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Tucked away in a pleasant corner of the Cotswolds, Longborough Festival Opera has made its name as a home for Wagner in the UK. In the finely renovated barn, a quarter the size of Bayreuth, the Festival has included Wagner in their programme every year (even a couple of Ring cycles), to great acclaim. This has, of course, attracted a core audience of Wagnerians who return every summer, but this year’s offering turns that on its head. Not an opera by Wagner, but an opera about him and the darker recesses of his lasting legacy, which, in part, Longborough itself, along with Wagner enthusiasts such as you and I, must confront.

From the pen of composer Avner Dorman, Wahnfried is an unsettling exploration of the toxic legacy left by Richard Wagner, portrayed through the internal struggles and ideological extremism of his descendants following his death. Set primarily at the Wagner family home, Wahnfried, the opera highlights the influence of Houston Stewart Chamberlain, a British admirer who married Wagner’s daughter Eva and promoted racist ideologies of Aryan supremacy. As Chamberlain and Wagner’s widow, Cosima, strive to control and preserve Wagner’s controversial legacy, the family descends into a destructive blend of fanaticism, antisemitism, and personal betrayal. The narrative incorporates Wagner himself in the symbolic form of the Wagner-dæmon, a ghostly figure who critically observes and satirically comments on the ensuing madness, effectively underscoring the tragic consequences of unchecked ideological obsession.

Central to this potent drama is the unsettling figure of Houston Stewart Chamberlain, portrayed by Mark Le Brocq in a performance of compelling conviction. Chamberlain’s transformation from a seemingly harmless lepidopterist to a grotesque ideologue championing Aryan supremacy is deeply disturbing and enigmatic. Susan Bullock’s formidable Cosima Wagner complements him perfectly, creating an icy portrayal of a woman determined to uphold her husband’s troubling legacy. Alongside the rest of the Wagner family, they vainly strive to preserve an idealistic world that existed only on the stage of Bayreuth.

The opera cleverly sidesteps having Wagner directly engage with his own controversial social and racial ideologies by killing him off in the first 20 minutes and replacing him with the impish Wagner-dæmon. Dynamically portrayed by Oskar McCarthy, this mischievous afterlife representation emerges from the cult-like reverence of Wagner’s followers. His presence offers biting commentary on the unfolding madness, effectively amplifying the opera’s critique of fanaticism.

Though occasionally the opera’s ambition feels overwhelming – with rapid-fire historical references, an intense episodic structure, and over fifteen named characters – one sometimes wishes moments were given more space to breathe musically and dramatically. This density results from squeezing nearly forty years of ideological upheaval into two and a half hours. Nevertheless, I greatly commend its fearless handling of these uncomfortable themes. Darkly humorous moments, such as Chamberlain praising Aryan supremacy while Arcadian shepherd boys and sheep prance gleefully, were chillingly effective. Yet as the second act began, with post-World War I Germany and Hitler appearing (painted white-faced and dressed absurdly with large clown buttons), the opera’s themes felt somewhat repetitive. Apart from Chamberlain’s comeuppance – dismissed as merely a historical footnote by the Wagner-dæmon – it felt constrained by its historical narrative. While this may underline the continuity of past horrors into the present, the point had already been made strongly by the end of Act One.

I was very glad that Dorman’s score avoided becoming simply 'a Wagnerian opera about Wagner.' Quotations such as the 'Tristan' chord and Siegfried’s 'horn call' were woven so seamlessly into the music that they never distracted. I also appreciated that Wahnfried is not one continuous Gesamtkunstwerk but rather structured into twenty clearly delineated scenes. As Dorman himself suggests, this approach allows the audience valuable moments for reflection. The score is unpredictable but never unpleasant; Dorman’s orchestration is consistently fresh and engaging. A particularly haunting effect was achieved in a chorus number, where singers appeared to mime to their pre-recorded voices enhanced with distant-sounding reverb. From Kurt Weill-inspired cabaret numbers to frenetic, Shostakovich-like marches, the ear is always intrigued. However, the eclecticism sometimes undermines the work’s cohesion; more explicit musical continuity might have better supported the emotional narrative. Nevertheless, the music is a dazzling firework display I look forward to hearing again.

Wahnfried is undoubtedly a provocative work, boldly confronting the darkest elements of Wagnerian mythology. Its uncompromising portrayal of fanaticism’s corrosive power is compelling and challenging, a stark reminder that past horrors continue to echo in the present. I greatly admire Longborough for presenting the UK premiere of a large-scale contemporary opera – a feat few opera houses manage today. I sincerely hope we will continue to hear more new sounds and voices resonating through the Cotswolds soon.

Until 14 June. lfo.org.uk