Bampton Classical Opera will bring a rarely heard 18th-century version of Beauty and the Beast to Cokethorpe School near Witney this summer, as the company opens its 2026 production at a new Oxfordshire venue.
At a glance
| Production | André Grétry’s Zemira e Azor, performed in English as Beauty and the Beast |
| Company | Bampton Classical Opera |
| Oxfordshire venue | Cokethorpe School, near Witney, OX29 7PU |
| Oxford dates | Friday 17 and Saturday 18 July 2026, 7pm |
| Format | Semi-staged and costumed, sung in a new English translation |
| Tickets | £45, or £25 for under-18s |
| Booking | Available through Bampton Classical Opera or by calling 07968 801047 |
A fairytale opera based on Beauty and the Beast will open at Cokethorpe School near Witney this July, marking the first time Bampton Classical Opera has performed at the West Oxfordshire venue.
The company’s 2026 summer production is André Grétry’s Zemira e Azor, a late 18th-century opera based on the familiar story of a young woman who discovers nobility and tenderness beneath a monstrous exterior.
Bampton Classical Opera will perform the work in English as Beauty and the Beast, in a new translation by Gilly French. The production will be directed by Jeremy Gray and conducted by Andrew Griffiths.
The opening performances take place at Cokethorpe School on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 July, before the production travels to Westonbirt School in Gloucestershire on Monday 31 August and Smith Square Hall in London on Friday 18 September.
A new Oxfordshire setting for Bampton Classical Opera
Cokethorpe School is a new venue for Bampton Classical Opera in 2026, replacing the company’s usual Bampton garden setting for this year’s Oxfordshire summer performances.
The school is centred around a Queen Anne-style country house set in 150 acres of parkland just over two miles south of Witney, on the A415 towards Standlake.
The performances will take place indoors in the school’s dining hall, which Bampton Classical Opera describes as an acoustic space suited to the production. Audiences will also be able to enjoy picnics in the grounds before the performances.
The move indoors has also allowed the company to try a slightly different presentation. Bampton has said the semi-staging will include scenic video projections, adding a visual element to its usual mix of live singing, orchestra and English text.
What is Beauty and the Beast about?
Zemira e Azor tells a version of the story many audiences will know as Beauty and the Beast.
Zemira takes her father’s place as a prisoner in the enchanted castle of Azor, who has been transformed into a terrifying beast by a fairy’s spell.
At first she is frightened by his appearance, but gradually sees beyond it to his dignity, kindness and nobility. When she finally admits her love, the spell is broken and Azor is restored to his true form as a prince.
The opera was originally set in a fantasy version of Persia, reflecting the taste for imagined Eastern settings in 18th-century European theatre. In Bampton’s hands, the story will be presented as an accessible fairytale for modern audiences, with the company’s usual emphasis on clear English performance.
Why this opera is rarely heard
Grétry’s opera was once widely popular, but it is rarely performed in Britain today.
Bampton Classical Opera is presenting a version based on the 1776 Italian edition, with additional music by Ignaz Holzbauer and Niccolò Jommelli. The company says this edition has not been heard in the UK since the late 18th century.
The opera’s history also gives it a place in the wider development of European comic opera. Its original French source, Zémire et Azor, became one of the first French opéra-comiques to travel successfully beyond France, with productions across Europe and America.
Mozart owned a score of the work and copied parts of it, while later commentators have drawn comparisons between Grétry’s servant character Ali and Mozart’s Papageno.
The opera also had a 20th-century champion in Sir Thomas Beecham, who conducted and recorded it in 1955.
Who is performing?
The cast includes a mix of returning Bampton singers and company debuts.
Soprano Ffion Edwards will sing Zemira, with tenor Gwilym Bowen as Azor. Mezzo-soprano Rachel Roper appears as Lesbia, soprano Siân Dicker as Fatima, tenor Andrew Irwin as Ali and baritone Samuel Pantcheff as Sandro.
Dicker and Pantcheff will be familiar to some Bampton audiences from previous productions. Dicker appeared in Mirandolina in The Landlady in 2024 and as Flaminia in Fool Moon in 2022, while Pantcheff appeared as Fabrizio in The Landlady in 2024 and Lumaca in The School of Jealousy in 2017.
Cast and creative team
| Zemira | Ffion Edwards |
| Azor | Gwilym Bowen |
| Lesbia | Rachel Roper |
| Fatima | Siân Dicker |
| Ali | Andrew Irwin |
| Sandro | Samuel Pantcheff |
| Conductor | Andrew Griffiths |
| Director | Jeremy Gray |
| English translation | Gilly French |
Why Bampton Classical Opera matters locally
Bampton Classical Opera has built a national reputation from its Oxfordshire base by championing rarely performed operas from the late 18th century.
Rather than staging familiar repertoire, the company specialises in forgotten and rediscovered works, performed in lively English translations and often featuring young professional singers.
Its past productions have included UK premieres of operas by composers including Bertoni, Marcos Portugal, Paer, Benda, Gluck and Salieri.
The company was a finalist in the Rediscovered Work category of the International Opera Awards in 2020 for Stephen Storace’s Gli sposi malcontenti, performed by Bampton as Bride and Gloom. Its 2023 production of Salieri’s La fiera di Venezia, performed as At the Venice Fair, was also shortlisted in the same category.
For Oxfordshire audiences, the Cokethorpe performances offer a chance to hear a rarely staged opera in a local country-house setting without travelling to London or a major festival.
Performance dates
| Date | Time | Venue | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 17 July 2026 | 7pm | Cokethorpe School | Near Witney, Oxfordshire |
| Saturday 18 July 2026 | 7pm | Cokethorpe School | Near Witney, Oxfordshire |
| Monday 31 August 2026 | 5pm | The Orangery Theatre, Westonbirt School | Near Tetbury, Gloucestershire |
| Friday 18 September 2026 | 7pm | Smith Square Hall | London |
What audiences need to know
Tickets for Cokethorpe and Westonbirt cost £45, with under-18 tickets at £25. Booking is open online through Bampton Classical Opera or by telephone on 07968 801047.
Booking for the Smith Square Hall performance opens on Monday 29 June.
Free pre-performance talks are planned for the performances, giving audiences extra context on the opera, its story and its place in 18th-century musical life.
Audiences attending Cokethorpe are encouraged to bring garden chairs if they want to enjoy a pre-performance picnic in the grounds. Picnic arrangements and any food ordering details should be checked with Bampton Classical Opera when booking.
Planning your visit to Cokethorpe
| Venue | Cokethorpe School, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 7PU |
| Where it is | On the A415, just over two miles south of Witney towards Standlake |
| Performance space | Dining Hall, indoors |
| Picnics | Audiences can picnic in the grounds before the performance |
| Tickets | £45, or £25 for under-18s |
| Booking | bamptonopera.org or 07968 801047 |
FAQs
When is Beauty and the Beast at Cokethorpe School?
Bampton Classical Opera performs Beauty and the Beast at Cokethorpe School on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 July 2026 at 7pm.
What is the opera’s original title?
The opera is André Grétry’s Zemira e Azor, based on the fairytale better known as Beauty and the Beast.
Will it be sung in English?
Yes. Bampton Classical Opera will perform the opera in a new English translation by Gilly French.
Where is Cokethorpe School?
Cokethorpe School is near Witney in West Oxfordshire, just over two miles south of the town on the A415 towards Standlake.
How much are tickets?
Tickets for Cokethorpe and Westonbirt are £45, with under-18 tickets at £25.
Can audiences bring a picnic?
Yes. Audiences are encouraged to enjoy picnics in the grounds before the Cokethorpe performances.
Who is conducting and directing?
The production is conducted by Andrew Griffiths and directed by Jeremy Gray.
Where can people book?
Tickets can be booked through Bampton Classical Opera or by calling 07968 801047.
