A double bill fuelled by sexual jealousy contrasts Wolf-Ferrari’s elegant honeymoon comedy with Leoncavallo’s shocking story of murder.

Il segreto di Susanna

When Gil detects the scent of a cigarette in his apartment, he assumes that his wife, Susanna, has taken a lover, but is Susanna’s secret all that it seems? With music of delicious wit and charm, Il segreto di Susanna anticipates the screwball comedies of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Clare Presland, Richard Burkhard and John Savournin reunite for this revival of John Wilkie’s highly-acclaimed 2019 production.

Pagliacci

When Canio the clown is told that his wife, Nedda, is unfaithful, he determines to wreak revenge, bringing a bloody end to their Harlequinade. Inspired by a real-life crime, Leoncavallo’s famous opera weaves humour with heartbreak and tragedy. Now the leading tenor of his generation, David Butt Philip returns to Opera Holland Park as Canio in Martin Lloyd-Evans’s production, conducted by Francesco Cilluffo. Alison Langer sings the role of Nedda, Canio’s unhappy wife, with Harry Thatcher as her lover, Silvio.

Please note Pagliacci contains scenes of domestic violence and murder which audience members may find distressing.