Deborah Warner Commissions Theatre, Opera, Dance and Recitals This Year at Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal Bath

Last year, acclaimed theatre and opera director Deborah Warner took over as Artistic Director of the Ustinov Studio. She proposed a radical new programming model for the theatre where OPERA, DANCE and SONG would be programmed alongside THEATRE.

The multi-genre programme triumphed in a thrilling season with highly successful productions of Shakespeare's The Tempest; Purcell's Dido and Aeneas; and Dickie Beau's inventive ¡Showmanism!.

The programme also included Benjamin Britten's Phaedra and Kim Brandstrup's new dance piece Minotaur, in an acclaimed double bill which will be transferring to the Edinburgh International Festival this summer.

2023 sees an equally exciting and eclectic line up of productions at the Ustinov Studio.

The season begins with THEATRE and a new production of Sophie Treadwell's Machinal from director Richard Jones. OPERA follows with Benjamin Britten's The Turn of the Screw directed by rising star Isabelle Kettle. Kim Brandstup's Minotaur returns in a DANCE double bill with a brand-new work featuring ballet stars Matthew Ball, Alina Cojocaru, Kristen McNally and Tommy Franzen.

The season continues with a yet to be announced new project conceived and directed by Deborah Warner. Finally, a new RECITAL strand is introduced which brings together some of the most important names in classical music including internationally renowned tenor Ian Bostridge, leading mezzo-soprano Christine Rice, acclaimed lyric soprano Sophie Bevan and master pianist Julius Drake.

Deborah Warner brings dance, theatre, opera and music into the intimate surroundings of the Ustinov Studio once again.

RECITAL PROGRAMME

Saturday 30 September & Sunday 1 October
Ian Bostridge (tenor)
Julius Drake (piano)
Songs of Benjamin Britten

Internationally renowned tenor Ian Bostridge's recital career has taken him to the foremost concert halls of Europe, Japan and North America. His recordings have won all the major international record prizes and been nominated for fourteen Grammys. The Ustinov Studio is thrilled to welcome him and renowned pianist and musical director Julius Drake for an evening of songs by Benjamin Britten.

Monday 2 & Tuesday 3 October
Christine Rice (mezzo soprano)
Julius Drake (piano)
Brahms • Haydn • Bridge • Clarke

Christine Rice is one of the leading British mezzo sopranos of her generation, and her performance of Britten's Phaedra was an undoubted highlight of last year's Deborah Warner Season.

Christine returns to Bath this Autumn, accompanied by Julius Drake with a programme of songs spanning the centuries from the classical masterpieces of Haydn and romantic songs of Brahms to the twentieth century writing of Frank Bridge and Rebecca Clarke.

Tuesday 27 & Wednesday 28 February
Sophie Bevan (soprano)
Schubert • Müller-Hermann • Mahler

One of the great lyric sopranos of her generation, Sophie Bevan works regularly with leading orchestras and conductors worldwide. She performs a selection of lieder from the masters of song in the final recital of the season.

THEATRE

Friday 20 October - Saturday 18 November
Machinal
by Sophie Treadwell
Directed by Richard Jones

Five-time Olivier Award winning director Richard Jones brings Sophie Treadwell's extraordinary epic masterpiece, based on the true story of the committal and execution of Ruth Snyder, to the intimate surrounding of the Ustinov Studio.

This provocative drama of the 1920s offers one of the greatest female roles in theatre - challenging, powerful, emotive and poignant - which has been portrayed by many renowned actresses of the British stage.

Machinal is based on a fascinating true story uncovered by Sophie Treadwell while working as a journalist in America between the wars. Among her assignments was the sensational case involving Ruth Snyder, who with her lover Judd Gray, had murdered her husband and gone to the electric chair.

This fascinating case has inspired countless plays, movies, books and songs as diverse as Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity, The Postman Always Rings Twice, William March's The Bad Seeds and Guns'n'Roses Use Your Illusion albums.

Richard Jones has directed productions on some of London's largest stages including the Coliseum and Royal Opera House. He now brings his unique talent for epic scale to the powerful intimacy of the Ustinov Studio, in what promises to be one of this year's most memorable theatrical events.

Monday - Saturday 7.30pm
Matinees Thursday & Saturday 2.30pm
Press Night Tuesday 31 October 7pm

OPERA

Friday 1 December - Saturday 23 December
The Turn of the Screw
by Benjamin Britten
Directed by Isabelle Kettle

Benjamin Britten's The Turn of the Screw, based on Henry James's famous novella, is a pillar of twentieth century opera and regarded as one of the most dramatic in the operatic repertoire.

A young governess is sent to a remote country house to care for two children. She becomes increasingly disturbed by their behaviour but is under strict instruction never to bother their guardian in London. Are they innocent or wicked, possessed or just high-spirited?

English composer and conductor, Benjamin Britten is known for his substantial operatic output. He wrote sixteen operas including large scale works such as Peter Grimes, chamber operas and works for children. Commissioned by the Venice Biennale and premiered in 1954, The Turn of the Screw was to be his final chamber opera.

The Turn of the Screw is reimagined for the Ustinov Studio and performed with piano and chamber ensemble to suit the intimate space.

The Turn of the Screw is the second presentation of USTINOV OPERA following last season's Dido and Aeneas which marked the first opera ever to be performed in the studio. Head of Music at the Royal Opera House, conductor and pianist Richard Hetherington collaborates with Deborah Warner as the season's Head of Music working closely with the musical teams of the opera productions.

Director Isabelle Kettle returns following her triumphantly acclaimed production of Dido and Aeneas which played to completely sold-out audiences at the Ustinov Studio in October 2022.

Evenings 7.30pm
Matinees 9, 13, 20 & 23 December 2.30pm
No evening performance on matinee days
Press Night Thursday 7 December 7pm

DANCE

Monday 22 January - Saturday 3 February 2024
Metamorphoses
A double bill of Minotaur and a new work by Kim Brandstrup

One of the undoubted highlights of the theatrical year in 2022, Kim Brandstrup's Minotaur returns fresh from the coup of featuring at the world's greatest arts festival, the Edinburgh International Festival, in a new double bill paired with a brand new work, both exploring mythological sources.

The idea of metamorphosis harbours human dreams of magical transformation and divine intervention - yet ideal resolution is always hindered by human shortcomings and sobering reality.

Minotaur recounts the story of Ariadne, her love of Theseus, the death of her brother the Minotaur and her abandonment by her lover. In the depth of her despair the gods intervene and Dionysus carries her away to otherworldly safety and bliss.

In Apuleius' Metamorphosis Psyche is allowed to meet her lover, Cupid, only in the dark. In three nocturnal encounters they circle each other in the dreamlike shelter of darkness - but ultimately have to face the light - and each other.

These two pieces will be a truly unique opportunity to experience close up some of the finest dancers in the world. The dancers include ballet superstars Matthew Ball and Alina Cojocaru and fellow Royal Ballet principal Kristen McNally, along with Olivier Award nominee Tommy Franzen.

Kim Brandstrup is renowned for his work over four decades with the Royal Ballet, New York City Ballet, English National Ballet and Rambert.

Monday - Saturday 7.30pm Matinees Saturday 2.30pm
Press Night Wednesday 24 January 7pm

NEW PROJECT

Thursday 8 February - Saturday 24 February 2024
Deborah Warner Project
A yet-to-be announced new project, conceived and directed by Deborah Warner

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