Grange Park Opera’s film of Ravel’s L’heure Espagnole, set in and around Howard Walwyn’s Fine Antique Clocks and Kensington Church Street, was released in March 2021. Elgan Llŷr Thomas has been commended by critics for his performance as the self-absorbed poet Gonzalve:
“Elgan Llŷr Thomas was in a comically lustrous voice as Gonzalve, extravagant in delivery and sense of line, more entranced by the clocks adorning the walls and his own poetic genius than poor Concepción.”
Benjamin Poore, OperaWire
“The small cast keep things sizzling. What we lose in Ravel’s miraculous play of instrumental colour we gain in quick-fire, conversational rhythms of music that stick as close to speech as possible. Except, that is, for Gonzalve (a deliciously ardent, overblown Elgan Llyr Thomas) who turns the simplest exchange into a musical sonnet.”
Alexandra Coghlan, The i ****
“GPO’s singers, under Medcalf’s direction, succeed admirably [...] Elgan Llŷr Thomas as the handsome, posy Gonzalve, and Ashley Riches [...] play their parts with tremendous gusto.”
Hugh Canning, The Times
“Llŷr Thomas makes a fine Gonzalve, darker and weightier in tone than most”
Tim Ashley, The Guardian ****
“...the fluid phrasing and Gallic tang of Thomas's dapper-sounding tenor”
Richard Bratby, The Arts Desk ****
“Welsh tenor Elgan Llyr Thomas convinces as the young poet Gonzalve”
Alice Fowler, The Guildford Dragon
“Elgan Llŷr Thomas is every bit as annoying as the self-absorbed poet Gonsalve as he needs to be”
Ivan Hewett, The Telegraph
L’heure Espagnole is available now on Grange Park Opera’s website and YouTube channel – find out more and watch it here.
Photo credit: Ben Stevens