I was delighted to visit The Grange as I had heard about this historic venue in reference to Daniel Purcell—mentioned in my book ‘Just’ Natural Trumpet. His Judgment of Paris (1701) was dedicated ‘To Anthony Henly Esq. of the Grange in Hant:shire’. D. Purcell (1702), appendix (after p. 82), explains that in his setting of The Judgment of Paris, there is ‘a Justness of Composition a true Harmony of parts; The makeing the notes and airs expressive of the numbers and meaning of the words, the pathetique or Comanding Force that stirs the Passions … There is a sort of Painting in musick, as well as Poetry’. It was great to visit this historic venue set in the picturesque Hampshire countryside. 

I last performed Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito while I was a student at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester—now basically half a lifetime ago! I still remember the virtuosic clarinet solos from then: they were played by Rocío Bolaños from the RNCM. This time they were played by Theo Couillez from Les Talens Lyriques.

On this occasion, this wonderful opera featured Jeremy Ovenden (Tito), Aphrodite Patoulidou (Vitellia), Anna El-Khashem (Servilia), Maite Beaumont (Sesto), Ambroisine Bré (Annio), and Adrien Fournaison (Publio), along with the Würzburg Festival Choir.

Les Talens Lyriques will be taking the production to the Würzburg Mozart Festival later this week; I have had the pleasure of performing in Würzburg with Les Talens Lyriques on several past occasions, including Così fan tutte in 2024 and Idomeneo in 2021. However, with my wife in the final stages of pregnancy, I chose to remain in the UK just in case the baby arrives early, as we have been informed that it might. However, I was delighted to be able to perform with Les Talens Lyriques for the parts of this project that took place in the United Kingdom—this is the first time I have performed with them in the UK.

I will be going from this project, performing Mozart’s penultimate opera, to a project that will feature his final symphony (the ‘Jupiter’ Symphony, K.551). I  will be performing it in 11 different venues around the UK from memory, with the Aurora Orchestra, and I am hoping that I will make it to all of them! The Aurora Orchestra are also going on a short trip to China thereafter, but I will be staying in the UK for the aforementioned reason!