News and Features

What you thought of: The Rake's Progress

Read a selection of press reviews and audience reactions for The Rake's Progress

The curtain has now gone up on our Tour production of The Rake’s Progress.

A bearded lady, a small-town boy and a deal with the Devil: classic fairy tale meets modern morality play in Stravinsky and WH Auden’s exhilarating fusion of high drama and low comedy.

One of the Glyndebourne greats, John Cox’s much-loved production returns for the first time in a decade, bringing David Hockney’s iconic designs to a new generation.

Read what the audience and critics had to say about the production.

Audience Reaction

Splendid performance of The Rake’s Progress this afternoon at Glyndebourne, with a particularly lovely Anne Trulove from @NardusWilliams. Performance was dedicated to the memory of Bernard Haitink – conductor not only of the production’s 1975 premiere, but its first 4 runs!

— Ruth Elleson (@RuthElleson) October 23, 2021

Second huge treat of the week was the Hockney Rake’s Progress @glyndebourne Lovely show with wonderful singing from @NardusWilliams (gorgeous!) @TenorFMJ @dannormski Sam Carl, Rosie Aldridge, Fiona Kimm & Stephen Richardson. Extra treat, talking to Nardus & @roseandfriends

— Tom Maxwell (@TomMaxwell11) October 23, 2021

‘The Rake’s Progress is one of your best productions, and I hope it will return to the summer festival soon.’

– Audience Member

‘Hugely enjoyable and first rate musical experience. World class!’

– Audience Member

‘Thoroughly enjoyable and one of the best opera experiences I’ve had for years.’

– Audience Member

What the critics are saying

‘Still delighting audiences after 46 years’

– The Times

‘Even after 46 years, his [Hockney’s] genius as a draughtsman — and most of his sets are line drawings, even the crosshatched patterns of the costumes’ fabric designs — shines through.’

– The Sunday Times

‘A feast for the eye as well as ear, heart as well as mind.’
★★★★★

– The Arts Desk

‘ its freshness is unimpaired’

– Bachtrack