Organization

Admin

Buxton International Festival

Conductor

Conductor (+4)

Adrian Kelly

Orchestra

Orchestra of Opera North

Stage director

Stage director (+1)

Jack Furness

Lighting designer

Lighting designer (+1)

Jake Wiltshire

Répétiteur

Erika Gudensent

Buxton Opera House

Baritone (+1)

Gregory Feldmann

Hamlet

Bass (+4)

Alastair Miles

King Claudius

Soprano

Yewon Han

Ophelia

Bass-baritone (+2)

Richard Woodall

Polonius

Mezzo-soprano (+2)

Allison Cook

Queen Gertrude

Tenor

Joshua Baxter

Laertes

Tylor Lamani

Marcellus

Baritone (+2)

Dan D'Souza

Horatio

Bass (+2)

Per Bach Nissen

Ghost of the late King Hamlet

John Ieuan Jones

First gravedigger

Tenor (+2)

James Liu

Second gravedigger

Set designer

Samie Fendall

Violinist (+2)

Katie Stillman

Violin

Violinist

Byron Parish

Tamsin Symons

Claire Osborne

Brian Reilly

Violinist (+1)

Susannah Simmons

Catherine Landen

Katherine New

Oliver Baily

Ian Bone

Alison Dixon

Jacqueline Cima

Helen Greig

Violist

David Aspin

Viola

Lourenço Macedo Sampaio

Anne Trygstad

Clare Gardiner

Katie Jarvis

Vince Parsonage

Cellist

Jessica Burroughs

Cello

Daniel Bull

Lydia Dobson

Damion Browne

Double Bass Player

Claire Sadler

Double Bass

Flautist

Luke O’Toole

Flute

Fiona Colville

Oboist

Richard Hewitt

Oboe

Oboist (+1)

Catherine Lowe

English Horn

Clarinettist (+1)

Oliver Casanovas Nuevo

Clarinet

Clarinettist

Andrew Mason

Bassoonist

Adam Mackenzie

Bassoon

Bassoonist (+1)

David Baker

Hornist

John Pratt

Horn

Alexander Hamilton

Sam Yates

Trumpeter

David Hooper

Trumpet

Trombonist

Blair Sinclair

Trombone

Tom Berry

Trombonist (+1)

Christian Jones

Timpanist

Mark Wagstaff

Timpani

Harpist

Céline Saout

Harp

A Buxton International Festival production, featuring the Orchestra of Opera North

Ambroise Thomas’ Hamlet epitomises the Grand Opera tradition that was popular in 19-century France, a genre that celebrates breath-taking spectacle, dramatic storytelling, large casts and choruses and lush orchestration. Thomas was one of the country’s most acclaimed composers of his day, with Hamlet and Mignon among his best-known works. Hamlet was a sensation, performed 276 times during his lifetime, before fading from the repertoire—until now.

Inspired by Shakespeare’s iconic play, this opera tells a tale of vengeance, madness, and doomed love. It follows the young Danish prince as he encounters his father’s ghost and embarks on a quest for justice and revenge. Thomas’ score intensifies the psychological drama of the tragedy, while giving special prominence to Ophelia, whose role captivated audiences of the era.

‘The music has a bit of everything, wonderful melodies as well as incredible virtuosic scenes and chorus numbers. Hamlet’s rousing drinking song and Ophelia’s mad scene are the best known arias, which singers often use to showcase their voices.  It’s an unforgettable work that’s rarely performed and deserves re-visiting.” Adrian Kelly, BIF’s Artistic Director

Buxton International Festival returns to its roots with this production, having performed Hamlet once before in 1980.  The then fledgling Festival (it was in its second year) put together an extraordinary cast led by Sir Thomas Allen in the title role, with Christine Barbaux as Ophelia and Donald Maxwell as Hamlet’s ghostly father.

Music by A Thomas, libretto by M Carré and J Barbier, based on an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

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