Félix Magazine

On August 5, 2026, at the Cormeilles Theatre, the audience did more than simply attend a performance of La Cenerentola. They entered into the action. With its touring company, Diva Opera offered a lively, generous and mischievous interpretation of Rossini’s opera. The evening was all the more symbolic because the company was celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year.

An opera brought close to the audience

As part of the Musicales de Cormeilles, Diva Opera returned to La Cenerentola, inspired by the tale of Cinderella. As is its custom, the British company presented a chamber version: a piano, minimalist scenery, a few props and a cast fully committed to the action. Glances, asides and gestures underscored every intention. Rossini’s music consequently gained a delightful spontaneity. Bryan Evans provided the impetus at the piano, supporting the singers and accompanying the shifts in tempo with supple precision. The opera became a collective adventure, shared with the audience.

Angelina: gentleness as inner strength

In the role of Angelina, the young soprano Heather Lowe portrayed a touching Cenerentola. In Rossini’s world, gentleness is not a weakness. It is an inner strength: a way of resisting humiliation and continuing to believe in kindness.

Opposite her, Don Ramiro was a prince in search of authenticity. Joseph Doody presented a young man who did not want to be loved for his title, but for who he really was. The machinery of mistaken identities reached its peak with Dandini, performed by Jérôme Knox. The valet became a prince, the prince became a valet, and the social hierarchy was temporarily turned upside down.

A family on the road

In such a tightly focused production, the cohesion of the company was essential. Diva Opera embraces this human dimension. Some of the singers were discovering the company for the first time; others were returning after several seasons. All spoke of an artistic family built on trust, attentiveness and mutual support. That impression was palpable on stage: behind the virtuosity and frenzied rhythm, there was the clear pleasure of performing together.

Thirty years of commitment

Founded in 1996 by Anne Marabini Young and Bryan Evans, Diva Opera celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in 2026. The company has built its reputation around demanding yet accessible touring opera, capable of reaching audiences in small theatres as well as at major festivals. Anne Marabini Young has worked to preserve the balance between experience and renewal.

“It’s important to have new blood; it keeps the company alive,” she explained. Then, with a simplicity that neatly summed up the adventure, she added: “Thirty years is a long time, but people like what we do, so we carry on.”

In Cormeilles, this anniversary was not celebrated as an official event appended to the performance. It expressed itself simply through the harmony of the group, the trust among the artists and the infectious pleasure of Rossini’s music. With this Cenerentola, Diva Opera showed that magic can emerge from the simplest means: a piano, harmonious voices, precise staging and an attentive audience.

Jean-Claude Djian