Mezzo Sally Burgess Turns Her Hand to Directing

Some two decades ago, I attended a Stephen Sondheim gala event at Drury Lane in which mezzo Sally Burgess gave a simply superb rendition of “I Never Do Anything Twice.”

That an opera singer could all but steal the show away from under the noses of a glittering line-up of some of the world’s greatest musical theatre performers was testament to the lady’s versatility and an amazing ability to put across a song.

Burgess is now expanding the skills that have kept at the top of the British opera scene for decades by venturing into direction. Billed as her “directorial debut” (although we actually reviewed an earlier project at Tete a Tete in August), her production of Cosi fan tutte with English Chamber Opera will be seen in Buxton and London next month.

Set in 1950’s Positano, the production will focus on the fascinating and timeless relationships between Mozart’s characters, and the sheer genius of his score.

It stars Rebecca Cooper, Anna Huntley, Stuart Haycock, Edmund Connolly, Robert Presley and Beverley Worboys, and plays at Buxton Opera House on 30 October and The John McIntosh Arts Centre, London Oratory School, Seagrave Road, SW6 on 17 November. The conductor is John K Andrews.

Tickets are available on 0844 477 1000 and further details can be found at www.englishchamberopera.com