Name: Werther
Start: 2023-06-17T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2023-07-12T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Grange Park Opera, Surrey

Organization

Conductor

Christopher Hopkins

Set designer

John Doyle

Stage director

Costume designer

Gabrielle Dalton

Singer

Tenor

Leonardo Capalbo

Werther

Mezzo-soprano

Ginger Costa-Jackson

Charlotte

Baritone

Dominic Sedgwick

Albert

Bass

Alan Ewing

The bailiff

Soprano

Iria Perestrelo

Sophie

Lighting designer

Tim Mitchell

Robin Horgan

Schmidt

Ross Cumming

Johann

Grange Park Opera

Orchestra

The Gascoigne Orchestra

Child vocalist

Noah Evans

Fritz

Georges Wright

Edi Haka

Hans

Joshua Barlow

Karl

Catherine Mulroy

Gretel

Lola Marie Randall

Clara

French

Surrey

United Kingdom

Grange Park Opera, Surrey

Werther Massenet

Public

English

Approved

Accordionist

Instrumentalist

Archlutenist

Baroque Flutist

Baroque Oboist

Baroque Trumpetist

Bassist

Bassoonist

Cellist

Clarinetist

Contrabassist

Cornettist

Flutist

Guitarist

Harper

Harpsichordist

Hornist

Lutenist

Mandoline Player

Musette de cour Player

Oboist

Organist

Percussionist

Pianist

Recorder Player

Saxophonist

Tenor Violinist

Theorbist

Timpani

Trombonist

Trumpeter

Tuba Player

Vibraphonist

Viola Pomposa Player

Viola da gamba

Viola d’amore Player

Violinist

Violino Piccolo Player

Violist

Actor

Broadcasting

Choir

Choreographer

Chorus Director

Chorus master

Composer

Dancer

Dramaturge

Executive producer

Extra

Hairstylist

Illustrator

Librettist

Makeup artist

Orchestra Operations

Other

Photographer

Poet

Repetiteur

Sound designer

Stage Manager

Teacher

Translator

Video designer

Vocal coach

Wig & Makeup Designer

Writer

Writing and performance

Countertenor

Bass-baritone

Contralto

Alto

Continuo

Silent

Spoken

Werther on stage | Grange Park Opera

Massenet’s most erotically charged and emotionally visceral work presents the dazzling American mezzo Ginger Costa-Jackson as Charlotte, breaking the heart of shy poet Werther, played by Leonardo Capalbo.

Will Charlotte succumb to the ardent charms of her gentle, charming lover? Or will she stick with Albert, her dashing betrothed?

Rather than discrete arias, Massenet’s scenes flow in and out of the emotional moment: Werther’s lyrical musings on the beauty of nature, Charlotte’s dark night of the soul, lightened by Sophie’s kindly intrusion and Werther’s Ossianic peroration ‘Pourquoi me réveiller’.

Goethe wrote the novel The Sorrows of Young Werther when he was just 24 and it became an overnight sensation, read – and much copied – throughout European literary circles. Napoleon carried a copy on his Egyptian campaign, it inspired new fashions and even a perfume.

Alas, it also inspired self-harm and not only was the novel banned in Denmark and Leipzig but also the distinctive blue suit and yellow waistcoat that Werther wore.

An opera in four acts

Sung in French with English surtitles

Music: Jules Massenet

Libretto: Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet & Georges Hartmann

First performance: 16 February 1892, Hofoper, Vienna

UK première: 11 June 1894, Covent Garden

Cast & Creatives
WERTHER, a young poet  ∙ LEONARDO CAPALBO   
CHARLOTTE, aged 20 ∙  GINGER COSTA JACKSON
SOPHIE, her sister, aged 15 ∙ IRIA PERESTRELO
ALBERT, betrothed to Charlotte, aged 25 ∙  DOMINIC SEDGWICK      Sponsor Julian Hardwick
LE BAILLI, Charlotte’s father ∙  ALAN EWING      Sponsor Kevin Egan & Judith Lawless 
SCHMIDT, a friend of Le Bailli ∙  ROBIN HORGAN
JOHANN, a friend of Le Bailli ∙  ROSS CUMMING


CONDUCTOR ∙ CHRISTOPHER HOPKINS
DIRECTOR / DESIGNER ∙ JOHN DOYLE
COSTUME DESIGNER ∙ GABRIELLE DALTON
LIGHTING DESIGNER ∙ TIM MITCHELL

ORCHESTRA ∙ THE GASCOIGNE ORCHESTRA (formerly the Garsington Opera Orchestra)

Werther by Massenet, From (2023/2023), Directed by John Doyle,, Conductor Christopher Hopkins, Grange Park Opera, Surrey, Surrey, United Kingdom

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble

Programme, About & Synopsis

Reviews

Videos

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues