Grange Park Opera's new production of Porgy and Bess opened on 8 June 2019 with Francesca Chiejina as Clara. She has already received a number of excellent reviews for her house debut:
even though it’s virtually the first thing we hear, it’s hard to forget the radiance of Francesca Chiejina’s Clara when she delivers her peachy Summertime.
Neil Fisher, The Times, 10 June 2019
Though there are no weak links in the cast, the revelation of the night is the Francesca Chiejina’s Clara, vocally luminous with superb diction (there are no surtitles), a wonderfully sympathetic stage presence.
David Gutman, The Stage, 11 June 2019
…the standard of singing is very high, with several principals really standing out. As Clara, Francesca Chiejina, a former Royal Opera Jette Parker Young Artist, sings ‘Summertime’ with a glistening radiance…
Sam Smith, musicOMH, 10 June 2019
Francesca Chiejina gives goosebump-inducing renditions of the opera's big number "Summertime" throughout.
Fiona Scott, BroadwayWorld, 9 June 2019
Some of the other characters are outstanding, in particular Francesca Chiejina (recently one of the Jette Parker Young Artists at the Royal Opera House) as a touching and tender Clara, soaring through ‘Summertime’
Jessica Duchen, The Arts Desk, 10 June 2019
Francesca Chiejina’s Clara gave us a heart-stoppingly effective “Summertime” at the start of the evening
Matthew Rye, Backtrack, 10 June 2019
Performances of Porgy and Bess run until 7 July 2019, with a limited number of tickets still available on the Grange Park Opera website.
