The Queen of Spades – London

Opera by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, presented by Opera Holland Park in the summer of 2016.

“The nightmarish hallucinatory quality of the music in the final scenes is reflected in lighting designer Simon Corder’s shifting play of light and shadows.” – Clare Colvin, Daily Express, 7 August 2016

“There are some wonderful moments early on, where sudden tricks of light make Herman’s social world look sinister and grotesque, and we become acutely aware of the proximity of reality and nightmare in his mind.” – Tim Ashley, The Guardian, 3 August 2016

DirectorRodula Gaitanou
DesignerCordelia Chisholm
LightingSimon Corder
MovementJamie Neale
ConductorPeter Robinson

“Simon Corder’s lighting is also powerful, effectively conveying the dead of night and the sense in which forces are closing in to ‘possess’ Herman. In this respect, this production reveals how much a good staging can contribute to generating atmosphere, even when the music is so powerfully gripping in the first place.” – Sam Smith, MusicOMH.com, 6 August 2016

“…a subtle lighting shift and the presence or absence of a piano switch the action from indoors to outdoors.” – David Karlin, Bachtrack, 3 August 2016

“Lighting (Simon Corder) plays a major part, and is brilliantly managed.” – Colin Clarke, Seen and Heard International, 2 August 2016

Knight Of Illumination

Winner of The Robert Juliat Award for Opera for his lighting of Queen of Spades, a Knight Of Illumination!