The Essex town of Thaxted has assorted claims to fame, but for the most part they relate to its medieval parish church: a building of cathedral-like magnificence which in the 20th century attracted interesting priests and still more interesting musicians. Gustav Holst was Thaxted’s organist during the early years of World War I, founding a festival that still runs in the church and is a thriving model of what festivals should be.
The place is good for chamber music, and I went there principally to hear the premiere of a string quartet by Noah Max (a young composer making waves), thinking I might as well stay on for what would likely be a standard, small-scale show of Donizetti’s comic opera The Elixir of Love. As things turned out, though, the quartet was disappointing while the opera was a joy beyond all expectation – sassily delivered by a touring company called Wild Arts, and outstandingly well-sung.
