Kennet Opera

21/03/2026

All of us at Kennet Opera are still feeling the resonance of Carlisle Floyd’s "Susannah", performed at the end of January. This extraordinary American opera left a deep impression on our company and our audiences alike.

Its melodies continue to echo in our minds, long after the final curtain. In a way, this music has become part of us — a shared memory we now carry together.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this unforgettable production!!!

30/01/2026

The story of a woman falsely accused is far older than we think. In the apocryphal tale from the Book of Daniel, a virtuous Hebrew wife named Susanna is spied on by two corrupt elders while she bathes in her private garden. When she refuses their advances, they twist their desire into lies, accusing her of adultery and dragging her before the community.

Just as she is about to be condemned, the young prophet Daniel steps forward. By questioning the elders separately, he exposes their contradictions and reveals the truth. Susanna’s innocence is defended, her dignity reclaimed, and justice triumphs.

Carlisle Floyd’s *Susannah* echoes this ancient story in a modern American setting. Once again, a young woman becomes the target of fear, gossip, and moral hypocrisy — but this time, there is no Daniel to speak for her.

So the question remains for us today:
"Will Susannah’s good name ever be redeemed?"

Come and find out....

29/01/2026

"Seems like the Lord is bendin' sinners to His will,
Like smokin' a fox out -n his hole. The Lord sends the rain in the just an' unjust jes' like the Good Book says!"

In Carlisle Floyd’s opera "Susannah", the elders and their wives embody the harsh judgment of a small Tennessee town. Their voices of suspicion and gossip drive Susannah’s downfall, but none is more venomous than Mrs. McLean.

⭐Elder McLean is stern and uncompromising, condemning Susannah without compassion.
⭐Mrs. McLean is the most ruthless of all, quick to accuse and eager to see the devil in anyone she dislikes. Her malice fuels the community’s persecution, making her a symbol of destructive hypocrisy.

⭐Elder Gleaton is outspoken and self-righteous, spreading suspicion.
⭐Mrs. Gleaton thrives on gossip, ensuring rumors about Susannah take root.

⭐Elder Hayes is cautious but easily swayed by peer pressure.
⭐Mrs. Hayes fears scandal and pushes her husband to conform to the group’s harsh stance.

⭐Elder Ott is rigidly conservative, viewing Susannah’s independence as rebellion.
⭐Mrs. Ott amplifies his warnings, portraying Susannah as a dangerous influence.

Together, these couples form a chorus of judgment, but Mrs. McLean’s venomous accusations stand out as the most destructive, showing how fear and malice can devastate innocence.

Just few last tickets available as it all starts tomorrow.....
https://booking.westberks.gov.uk/heritage_events.html #?heritage_category%201=Theatre%20%2F%20Cinema

27/01/2026

“My ma says they’s bad blood in your fam’ly, but I like to look at you….”

In Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah, Little Bat emerges as one of the opera’s most poignant
figures. He is a young man caught between innocence and corruption, a soul easily
swayed by the voices of authority yet yearning for genuine connection. His vulnerability
makes him both tender and tragic — a mirror of how fear and manipulation can distort
youthful sincerity.

Through Little Bat, Floyd reminds us that the weight of judgment does not fall only on
the accused; it also bends those too fragile to resist the will of others. His story is a quiet
echo of conscience, guilt, and longing, woven into the larger tapestry of Susannah’s
fate. He is very fond of Susannah, but so easily influenced by his parents therefore he is
vulnerable, conflicted and torn between affection for Susannah and fear of authority.
Little Bat is played by Owain Llŷr.

Hurry, just few last tickets left,
Please use the link 👇

https://booking.westberks.gov.uk/heritage_events.html #?heritage_category%201=Theatre%20%2F%20Cinema
And scroll down for Susannah 🍀

21/01/2026

"I am the Reverend Olin Blitch and I come to New Hope Valley. To cast out devil and conquer sin and bring sinners to repentance!"

Olin Blitch is the magnetic revival preacher whose arrival upends New Hope Valley. Charismatic and commanding from the pulpit, he draws the town with fiery sermons and a confident moral voice — yet his private impulses and contradictions reveal a far darker complexity.

Anthony Hugget plays Blitch and that’s what he says about this role:

Ministers of religion feature in many operas, but it is rare that they are given such a central role in an opera as Blitch is in Susannah. One of my favorite lines from Blitch is "when they open them judgement books up there, which side of the page will you be on?". As an itinerant preacher, Blitch's whole purpose in life is to bring people to repentance of their sins and salvation through the blood of Jesus, which is enough to cover every sin. In the course of act 2 Blitch commits a heinous sin, (perhaps not for the first time) and then seeks God's forgiveness. Turning his question around, where does Blitch spend eternity? What about the elders who refuse to repent of their lies and slander? My feeling is that by the end of the opera Blitch has been eternally forgiven by God, but perhaps not by the audience.

In Kennet Opera’s production, Blitch is both a figure of authority and a source of harm: his influence shapes public opinion, intensifies suspicion, and plays a central role in Susannah’s undoing. This portrayal asks audiences to confront how charisma can mask weakness, and how moral certainty can become a weapon. See this compelling, morally charged role brought vividly to life on our stage.

17/01/2026

“Ain’t it a pretty night......
The sky’s so heavy with stars tonight that it could fall right down out of heaven”

Howdy folks,
Here’s introducin’ Sam and Susannah Polk.

Susannah is a pretty and well-mannered 18 year old girl from New Hope Valley. She was raised and is cared for by her older brother Sam. Susannah is enjoying life, dancing and taking full part in the community of New Hope Valley. While she loves her home, she also has great ambitions and dreams of leaving the valley to see what's beyond them mountains. Susannah is open‑hearted, spirited, and devout, with a natural warmth that draws both admiration and envy. Her innocence and vulnerability make her an easy target for rumor and accusation, and the opera traces how a community’s fear and hypocrisy can devastate lives.

Sam on the other hand is not as involved in the goings-on of the village; he keeps himself to himself. He works hard to sustain himself and Susannah and tries to shield her from gossip and danger. Sam often embodies the conflicted conscience of the town—torn between familial love and the weight of communal expectation; “he doesn't draw a sober breath, he's a triflin' one… he just hunts an' traps an' fishes all day
an' is allers drunk at night.”

Susannah’s journey is both intimate and universal: a portrait of dignity under siege and the tragic cost of collective judgment. Sam’s good intentions are tested, as suspicion and moral panic spread.
Susannah’s character is played by Natalia Cau and Sam is played by Ant Goffart.

Once again, this is a rare chance to see this American classic! Less than two weeks left and tickets are selling fast!
Venue: Shaw House, Church Road, Newbury RG14 2DR
Performances: Friday, January 30th - 7.30 Saturday, January 31st - 7.30
Sunday, February 1st - 2.30
Running time, with interval 2 hours, 15 minutes
Tickets £15.00 from Shaw House - telephone 01635 279279
https://booking.westberks.gov.uk/heritage_events.html

09/01/2026

Howdy!!
Kennet Opera invites you to return for a rare staging of an American masterpiece seldom seen on our shores: Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah. Loosely drawn from the apocryphal Susannah and the Elders, the opera follows a young woman whose life is torn apart by suspicion and exile within the tightly knit, devout community of New Hope Valley, Tennessee.

Created during the paranoia of the McCarthy years and first performed in the 1950s, this production relocates the drama to the present day to highlight its ongoing urgency. Floyd lays bare how fear, moral grandstanding, and the abuse of influence can be weaponised to silence and destroy the innocent. The story’s modern echoes are especially clear in Susannah’s mistreatment at the hands of the magnetic preacher Olin Blitch.

Musically, the score moves between plaintive Appalachian strains and darker, more unsettling passages, producing a sound world that is both haunting and forceful. The piece sustains a mounting dramatic pressure that resolves in a startling, unforgettable finale. We are honoured to bring this powerful work to our stage and look forward to welcoming you to a performance; thank you for supporting Kennet Opera.
Only 3 weeks to go! Tickets on sale now from The Shaw House https://booking.westberks.gov.uk/heritage_events.html #?heritage_category%201=Music.

26/05/2025

Kennet Opera is seeking a conductor for two concerts in June.

The Source for Opera, Choral, Musical Theatre singers and auditions

29/01/2025

Our production of Iolanthe is sold out Please note that there will be NO tickets available on the door.