Opera Holland Park is a summer

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

company which produces an annual season of opera performances, staged under a temporary canopy in front of the remains of

Holland House Holland House, originally known as Cope Castle, was an early Jacobean architecture, Jacobean country house in Kensington, London, situated in a country estate that is now Holland Park. It was built in 1605 by the diplomat Sir Walter Cope. The b ...

, a

Blitz Blitz, German for "lightning", may refer to: Military uses *Blitzkrieg, blitz campaign, or blitz, a type of military campaign *The Blitz, the German aerial campaign against Britain in the Second World War *, several ships of the Prussian, Imperia ...

-damaged building in

Holland Park Holland Park is an area of Kensington, on the western edge of Central London, that lies within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and largely surrounds its namesake park, Holland Park. Colloquially referred to as 'Millionaire's Row', ...

, west central

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

City of London Sinfonia City of London Sinfonia (CLS) is an English chamber orchestra based in London. CLS is orchestra-in-residence at Opera Holland Park since 2004 and holds a residency at St Paul's Cathedral. CLS also performs regularly across the city of London i ...

has held the position of resident orchestra since 2003. Opera Holland Park was named by Hugh Canning as best opera company in his 'best and worst in classical and opera 2010' in ''

The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of N ...

''. The front of house space was used as a location in Woody Allen's 2010 film

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger ''You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger'' is a 2010 comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen and starring Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Gemma Jones, Freida Pinto, Lucy Punch, and Naomi Watts. It premiered at the Can ...

Theatre and canopy structure

The current theatre canopy was designed in 2007 by Architen Landrell and Hall + Bednarczyk and covers an area of 1600 square metres. It is completely free standing and designed to be craned into position over three days, followed by a fit-out period of two weeks. The inside layout was re-design to meet

Covid-19 restrictions During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of non-pharmaceutical interventions, particularly lockdowns (encompassing stay-at-home orders, curfews, quarantines, and similar societal restrictions), were implemented in numero ...

in 2021. Opera Holland Park came into conflict with locals and the Friends of Holland Park in 2013 over plans to extend the canopy's erection period. Over 200 objections to any kind of canopy were received by the council and the organisation was ultimately unable to secure permission for an extension, but the season continued with its usual duration. Workmen errecting the canopy were subject to verbal abuse and anti-opera posters were put up around the park.

Management and organization

Until October 2015, the company was a part of the

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (often known by its initialism as RBKC) is an Inner London, Inner London borough with Royal borough, royal status. It is the List of English districts by area, smallest borough in London and the secon ...

, with permanent staff technically council officers. The company became an independent charity in October 2015, receiving a final grant settlement of £5 million from the Council, more than ten times their previous annual subsidy. A new board was installed, chaired by Charles Mackay CBE, former chairman of

Historic Royal Palaces Historic Royal Palaces is an independent charity that manages the United Kingdom's unoccupied royal palaces: * The Tower of London * Hampton Court Palace * The State Apartments and Orangery at Kensington Palace * The Banqueting House, Whiteh ...

References

External links

Opera Holland Park Official websiteImages of the venue
{{authority control British opera companies Holland Park Opera festivals in England Opera in London Parks and open spaces in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Theatre and canopy structure

Management and organization

See also

References

External links