The Chocolate Soldier

About

If Opera presents a new staging of Oscar Straus’s The Chocolate Soldier in August 2026, created with comic‑opera specialists Opera della Luna. Based on George Bernard Shaw’s anti‑war play Arms and the Man, the 1908 opéra bouffe became a worldwide hit despite Shaw’s misgivings. Director Jeff Clarke unveils a fresh English book and lyrics that restore much of Shaw’s original wit and characters. James Widden provides a new orchestral arrangement, performed live by the Bristol Ensemble under conductor James Ham. Sung in English with English surtitles, the evening promises sparkling romance and satirical bite. Performances take place in the fully covered, purpose‑built Saddlespan Auditorium at Church Farm, Wingfield.