Sir John Tomlinson, who has for decades been acknowledged as one of the great basses of our time, has long been contemplating parallels between the role of Wotan in Wagner’s Ring Cycle (one of his signature roles), and that of Shakespeare’s King Lear. This drama by the composer John Casken, which was awarded the inaugural Tippett Medal in 2022, affords Sir John the opportunity to incarnate the aging, delusional king in a semi-staged performance that incorporates Shakespeare’s text in a range of declamation from speech to song. The Shackled King condenses King Lear, taking the very essence of it, namely Lear’s estrangement from his daughter Cordelia and their reconciliation. Sir John plays King Lear, in a part very much written for him; The Daily Telegraph described his performance as ‘titanic, heart-rending’. Other roles, primarily Lear’s daughter Cordelia, are sung by the British-Ukrainian mezzo-soprano Rozanna Madylus, who was an Oxford Song Young Artist in the early years of the scheme and is now well established as a thrilling performer. They are joined by an exceptional quartet of instrumentalists. This is certain to be an unforgettable occasion, with drama, exciting new music, and the chance to hear the voice and artistry of Sir John Tomlinson up close in the Holywell Music Room.