The Glyndebourne Festival for 2021 is set to go ahead and preliminary details of the repertoire have been revealed by the Sussex-based opera house.

Starting in May and running to the end of August, the festival comprises six productions, three of which will be brand new. Janáček’s tragedy Kát’a Kabanová (1921) tells the story of its eponymous heroine, trapped in a small town and an unhappy marriage, bullied by her domineering mother-in-law.

Italian director Damiano Michieletto directs this new production, conducted by festival Music Director Robin Ticciati. Czech soprano Kateřina Knĕžíková sings the title role, with Scottish tenor Nicky Spence playing her husband Tichon.

The season includes two Mozart masterpieces: Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute, 1791) and Così fan tutte (Women Are Like That, 1790). Constantin Trinks conducts the first revival of Barbe & Doucet’s fantasy-filled production of the former. American tenor Paul Appleby and Australian soprano Siobhan Stagg sing the main roles of Tamino and Pamina, respectively.

Nicholas Hytner’s staging of Così fan tutte is a much-loved Glyndebourne classic. Celebrated Italian conductor Riccardo Minasi makes his Glyndebourne debut. The cast includes Swedish soprano Ida Falk Winland as Fiordiligi and American mezzo-soprano Stephanie Lauricella as Dorabella. Moscow-born tenor Alexey Neklyudov and British baritone Huw Montague Rendall as their lovers Ferrando and Guglielmo respectively.

Mariame Clément directs Glyndebourne’s new production of Rossini’s sophisticated satire Il turco in Italia (The Turk in Italy, 1814). Conducted by Giancarlo Andretta, the cast includes Russian baritone Rodion Pogossov as the aging writer Don Geronio, Vladikavkaz-born soprano Elena Tsallagova as his young wife Fiorilla and Milan-born base Andrea Mastroni as her lover Selim.

The festival sees its first-ever production of Luisa Miller (1849), Verdi’s tragedy of jealousy and murder. Russian soprano Kristina Mkhitaryan is the tragic Luisa, Belarussian baritone Vladislav Sulimsky sings the role of her father Miller and tenors Charles Castronovo and Ivan Magri share the role of Rodolfo, the man she loves.

Finally, Robin Ticciati conducts a revival of Nikolaus Lehnhoff’s critically acclaimed production of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde (1865). The cast includes New Zealand-born tenor Simon O’Neill and Finnish soprano Miina-Liisa Värelä in the title roles.

The full performance schedule is still to be confirmed and will be released in the new year, to avoid the need for revisions should Covid-19 restrictions remain in place. Tickets will go on sale to the public in March 2021.

 

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Glyndebourne’s Music Director Robin Ticciati conducts a new production of Janáček’s Kát’a Kabanová and a revival of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde (Giorgia Bertazzi).