Dorset Opera Festival

11/05/2026

Donizetti’s 𝑳'𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒓 𝒅'𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆
Dorset Opera Festival — July 21–25 2026

Fall under the spell of the elixir of love 💖

Meet the soloists who will bring this enchanting story to life…

✨Adina — Haeran Hong
✨Nemorino — Jay Broadhurst
✨Belcore — Jonathan Eyers
✨Dulcamara — Aidan Smith
✨Gianetta - Daisy Lapworth

Internationally acclaimed soprano Haeran Hong takes the role of Adina in Dorset Opera Festival’s 2026 production of 𝘓'𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘳 𝘥'𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, bringing glamour, brilliance and star quality to Donizetti’s beloved romantic comedy.

Alongside her, rising British tenor Jay Broadhurst sings Nemorino — a role perfectly suited to one of the most exciting young voices to emerge in recent years.

Daisy Lapworth is known to Dorset Opera Festival audiences as she rose through our international summer school. She brings warmth and sparkle to Gianetta, the village beauty at the heart of the gossip and fun.

A baritone from New Zealand having performed widely in the UK and Europe and now based in London, much-praised Jonathan Eyers sings the swaggering Sergeant Belcore, Nemorino’s confident romantic rival.
Celebrated for his comic flair and stage presence, bass-baritone Aidan Smith takes the role of the irrepressible Dr Dulcamara, the travelling quack whose mysterious “elixir” changes everything…

A sparkling cast, full chorus and orchestra, picnics on the lawns, bring (alongside our second opera of the season, Saint-Saëns’ 𝑺𝒂𝒎𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒆𝒕 𝑫𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒍𝒂) five unforgettable days of opera in glorious Dorset.

Book tickets: https://tickets.dorsetopera.com/sales/

30/04/2026

Age 40 or under? Enjoy opera for less than half price.

Join us for Donizetti’s 𝑳'𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒓 𝒅'𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 on Friday 24 July at 7pm — a sparkling, romantic comedy with a wonderfully happy ending, performed in the theatre at Bryanston.

Begin your evening with picnics on the lawns before moving indoors for a wonderful night of opera.

Just 100 £40 tickets available.

👉 https://www.dorsetopera.com

20/03/2026

Our Music Director Jeremy and Orchestral Assistant Seymour have been up and down the country this week auditioning students at and for the orchestral academy scheme. They are suitably impressed with what these students have to offer! We look forward to seeing some of them in the orchestra for this summer’s festival!

22/02/2026

Was anyone else completely thrilled to see the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics being a wonderful celebration of opera, too? Did anyone have any favourite bits? Well done Italy! 🇮🇹 ❤️

19/01/2026

With Robert Picardo – we just got recognised as one of his top fans! 🎉 Look at us boldy going!

17/01/2026

We were very sorry to learn of the death this week of the highly respected opera critic Andrew Clements.

An outstanding critical voice, his deep knowledge and love of music was evident in everything he wrote

16/01/2026

VERY cool Science Fiction / Opera Crossover alert! Many of you will remember gorgeous Canadian Jamie Groote who sang Pamina in our Magic Flute 2022, Countess Almaviva in Marriage of Figaro 2023 and Fancy Day in Under the Greenwood Tree 2024 ... Jamie landed the exciting appearance of an (as you can see stunningly-glamorous-despite-trekky-prosthetics) opera singing alien in the new Star Trek spin-off and it's just out... series 1, episode 2. We understand you can now watch it on Paramount+ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗸 have included opera in their story lines several times - principally because actor Robert Picardo (pictured here with Jamie (he has been the Medical Hologram for light years) has a great personal interest in opera - and he's a singer, too.

03/01/2026

What an extraordinary county Dorset is! 🌿🎶 This great article highlights 58 wonderful events taking place across the county in 2026 — Dorset Opera Festival among them (and yes, we may be biased, but it’s a rather special one!). A superb reminder of the richness and variety on our doorstep. Take a look and start planning your cultural diary!…

Helen Stiles picks 58 events in Dorset that you won’t want to miss in 2026

11/12/2025

03/08/2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5-star review for Dorset Opera Festival..."𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨". David Mellor, writing in today's Mail on Sunday