Review: Beethoven: I Shall Hear In Heaven, Opera Holland Park

After an initial award-nominated run at the Wimbledon International Music Festival in 2021, super-talented director/writer/actor Tama Matheson brings his Beethoven biopic to the closing days of the 2025 Opera Holland Park season.

This clever, fascinating performance benefits from the impressive stage and setting at Opera Holland Park, where it could be lost in a smaller, more intimate venue. Aside from a couple of small sound and lighting issues, it is a beautifully crafted piece, telling the life story of Beethoven from his humble, troubled childhood and teenage years through to adulthood and dazzling success in his final years.

Very ably assisted by commanding fellow cast members/narrators Suzy Kohane and Robert Maskell, who cleverly change characters and narrating roles throughout, Matheson takes us back to a somewhat abusive childhood. He switches deftly from the grumpy, frustrated, older Beethoven, to him as a child at home with his parents, finding his feet and learning that his talent is there to be crafted through the adversity. Matheson is a powerful presence on stage, interacting with his fellow cast members and the audience, using the entire, vast space to his advantage.

As we move through Beethoven’s eventful life, seeing the opportunity of love and relationships lost, the changing of the family dynamic and the eventual adoption of his nephew following the death of his brother, we reach the devastating loss of the composer’s hearing at the height of his fame. This is delicately performed by Matheson and the cast and we (rather understandably) see the maestro’s personality change as he struggles to adjust.

Throughout the performance, there are pauses on several occasions which allow Beethoven’s compositions to do the talking and be showcased by the orchestra, Quartet Concrete, directed by Jayson Gillham. With full attention on them and with the cast watching them too, this allows the focus to be on the master’s incredible talent and exquisite music. Given the amount of material available and the opportunity to perform at this beautiful venue, more of this could have been included. A little less dialogue would also help form more of a rounded production as, after a rather lengthy performance, I could see some of the audience seat-shifting towards the end.

At the rear of the huge stage, and right from the start, sixteen people dressed in black are sat in a row. Whilst they interact a couple of times with the main cast during Act One, and at one point form a crowd scene for one of Beethoven’s trips to the big city, it’s not at all clear who they are. During the interval, I heard many audience members asking the same thing. Some signposting earlier on to this being a choir (English Chamber Choir) would have solved the mystery, rather than leaving the audience (and, I have to say, some of the choir members) feeling slightly uncomfortable as to their presence. Needless to say though, when they are called upon to showcase their vocal talents in Act Two, they are wonderful and again the stage, space and acoustics really do them justice.

Act Two sees some comedic, almost slapstick elements brought in – which is somewhat strange given the serious scene-setting earlier, but it is nice to see Beethoven portrayed in lighter times.

Whilst the performance highlights that Beethoven was somewhat unlucky in love in his lifetime, it’s clear from the universal popularity of his music since, and to this day, that there is still much love and affection for the great composer and his work. This production is an ideal opportunity to celebrate that.

Artistic Director: Tama Matheson
Music Director: Jayson Gillham
Ensemble: Suzy Kohane, Robert Maskell
Orchestra: Quartet Concrete
Choir: English Chamber Choir
Produced by the NEST

Beethoven: I Shall Hear In Heaven has completed its run at Opera Holland Park