In 2017 Garsington Opera will extend to an eight week season from Thursday 1 June – Sunday 30 July. The main season will expand from three to four opera productions annually, and will see the start of a partnership with the Philharmonia Orchestra. In addition, next year  there will be a large scale, newly commissioned community opera.

The season will open with a new production of Handel’s Semele to be conducted by Jonathan Cohen with  Annilese Miskimmon directing.  The Philharmonia Orchestra will be joining for a new production of Pelléas et Mélisande with conductor Jac van Steen and director Michael Boyd.  John Cox’s celebrated production of Le nozze di Figaro will be recreated for the Wormsley stage, conducted by Douglas Boyd , and Martin Duncan’s acclaimed production of Rossini’s Il turco in Italia will be conducted by David Parry.

Silver Birch, a new commission by composer Roxanna Panufnik and librettist Jessica Duchen, uniting professional artists with 170 members of the local community, will be presented by Garsington Opera’s Learning and Participation programme.  It will be conducted by Douglas Boyd and directed by Karen Gillingham.