Pyramus and Thisbe

Baroque. Brilliant. Barely under control.

Inspired by the gloriously inept ‘play within a play’ in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, John Frederick Lampe's Pyramus and Thisbe is an ingenious mock opera that affectionately skewers the grand conventions of Baroque opera. With one eye on Shakespeare and the other on the excesses of 18th-century musical theatre, Lampe creates a work that’s witty, inventive and self-aware — proving that opera has always known how to laugh at itself.

As a troupe of earnest performers attempts to present the tragic tale of Pyramus and Thisbe, everything that can go wrong, does, with spectacular conviction. Lovers whisper through a crack in a wall, a lion sings, the Man in the Moon arrives carrying his own lantern, and a pair of sharp-eyed observers delight in exposing every theatrical absurdity. The result is a joyful collision of glorious music, comic invention and theatrical chaos.

Pinchgut favourites Kanen Breen and Cathy-Di Zhang, whose unforgettable performances in Platée (2021) and The Fairy Queen (2025) captivated audiences, lead this exuberant celebration of theatrical mischief. With Kanen’s extraordinary comic instincts and Cathy-Di’s luminous stage presence, this gloriously irreverent romp promises dazzling music, razor-sharp wit and a wonderfully unpredictable evening at the opera.

Whether you’re a lifelong opera lover or discovering Pinchgut for the first time, Pyramus and Thisbe is the perfect introduction to a season celebrating love, laughter and the glorious unpredictability of live theatre.