Making his Garsington Opera debut this season, we are delighted to announce that Kevin Whately will be performing the role of the bumbling clergyman Dr Chasuble in Gerald Barry’s opera The Importance of Being Earnest.
The role of Dr Chasuble in the opera is a spoken one, described by writer David Nice as ‘a rhythmically precise, dramatically important cameo’ and requires an actor with musical ability.
Best-known for his starring TV role of Lewis in Inspector Morse and Lewis, Kevin Whately has had a long career on both stage and screen spanning comedy, drama and mystery and we look forward to seeing him on the Garsington stage alongside our formidable cast including Jennifer France as Cecily Cardew and Henry Waddington as Lady Bracknell.
Kevin Whately said: “After more than 50 years in the business, I thought it was about time I made my British opera debut, so I was delighted to be asked to do it at Garsington Opera on the beautiful Wormsley Estate, where I’ve enjoyed several great productions in recent seasons.”
The Importance of Being Earnest runs from Friday 10 July to Thursday 23 July 2026.
