Chiaroscuro meets Busby Berkeley meets Boris Karloff in a staging designed by takis, lit by Simon Corder and choreographed by Steve Elias. Close cousin to Gaitanou’s much loved production of La traviata (2018, 2021, 2024) in its theatrical exuberance and psychological sensitivity, Un ballo in maschera was hailed in The Independent as “a triumphant meld of lighting, design and choreography” and The Spectator as “musically exemplary”, with particular praise across the press for the work of the Opera Holland Park Chorus. 

In mutual love with Amelia, the wife of his closest ally, cursed by a prophecy from a medium, and under threat from anti-monarchist conspirators, Gustavo must renounce his passion or his throne. Michael Papadopoulos (Lucia di Lammermoor 2025, Acis and Galatea 2024) conducts this revival with a cast led by the Italian tenor Matteo Desole (La traviata 2018, 2021, 2025) in his role debut as Gustavo, with Rhian Lois (The Merry Widow 2025) as Oscar.

“No one beats Verdi at rendering the gorgeous cacophony of desire and rage”, wrote Howard Jacobson in The Observer in 2019. “The night quivered. The orchestra thrilled. The wind blew through the grand marquee, and I became a devotee.”