Speaker: Garry Batt
Dorset Opera Festival Chairman, Garry Batt, kicks off the new Bluffers Lunch season with a spirited romp through drinking and drunkards in opera. After a 75-minute lecture with audio-visual clips in Slepe Green Barn, we head to the house for a hot 2-course lunch with a glass of wine. Back to the barn for Q&As […]
Speaker: Adrian Thorpe
At this Bluffers' Lunch, Adrian Thorpe explores the life and works of Hector Berlioz, one of France’s most fêted composers, who lived as dramatically as any of his characters. Adrian will touch on epics such as Les Troyens, Benvenuto Cellini and the darkly splendid Damnation de Faust, interspersed with love stories, artistic battles, and his […]
Speaker: George Hall
Renowned arts critic George Hall writes widely on classical music and especially opera for publications such as The Stage, Opera, Opera Now and BBC Music Magazine. In this talk he will look at settings of the same subject by different composers — especially the lesser known versions. After a 75-minute lecture with audio-visual clips in […]
Dorset Opera Patrons are warmly invited to beautiful Stepleton, home of board member Lucinda Coombs and her husband Jack, for a Christmas Party at which we’ll celebrate the past opera season and look forward to the next. Patrons in the Conductor’s Circle and above. By invitation. For more information about becoming one of our highly […]
Speaker: Seymour Adams
For this Bluffers Lunch lecture, Seymour Adams descends once more from the surtitles box to explore how Scottish culture, history and landscape have influenced opera composers and librettists, and what that may say about them, and about the Scots. After a 75-minute lecture with audio-visual clips in Slepe Green Barn, we head to the house […]
The joint Annual General Meeting of Dorset Opera and The Friends of Dorset Opera. Refreshments will be served from 18:30. The official meeting will commence at 19:00 Voting If Dorset Opera call for a vote then only legal members of the company may vote. To check if you are a legal member, contact info@dorsetopera.com. If […]
Speaker: Brian Kay
Brian Kay, broadcaster, conductor and singer, talks about this life in music. Well known as the bass in The King’s Singers during their formative years, Brian is a noted choral conductor and principal conductor of The Really Big Chorus. His many radio presentations have included Friday Night is Music Night for Radio 2, Brian Kay’s […]
Speaker: Julian (Jules) Guest
Pack your opera glasses - no other luggage required! At this Bluffers' Lunch, we’re jetting off on a whirlwind 80-minute global sprint to track down backdrops of your favourite operas. Discover why operatic characters cause so much mayhem in very specific corners of the world. Expect love, betrayal, and a surprising amount of intense singing […]
The Dorset Opera Festival returns to Bryanston from 20–24 July 2027 for a glorious week of fully staged opera in the heart of Dorset. Festival performances in the Coade Theatre —the home of Dorset Opera— bringing together internationally acclaimed soloists, outstanding professional production teams, our full orchestra and the Festival’s celebrated Opera Summer School chorus. […]