"It's very quaint but somewhat rustic," sings Onegin as he enters the Larins' house in act one of Tchaikovsky's opera. That same description could apply to Grange Park, a dilapidated mansion deep in the Hampshire countryside. Grange Park uses the Glyndebourne idea of opera as social occasion; it's probably the closest thing to a private opera company most music-lovers ever get to see.
The encouraging thing, though, is that the organisers of Grange Park are artistically ambitious, giving young professionals a chance to perform major roles alongside more experienced singers. This performance of Onegin boasted a decent chorus and orchestra. David Lloyd-Jones conducted as the performers sang his own translation. Some of his tempi were a little brisk, the syncopations in the accompaniments falling over each other, but he drew some rich passages of expression out of his players. The soloists were also rather hemmed in by the small auditorium - of the principals, only Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts's Lensky really managed to reach a convincing piano. The first aria after a dinner interval always receives enthusiastic applause; in Lloyd-Roberts's case it was at least deserved.
Majella Cullagh sang Tatyana with a nice bright tone, but without a great range of expression. Robert Poulton, singing solidly in the title role, was unlikely in that Ian Judge's staging had made his the most problematic character. Onegin should seduce Tatyana through brooding, animal attraction alone: she has read enough books to know from their first meeting that he's no knight in shining armour, and she calls him her "tempter" rather than her love. But he was made to prance on in dark glasses and then size up Tatyana and her sister like a workman calculating the cost of house repairs. The tragedy of the opera was too often undermined by such overdone attempts to lighten the atmosphere, proving that while you can't destroy the score of Onegin, you can lessen its impact.
• In rep till July 14. Box office: 01420 565690.
***** Unmissable **** Recommended *** Enjoyable ** Mediocre * Terrible
