Retrospect Opera

The "lost" Hot Potatoes Fanfare by @DameEthelSmyth has recently been revived. See this article by @Dr_Chris_Wiley for The Conversation: theconversation.com/how-i-brought-… Smyth quotes the same fanfare in Entente Cordiale. To support our recording of that opera: retrospectopera.org.uk/entente-cordia…

This year we released our recording of Kennedy-Fraser & Bantock's The Seal-Woman, available here: retrospectopera.org.uk/shop/ Find out more about Kennedy-Fraser (pictured) and her opera from this recently published article by @Dr_Chris_Wiley (see pp. 3-11): iawm.org/wp-content/upl…

The team at @RetrospectOpera wish all those interested in British opera a Merry Christmas! 2025 has been very busy and we have exciting things to announce in the New Year - watch this space! Don't forget, our CDs make great stocking-fillers - see retrospectopera.org.uk/shop/.

Featuring the UK premiere of Smyth's Symphonie für kleines Orchester, the modern premiere of Smyth's Opening and Intermezzo from The Boatswain's Mate, plus Smyth's Two Interlinked French Folk Melodies, Overture to The Boatswain's Mate, and The March of the Women. @RetrospectOpera

FREE ORCHESTRAL CONCERT FOR ALL THE FAMILY Saturday 15 November, 3-5:30pm Guildford United Reformed Church, GU2 4BS Featuring the music of Ethel Smyth, plus Jurassic Park, James Bond & ABBA - and try out some instruments yourself! Further info/tickets: tickettailor.com/events/univers…

'Retrospect's CD issue, recorded clearly in Glasgow's Scottish Opera Production Studios, offers winning advocacy. [...] the company has excelled itself by providing a lavishly illustrated booklet for The Seal-Woman' - Christopher Webber, Opera magazine, November 2025

Editor's Choice - October 2025 Review of Kennedy-Fraser and Bantock's The Seal-Woman (Retrospect Opera, 2025) in @LimelightArtsAu, 8 September 2025, by Clive Paget: limelight-arts.com.au/reviews/bantoc…

Congratulations to our former Trustee Andy King on the Keynote at the International Society for the Study of Egyptomania conference this weekend. issegyptomania.com Find out more about The Seal-Woman: retrospectopera.org.uk/product/the_se… And The Happy Prince: retrospectopera.org.uk/product/fete-g…

'it has been admirably served by Retrospect Opera with this first complete recording ... heroic efforts behind this undertaking - and the superlative performances by all concerned' - Review of Kennedy-Fraser and Bantock's The Seal-Woman by Geraint Lewis, Gramophone

‘All credit to Retrospect Opera [...] Yvonne Howard is in fine voice as The Cailleach [...] Best of all is Catherine Carby as the seal woman’ - Review of Bantock and Kennedy-Fraser’s The Seal-Woman, Christopher Cook, BBC Music Magazine, 7 August 2025 pressreader.com/uk/bbc-music-m…

'Retrospect Opera has an excellent track record in recording largely unknown British operas ... John Andrews leads his forces in a well-shaped reading of the score.' - Review of The Seal-Woman by Philip Reed, Opera Now, 31 July 2025 gramophone.co.uk/opera-now/revi…

"Throughout the performance is well played and sung ... The extensive booklet notes are thorough and absorbing. This was clearly a labour of love." - Review of Kennedy-Fraser & Bantock's The Seal-Woman by Kevin Mandry for British Music Society, July 2025 britishmusicsociety.co.uk/2025/07/bantoc…

#OTD in 1925, @DameEthelSmyth's Entente Cordiale was premiered at the Royal College of Music, London. To commemorate this centenary, our own @Dr_Chris_Wiley has written an article for @operamagazine. #EthelSmyth To donate to our upcoming recording: retrospectopera.org.uk/entente-cordia…

The conductor for our Smyth releases, @OdalineMartinez, was on today's 'In Tune' on @BBCRadio3 ahead of Pegasus Opera's production of Fete Galante later this week, which she is conducting; two tracks from our recording were broadcast. Listen from 1.29.25: bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0…

Our Trustee Valerie Langfield was in attendance at the Victorian Popular Fiction Association conference at The Birmingham & Midland Institute earlier this week, representing Retrospect Opera at a dedicated table. victorianpopularfiction.org/wp-content/upl…

Review of Kennedy-Fraser/Bantock, The Seal-Woman (Retrospect Opera) by Jim Westhead, MusicWeb International: musicwebinternational.com/2025/07/kenned…

Great mention of the @RetrospectOpera recording of C.V. Stanford's Shamus O'Brien this morning on @BBCRadio3, following broadcast of a movement from one of Stanford's symphonies. Listen from 13:13-13:51 here: bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0…

The longer version of the interview with @jkaconductor about our recording of Kennedy-Fraser and Bantock's The Seal-Woman has now gone live: youtu.be/vkIxvKnPTNY To order our recording of The Seal-Woman: retrospectopera.org.uk/product/the_se…