Grimeborn 2023

From the 19th of July the Grimeborn Opera Festival returns for the sixteenth year, featuring twelve operas from across the globe.

“Every year it is a joy to bring ambitious and adventurous Opera to contemporary audiences at the Arcola Theatre. We’re passionate about making Opera accessible to all. Grimeborn allows us to do that with programming from both classical and radical thought-provoking artists and companies from across the continent and some of the most affordable ticket prices in the UK.”
Arcola Artistic Director Mehmet Ergen

Save when you book multiple shows!

2 shows – 10% off

3 shows – 15% off

4 shows – 20% off

5 shows – 25% off

6 shows – 30% off

Der Vampyr

Composed by Heinrich August Marschner
New arrangement by Kelly Lovelady
Adapted and with new English dialogue Julia Mintzer and Charles Ogilvie

Gothic Opera's critically acclaimed production of Der Vampyr (The Vampire) achieved a sellout run and an Off-West End Award nomination in 2019. This hilarious and gory feminist retelling of a nineteenth century opera returns to London this summer for just four exclusive performances. Touching on themes of consent, agency and toxic masculinity, this updated revival of Gothic Opera's witty debut production will be performed with a brand new chamber orchestration.

La bohème

A radical English version by Becca Marriott and Adam Spreadbury-Maher
Composed by Giacomo Puccini

Puccini's timeless tale of love and friendship is radically repositioned as a modern tragedy of co-dependency and addiction. The creator's of Turandot return to their first ever collaboration, La bohème, in a restaging of this groundbreaking Olivier Award nominated production.

Mr Punch at the Opera

A Family-friendly twist on La Serva Padrona
Libretto and Book by Becca Marriott
Composed by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi

Join Mr Punch as he and his friends help the wiley Serpina get her man. With appearances from Judy, The Crocodile, a Cheeky Monkey, a band of singing Policemen and a host of others, this is the perfect introduction to classical music for children (and grown up kids) of all ages. Featuring stunning operatic vocals and beautiful melodies as well as all the twists, turns, gags and the uproar of you favourite pantomimes.

Le Nozze di Figaro

By Pierre Beaumarchais
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte

Ensemble OrQuesta, this year, are expanding from the baroque repertoire to perform their 5-star production of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro with a star company line up headed by Marcio da Silva and Helen May as Figaro and Susanna.

555: Verlaine en Prison

By Logan Lopez Gonzalez and Eleanor Burke

"Paul Verlaine, for shooting and injuring Arthur Rimbaud with a revolver, you are hereby sentenced to 555 days in prison!” After a critically-acclaimed run last year and performances at the Royal Opera House and La Monnaie, 555: Verlaine en Prison returns to Grimeborn! 555: Verlaine en prison tells the untold and unjust story one of France’s most celebrated poets, Paul Verlaine who shot and injured his lover, the 17-year old poet Arthur Rimbaud. Despite Rimbaud dropping the charges, Verlaine’s homosexuality ensured that he received the maximum sentence - 555 days in Mons prison. 555: Verlaine en Prison, weaves together settings

Plantation A . . .

based on Alain Robbe-Grillet's 1957 novel Jealousy

In a repeatedly-displayed assortment of compact scenes, a story intersects to describe a man brought to a standstill by jealousy.

La Traviata

Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi

They’ll destroy her, but they can’t destroy her song!

Image by Idil Sukan