National Opera House (Jerome Hynes Theatre), Wexford, 28/10/2026
Wexford Festival: Much Ado About Nothing
Christopher Knopp (music director, piano); Charlotte Baker (soprano); Ross Cumming (baritone); Victoria Harley (soprano); Joshua Baxter (tenor); Alexander Semple (baritone); Meilir Jones (bass-baritone); Maximilian Catalano (baritone); Wonsick Oh (bass); Euan McDonald (tenor); Rhys Meilyr (tenor)
On the forenoon of 28th October, I was back to the smaller Jerome Hynes Theatre at Wexford’s National Opera House for another ‘Pocket Opera’, Charles Villiers Stanford’s faithful Shakespeare adaptation of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’, with the score in piano reduction. Christopher Knopp was the music director and pianist (Zemlinsky’s ‘The Dwarf’ and ‘The Little Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Britten adaptation last year). The production was directed by Irish-American director Aoife Spillane-Hinks and designed by Lisa Krügel.
It is the design in this production that first grabs the eye and gives continuous pleasure. The set is an idyllic Grecian garden full of sculpture (reflecting Messina’s Greek history). The costumes are modern smart casual for Benedick, smartly tailored for the other men, and flatteringly feminine for the two women. A feast for the eyes. Unlike Berlioz’ ‘Béatrice et Bénédict’, which is just a subplot of the original, Stanford’s opera is closer to a full treatment of the Shakespeare. The same librettist as Sullivan’s ‘Ivanhoe’, Julian Sturgis, is not laboriously inclusive (we lose a lot of the Dogberry and Verges banter, for example, but retain Dogberry’s indignant rant at being called an “ass”). But other things are thrown into sharper relief, supported by very clear direction in this production. It is abundantly clear that Hero has only one friend in the world, namely Beatrice. Also clear: (a) men can be despicable, and (b) double standards stink. A feast for the thinking person’s mind.
Stanford’s music is Brahmsian in its logic without being too stuffy for a supposedly comic opera. But there are darknesses to be explored, so Wagnerian influences point the drama – Wagner without the longueur. And then there is Stanford the melodist at the peak of his powers. The music is delicious. Music for celebration, tenderness, courtship, conspiracy, raillery, heartbreak, reproof, mourning and forgiveness. Not long in from the beginning is one of the most finely-crafted operatic sextets I have ever heard. There is a Latin matrimonial processional hymn (and later funerary for the “not-actually-deceased” Hero) in core Victorian style that, in my opinion, is more deserving of a place in any hymnal than much of the stuff that’s in there. A feast for the ears.
English soprano Charlotte Baker (seen as Ghita in ‘The Dwarf’ last year) and Scottish baritone Ross Cumming, (Don Estoban in ‘The Dwarf’ and a lot of roles in RCS MMus productions and as a Scottish Opera Emerging Artist, including premiering the role of Roger Penistone in Toby Hession’s ‘A Matter of Misconduct’) played Beatrice and Benedick respectively. Both are dismissive of romance in general, and of each other in particular. Both would secretly love to be the object of unconditional devotion, but are unwilling to devote any time to inspiring it. Benedick, while he acknowledges with grudging gratitude that he was birthed and breastfed by a woman, claims he has no further interest in women. Both have to be tricked into admitting they would find happiness together. Beatrice is solicitous for the welfare of the calumniated Hero and asks Benedick to kill the cruel Claudio. Both performances hit the perfect combination of nonchalant whimsy and underlying humanity and sense of (rough) justice.
English soprano Victoria Harley (1 of 3 housemaids in ‘The Dwarf’ last year) and English tenor Joshua Baxter (also appearing in ‘Iris’ this year) were Hero and Claudio. With her own glorious mane of red hair fetchingly styled, Victoria made a vivacious summer festival queen and a sweet bride. In this production, a fake video on a smartphone, showing a man climbing through Hero’s bedroom window, is shown to Claudio the night before their wedding. Claudio viciously denounces her at the wedding. Her own father Leonato wishes her dead. Fortunately, the priest smells a rat and believes her, staging a fake funeral to prick Claudio’s conscience. This may be a ‘comedy’ in theory, but it strays into very dark corners. Two more fine performances with some super music to sing.
Don Pedro, the aristocrat hosting the events and (nominally) in charge was played by English baritone Alexander Semple. His illegitimate brother Don John, the plotter who set up the fake video, was played by Welsh bass-baritone and WFO regular Meilir Jones (two WFO productions each year for the last two years and in ‘Iris’ also this year). Pleasing “goodie” and “baddie” characterisations with some more of Stanford’s goodies. Hero’s father Leonato was played by British/Italian baritone Maximilian Catalano. An outstanding performance as both the dignified and wise priest and the scatter-brained incompetent constable Dogberry was delivered by Korean bass Wonsick Oh (cameo as ‘The Baron’ in ‘The Gambler’ this year); not merely different costumes, but also different voices – that was impressive. Instead of Verges, Dogberry’s sidekick, this libretto features Seacole, the sole literate member of the Messina night watch, tasked with committing his boss’ incoherent musings to paper, played by Welsh tenor Rhys Meilyr. Borachio, the ruffian suborned by Don John to be filmed climbing through Hero’s window (when she isn’t there), was played by Scottish tenor Euan McDonald (currently in the last year of his masters in RCS).
The miscreants are caught and will be punished. Claudio is not killed by Benedick, but is appropriately guilt-ridden and contrite and gets a second chance, overjoyed to discover that the bride is actually Hero, very much alive. Does he deserve a second chance? Hmmm … I don’t think so. But anyway, that’s the story according to Shakespeare. The opera ends in general rejoicing at the double wedding.
Stanford’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ is a gem. This production sets out to prove that and succeeds admirably. Superb.
Photo credit: Padraig Grant
Weblink: https://www.wexfordopera.com/programme/festival-programme/much-ado-about-nothing-2026