JULY 17TH 2026
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Join us on July 17th for Opera on the Test, hosted on the banks of the beautiful river at The Greyhound on the Test.
Prepare for a sublime evening of music set against the idyllic backdrop of the River Test. The incredibly talented Alexandra Heath, Ilan Kurtser, and Alex Bower-Brown will take you on a musical journey through some of opera’s most well-known pieces. Relax and enjoy beautiful renditions of popular works by Mozart, Schubert, Britten, and many more.
Make it a night to remember and pre-order one of our spectacular Kingfisher Hampers to enjoy on the riverbank. With a selection of sandwiches, snacks, sweet treats, and a bottle of wine, it’s the perfect accompaniment. You’ll find a special 10% discount code in your ticket confirmation email.
This exclusive event has limited tickets, so we highly recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.
THE STARS OF THE SHOW
Alexandra Heath
Alexandra Heath is a recent graduate of the Royal Academy of Music (under Mary Nelson).
Recently, Alexandra made her professional German debut at the Rheinsberg Kammeroper Sommerfest as Phénice in Piccini’s ‘Didon’. She returned to Rheinsberg in Easter 2025 as Tamiri in Mozart’s Il Re Pastore. Other highlights include being a prize winner at the Bolko von Hochberg International Lied Competition in Poland in the summer of 2024 and her debut with the Cinematic Orchestra of London in 2024.
As a recitalist, Alexandra has performed internationally and recently released her first album credit, singing Stravinsky songs for soprano and orchestra conducted by Barbara Hannigan.
She sang the National Anthem for England Women’s Rugby matches at Twickenham Stadium in Spring 2024.
Alexandra won first place in the Edith Poulsen Prize at the North London Music Festival. She is the Yorkshire Music Future Fund second prize winner at the Aldeburgh New Voices competition and also competed in the final of the Maureen Lehane Vocal Awards at Wigmore Hall in June 2023.
In 2021, Alexandra made her debut at Opera Holland Park, performing the roles of Gretel and the Dew Fairy in Hänsel und Gretel for Silent Opera and British Youth Opera. She sang the solos in Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music with Southbank Sinfonia, conducted by Dame Jane Glover at St John’s Smith Square.
alex bower-brown
Alex Bower-Brown is a British baritone; a recent graduate of the opera school at the Royal Academy of Music where he studied with the professors Glenville Hargreaves, Mark Wildman and Iain Ledingham. Alex was gratefully supported by the Norman Ayrton award. Whilst at the Academy, Alex was a regular performer in the Royal Academy Bach consort, performing with some of the best conductors of our age including Philppe Herreweghe, John Butt and Jane Glover. A highlight of the series was singing Pilate in a production of Bach’s great work, St John’s Passion, conducted by Philppe Herreweghe.
Opera roles include Papageno in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Father in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel, Tobias Mill in Rossini’s La Cambiale di matrimonio, Mr Gedge (Vicar) in Britten’s Albert Herring, Die Sprecher in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and Alexander in Martinu’s Alexandre Bis. Alex also sings regularly with the Glyndebourne chorus and ENO chorus. Alex has a wealth of experience singing both as an oratorio soloist and in professional choirs. He has performed as a soloist in a wide variety of works including Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Brahms’ Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs, Rossini’s Petite Messe Sollonelle, Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius and Alec Roth’s A Time to Dance.
Alex has made his solo debuts at some of London’s most illustrious venues including Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall and St John’s Smith Square. Recent highlights include Alex participating in masterclasses at Wigmore Hall with Christopher Prégardien and Thomas Quasthoff. Alex recently reached the semi-finals of the 2025 Kathleen Ferrier award which took place at Wigmore Hall. Alex is looking forward to joining Glyndebourne again for the 2026 summer season, where he will be singing chorus and covering in L’orfeo.
Ilan Kurtser
Ilan Kurtser is a Britten-Pears Young Artist, Samling Artist, and Leeds Lieder Young Artist. He has won numerous prizes in competitions both in the UK and abroad, including First Prize at the Copenhagen International Lied Duo Competition, the Kathleen Ferrier Awards Accompanist Prize, and the Bampton Classical Opera Competition Accompanist Prize. Ilan was a finalist at the Wigmore Hall International Song Competition 2024 together with baritone Jonathan Eyers.
Ilan was a Bicentenary Scholar at the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied Piano Accompaniment with Michael Dussek, James Baillieu, and Malcolm Martineau. As part of his Bicentenary Scholarship, he is recording his debut CD of the complete Goethe-Lieder by Hugo Wolf.
Concert highlights have included recitals with Gweneth Ann Rand and Stephen Whitford at the Aldeburgh Festival, with violist Paul Silverthorne at the Museo del Violino in Cremona, Italy, and with mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston at the Leeds Lieder Festival. He has also performed at Wigmore Hall, the International Lied Festival Zeist, Sage Gateshead, Leeds Victoria Hall, and the Jerusalem Music Centre.
Ilan was a Fellow at the Royal Academy of Music, where he curated over 20 concerts for the Academy Song Circle and Academy Voices concert series, teaching and coaching singers and pianists. Ilan is currently a répétiteur for the Royal Academy Opera.
Make it a night to remember and pre-order one of our spectacular Kingfisher Hampers to enjoy on the riverbank. With a selection of sandwiches, savoury snacks, sweet treats, and a bottle of wine, it’s the perfect accompaniment. You’ll find a special discount code in your ticket confirmation email.
Enjoy a pre-show drink and dinner at our River & Rosé Bar & Kitchen. From delicious snacks to seasonal sharing boards, there is a range of tasty dishes to tempt your taste buds. Enjoy a glass or two of Léoube wine, alongside a selection of cocktails, beers, and much more.
Join us for an early dinner at The Greyhound on the Test before the evening’s performance. The Greyhound menu features local, seasonal ingredients and refined British classics.
Secure your table as availability is limited.
EVENT FAQ’S
START TIME
The River & Rosé Garden Bar will be open from 4pm. They will be serving a range of drinks, cocktails and food throughout the evening.
Gates to the riverbank where the Opera will be held will open at 6pm once soundcheck has been completed.
The performance will begin at 7:30pm.
FINISH TIME
The evening will finish at approximately 9pm.
PARKING
While parking at The Greyhound on the Test is limited, you’ll find plenty of additional space just a short stroll away on Stockbridge High Street.
We operate parking on a first-come, first-served basis and are unable to reserve specific spaces.
SEATING
Please note there won’t be seating on-site so you will need to bring your own chair, picnic blanket or seating of choice. No gazebos or parasols will be permitted.
FOOD & DRINK
No external food and drink will be permitted into the event.
There are a variety of food and drink options available from the The River & Rosé Garden. These include a selection of dishes from the Garden Kitchen, as well as a wide selection of wines, beers, and cocktails from the The River & Rosé Garden Bar.
There are also limited tables available at The Greyhound on the Test, which will be opening from 5pm to accommodate early bookings.
You can also pre-order a Kingfisher Hamper with a special 10% discount. You can then collect these from the Kingfisher Hamper pick-up point on the night. The 10% discount code will be included within the confirmation email.
Please note – Kingfisher Hampers will need to be ordered a minimum of 48 hours beforehand to ensure they can be delivered in time.
TICKET INFORMATION
All ticket sales are final and non-refundable.
If we are not able to host the event, you will be given a full refund. We will not be liable for any costs you incur (such as travel expenses) should we need to cancel the event.
