Wild Arts: The Marriage of Figaro at Opera Holland Park

Mozart’s much-loved comic opera The Marriage of Figaro comes to Opera Holland Park for a summer evening of mistaken identities, romantic intrigue and some of the composer’s most memorable music.

Presented by Wild Arts, this new production follows the company’s sold-out appearances at Opera Holland Park with Eugene Onegin and The Elixir of Love. It will be performed in Wild Arts’ characteristically intimate, pared-back style, placing storytelling and the performers at the centre of the experience.

The production also marks the directing debut of internationally recognised opera singer Danielle de Niese, who has created a new English translation with musical director Orlando Jopling. Performing the opera in English offers audiences a direct route into its fast-moving comedy and sharply observed relationships.

The story begins on the morning of Figaro and Susanna’s wedding. Their celebrations are complicated when they discover that their employer, Count Almaviva, has developed an interest in Susanna. What follows is a single eventful day of disguises, misunderstandings and carefully planned tricks as the household’s servants attempt to outwit their master.

Beneath the comedy, Mozart’s opera explores marriage, loyalty, class and the shifting balance of power between people who live and work under the same roof. Its enduring appeal lies in the way these themes are combined with warmth, humanity and a succession of finely drawn characters.

The score includes the energetic overture, the Countess’s reflective aria Dove sono and a jubilant final sequence in which the day’s confusion is gradually resolved. Together, the music and drama create a work that remains accessible to first-time opera visitors while offering considerable depth for experienced audiences.

The cast includes Jack Sandison as Figaro, Ellie Neate as Susanna, Timothy Nelson as Count Almaviva and Elinor Rolfe Johnson as Countess Almaviva. Abbie Ward performs the role of Cherubino, with Olivia Ray as Marcellina and Eleanor O’Driscoll as Barbarina.

Danielle de Niese directs the production, with Orlando Jopling serving as musical director and Laura Stanfield as designer. The singers are joined by the Wild Arts Ensemble, led by violinist Eleanor Corr.

Wild Arts is known for compact, theatrically focused productions that bring established performers and emerging artists together. Its approach emphasises immediacy and a close connection between performers and audiences, making it particularly well suited to the open-sided theatre at Opera Holland Park.

Located within Holland Park, the theatre is one of Kensington and Chelsea’s most distinctive summer cultural venues. Its setting among gardens, woodland and the remains of Holland House gives each production a strong connection to its surroundings and to the wider character of the neighbourhood.

Wild Arts: The Marriage of Figaro takes place on Saturday 22 August 2026 at 7.30pm.

Tickets are listed from £35 to £165, although several seating categories are already sold out and availability may change. Visitors should consult the official Opera Holland Park website for current ticket information before attending.

For residents and visitors looking for opera and cultural events in Kensington and Chelsea, this production offers an opportunity to experience one of Mozart’s best-known works in an accessible English-language staging.

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