Marchment Directs Operas at Dorset Opera Festival

Director of Opera and Associate Professor Ella Marchment, B.Mus., directed “Le Roi de Lahore” at the Dorset Opera Festival in the United Kingdom this summer. This was the first time the opera has been staged in the U.K. in more than 120 years and the production received all four- and five-star reviews, according to Marchment. One featured review appeared in The Guardian.

Marchment was joined by Dasia-Marie Mitchell ’24 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) who served alongside Marchment as assistant director on “Le Roi de Lahore” (The King of Lahore) by Jules Massenet. Mitchell has assisted Marchment on other productions at Shenandoah Conservatory, including “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Main Stage Opera with Symphony Orchestra, Spring 2023), “Hydrogen Jukebox” (Opera Up Close, Fall 2022) and “The New World of Opera” (Main Stage Opera with Symphony Orchestra, Spring 2022).

Marchment also delivered the alumni address during the King’s College London commencement ceremony in July.

“It was a truly special moment to be standing on the stage of the Royal Festival Hall welcoming a new cohort of graduates to our alumni community,” said Marchment.