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Opera

Spreads emotions like jam: Festen, at the Royal Opera House, reviewed

1 March 2025

9:00 AM

1 March 2025

9:00 AM

Festen

Royal Opera House

Mary, Queen of Scots

London Coliseum

Mark-Anthony Turnage’s new opera Festen opened at Covent Garden earlier this month, and reader, I messed up. I broke my own golden rule with new operas: don’t do any homework, don’t try to memorise the plot, and whatever you do, don’t revisit the source material. The aim is to experience the new work on its own terms.

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