Festen, Royal Opera House

Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Festen, adapted from Thomas Vinterberg’s 1998 cult film, is one of the most arresting new operas to grace the Royal Opera House in years. Directed with razor-sharp precision by Richard Jones and conducted with intensity and sensitivity by Edward Gardner, this world premiere production is both emotionally brutal and theatrically brilliant.

Set in a sterile hotel space designed by Miriam Buether, the production opens on a 60th birthday party that quickly spirals into a horrifying family reckoning. Jones keeps the staging naturalistic but teeming with tension; the blandness of the surroundings only sharpens the trauma that unfolds. As in the original film, the story centres on Christian, who exposes his father Helge’s long-hidden sexual abuse, setting off a chain of reactions that veer between absurdity, denial, and violence. Jones’s direction ensures that the large cast is never lost in the chaos. Every scene, even the wildest, feels lived-in and emotionally truthful.

Turnage’s score is extraordinary, restlessly shifting in style but always tightly bound to the drama. With echoes of Britten, Weill and even big-band swing, the music moves from sardonic wit to piercing tragedy, with bluesy motifs and eerie choruses adding to the sense of creeping horror. The score’s pacing is impeccable, and Gardner draws astonishing detail and dynamic contrast from the orchestra, never overpowering the singers.

The cast is uniformly exceptional. Allan Clayton is deeply affecting as Christian, giving a raw, vulnerable performance that anchors the opera’s emotional arc. His voice shines through the chaos like a searchlight. Gerald Finley as Helge is chilling, his vocal richness only intensifying the repulsiveness of his character. Natalya Romaniw is ferocious as Helena, delivering her lines with devastating impact. Stéphane Degout brings explosive menace to the role of Michael, and Rosie Aldridge’s Else shifts from aloof denial to shrieking despair with grim conviction.

There are moments of macabre humour, too, most memorably the unsettling conga line and a grotesquely cheerful rendition of “Baa Baa Black Sheep.” These surreal interludes, layered with darkness, evoke the uncanny sense of disassociation often seen in families that bury trauma.

What makes Festen so remarkable is its uncompromising honesty. It tackles abuse, racism, addiction, and the corrosive power of denial with an unflinching gaze, yet manages to be musically rich, theatrically bold and, at times, painfully funny. It’s opera at its most relevant and courageous.

This is a landmark production, deeply unsettling, beautifully crafted, and utterly unforgettable..

Image credit: Royal Opera House.