Itch

Hailed as “an exciting, moving, relevant new opera – and an undoubted hit” ★★★★★ in The Observer, Jonathan Dove and Alasdair Middleton’s explosive adventure story returns to Opera Holland Park.

Premiered in 2023 with spectacular multi-storied designs, and based on the best-selling novels by broadcaster Simon Mayo, Itch sees opera’s geekiest hero and his sister battle to save a mysterious new element from a shadowy corporation.

A sparkling ensemble cast of coloratura soprano Rebecca Bottone, bass baritone Eric Greene, soprano Natasha Agarwal, tenor Robert Burt, baritone Nicholas Garrett and mezzo soprano Victoria Simmonds return to the roles they created to great acclaim in 2023.

Countertenor James Hall makes his company debut in the twin roles of beachcomber Cake and thug-for-hire Berghahn, while tenor Xavier Hetherington, trained in London, Florence and Valencia, makes his Opera Holland Park debut as the accident-prone hero of the opera, Itchingham Lofte.

In addition to four performances by the main cast, conducted by Matt Scott Rogers with City of London Sinfonia in the pit, Itch will also be performed by the 2025 cohort of Opera Holland Park Young Artists in their annual showcase at the Schools and Discovery Matinees.