthew has won numerous awards for piano accompaniment, including the Help Musicians UK prize for accompaniment at the 2014 Kathleen Ferrier Awards. He is also a vocal coach and Associate at the Royal Academy of Music. Matthew studied at the Royal Academy of Music, with Michael Dussek and Pascal Nemirovsky. He holds a double 1st class degree in music from Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.
