Join us for the English National Opera’s glorious new production of Rossini’s classic opera La Cenerentola, with a delicious Three-Course Champagne Dinner at The Lanesborough Hotel

Join us for an evening of magical opera, and see the Omani-born Canadian mezzo-soprano Deepa Johnny, ‘dazzling in her virtuosity’, make her debut on the London stage. She will star in a new English National Opera production of Rossini’s La Cenerentola, set in London and directed by another star of the international stage, Julia Burbach—conducted by yet another star debut, the Taiwanese conductor Yi-Chen Lin. This is no Cinderella-the-fairy-tale either. It is a Rossini’s via comica opera at its finest, an enchanting and acclaimed work written in 1817, the year after he wrote Barber of Seville. It is bursting with fine music, poignancy, romance and wit—an evening of sheer pleasure.

We are delighted to have secured some of the best seats in the house for this exciting event—the return of the English National Opera to London, opening their season with a spectacular new production starring Omani-born mezzo soprano Deepa Johnny. And we shall open the evening in style with a delicious Champagne Three-Course Dinner at the glittering five-star Lanesborough Hotel.

Mezzo sopraco Deepa Johnny as Angelina (Cinderella) is an international star making her much awaited first London appearance. The critics are unanimous in their praise. She is hailed as ‘near-perfect’ with ‘flawless command of the bel canto technique’; she ‘masters the coloratura and vocal feats demanded by Rossini’s score’; and her stage presence ‘gives off an aura that her warm, coppery voice asserts with ease. From her first scene, she fascinates the audience . . . ‘

There is no doubt that it is worth being there in person for this performance, simply to see mezzo Deepa Johnny herself, live on the London stage.

And the music of La Cenerentola is sensational. Rossini has reserved his most tender melodies for his heroine, beautifully interwoven with those of her Prince. The voices sparkle, flow forth and mingle in arias and ensembles punctuated with clever puns and witticisms. Rossini was indeed proud of this highly successful opera, which matches the Barber of Seville and which he wrote when he was only 24 in just three weeks. There is some magic in that—and there will be magic in this evening at the London Coliseum!

Rossini wrote 39 operas, including several serious ones, but as Beethoven said to him when they met in Vienna in 1822, ‘Give us plenty of Barbers.’ Serious opera (opera seria in the 18th century) had a strictly conventional form, but comic opera allowed more leeway. Rossini’s Barber and Cinderella both benefited from the creative flexibility which this type of opera allowed.

And this will be manifest to the full in this brand new production directed by the internationally renowned Julia Burbach. From classical opera to the National Theatre, her direction is hailed ‘a force to be reckoned with’. The Guardian calls her new staging of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman ‘impressive’, while Bachtrack writes, ‘Burbach does marvellous work.’

Conducting will be another massive international rising star—the exciting young Taiwanese conductor Yi-Chen Lin, also making her London debut.

A volinist and pianist before becoming a conductor, she wins huge critical acclaim. Seen and Heard: ‘Not only is Yi-Chen Lin’s pacing vitally pointed, it has a champagne-like effervescence’. Yi-Chen Lin is passionate about Rossini’s La Cenerentola score, ‘The music is so enlightening, the construction is so beautiful … there is electricity in it …’ A super-talented Rossini specialist, this brilliant conductor is another reason to be here!

Starring alongside Deepa Johnny as Prince Ramiro is British tenor Aaron Godfrey-Mayes, now with the Hamburg State Opera. He will appear in London fresh from starring in the same role at the Bregenz Festival.

In his role as Prince Ramiro he is in search of the ideal woman. He sends his advisor, Alidoro, to Don Magnifico’s house, where he has learned of three daughters—Clorinda, Tisbe and Angelina (La Cenerentola). Which one, the Prince asks, is the most beautiful and kind? The answer will soon be revealed.

Don Magnifico is as mean to the sweet Angelina as are her two nasty stepsisters. But sparkling Champagne is a theme running through this evening of delight. ‘Goodness Triumphant’ is the subtitle of La Cenerentola, and Rossini certainly delivers. This opera is the sweetest imaginable.

The stepsisters are awful of course, but their spite bubbles over in streams of such sunny major-key effervescence that it’s difficult to hold it against them. With the ‘pleasingly smooth and endearing’, award-winning mezzo soprano Grace Durham (above left) and Welsh National Opera Associate Artist, soprano Isabelle Peters (right), the effervescence outweighs all.

As for Don Magnifico, as The Spectator reviewer writes, ‘You cannot seriously hiss a villain whose principal ambition is unhindered access to the palace wine cellar.’ Don Magnifico is Simon Bailey (above left), the supremely talented, award-winning English bass-baritone—and a Wales Singer of the Year winner—alongside another fine English bass-baritone, David Ireland (centre), as Alidoro, Prince Ramiro’s philosopher and guide.

Charles Rice, Ramiro’s valet Dandini, is another star of the production, with his rich, resonant baritone voice able to switch from boisterous humour to emotional intensity. Critics praise the ‘revelatory and outstanding quality of his deep baritone sound’, and describe him as ‘a particular joy to watch’.

It all adds up to a vivacious tour de force of an evening, a delight on many levels, and ‘a particular joy to watch’ which we much hope you will enjoy.

BOOK NOW FOR THIS ENCHANTING OPERA AND CHAMPAGNE DINNER EVENT

This entertaining evening will be made even more memorable by a Three-Course Champagne Dinner in the famously stylish Grill at the Lanesborough Hotel in Knightsbridge. The restaurant blends The Lanesborough’s gloriously gilded, chandelier-lit style with the cuisine of renowned British Chef Shay Cooper, whose Michelin Star studded career puts him at the top of his profession. With a deft combination of tradition and innovation, Shay Cooper creates compelling contemporary dishes, using the very best British produce, to deliver delicious cuisine in one of London’s most beautiful dining rooms.

The date is Thursday, October 2, 2025. The performance starts at 7.30pm and your tables are booked at the Lanesborough Hotel from 5pm. After dinner, your taxi will whisk you to the Coliseum for the performance. The opera running time is 2 hours 45 minutes and includes one interval.

Tickets for the full evening, including Orchestra Stalls ticket for the Opera, Three-Course Champagne dinner at The Lanesborough and taxi to the Coliseum cost only £197 for Club Members, instead of the full price of £260.

We have only a limited number of tickets, and this spectacular opera event will make an enchanting evening which we know will be popular with our Members, so please don’t delay!

Please click here now to book your places for this spectacular event.

Or call Member Services on 020 7399 2960. (Tickets will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, whether bookings are online or by phone.)

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