World-famous opera knight brings Wagner to Dartington
One of Britain’s most recognisable opera voices is heading to Dartington this summer — but not for a standard concert. Instead, audiences are being invited into the creative engine room of one of opera’s biggest and boldest works.
On Saturday 22 August, legendary bass Sir John Tomlinson joins conductor and long‑time Dartington collaborator Kelvin Lim and the singers of Opera Forge for a day that mixes open rehearsal with an evening performance in the Great Hall. The focus is Wagner’s Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) — a piece packed with drama, storm‑gods, family feuds and some of the most recognisable music ever written.
Sir John has spent more than forty years singing on the world’s major stages — Covent Garden, the Met in New York, Vienna, Bayreuth — and has become one of the defining interpreters of Wagner’s towering characters. But this event offers something far more intimate: the chance to watch him work with young singers in real time, shaping scenes, teasing out meaning, and showing how these huge operatic moments are built from the ground up.
The afternoon session opens the doors on Acts Two and Three of Die Walküre, giving audiences a rare look at the craft behind the performance — how singers find character, how musical ideas take shape, and how a conductor and cast negotiate the emotional and technical demands of Wagner’s world.
The evening then brings a concert performance led by Kelvin Lim, Opera Forge’s Artistic and Musical Director. Kelvin is a familiar face at Dartington and a respected specialist in the German Romantic repertoire, with a long‑standing artistic partnership with Sir John.
Opera Forge itself exists to support singers stepping into some of opera’s most demanding roles, pairing established artists with emerging talent and giving them space to develop major repertoire in front of real audiences rather than behind closed rehearsal doors.
Among the cast is dramatic soprano Katerina Mina, whose growing reputation in Wagner’s music has taken her to stages across the UK and Europe. She’s part of a new wave of singers taking on the vocal and dramatic challenges of this repertoire.
And even if you’re not an opera regular, there’s plenty that will feel familiar. The Valkyrie includes the famous Ride of the Valkyries — heard everywhere from Apocalypse Now to The Simpsons.
The whole day has been designed to be welcoming, informal and open to anyone curious about how big music gets made. Whether you’re a seasoned Wagnerian or simply fancy seeing something different in the Great Hall, it promises a rare mix of insight and performance.
As Kelvin Lim puts it: “This isn’t just a concert. It’s a chance to see how great artists collaborate and bring extraordinary music to life.”
Opera Forge: Wagner’s Die Walküre Saturday 22 August, Great Hall, Dartington Tickets available for the afternoon rehearsal, the evening performance, or both.
Tickets and further information are available via
Dartington:
https://ticket.dartington.org/EventAvailability?EventId=870998ATPTKJSNVGPQNMSBHTTSBPGDLKG&_gl=1*1iwizjj*_gcl_au*MTY5MzY4NDUxNC4xNzc5OTY1MTYw&_ga=2.104260736.1288942021.1781770242-213037954.1779965160
Opera Forge:
https://operaforge.com/22-august-dartington-working-afternoon-concert/