“What If Music Is the Audible Form of Feelings?”: A Transcendent Evening with Beethoven — I Shall Hear in Heaven at Opera Holland Park

Entrance to Holland Park Opera. Photo credit Lorenzo Belenguer.

If you’ve ever felt that classical music is intimidating or reserved for the elite, Beethoven — I Shall Hear in Heaven at Opera Holland Park will change your mind. This clever, moving, and often funny semi-staged production offers the perfect introduction — or reintroduction — to one of the greatest composers of all time: Ludwig van Beethoven. Fusing world-class musical performance with drama, the production invites audiences to feel Beethoven’s music and life as never before.

Presented by The Nest Company and staged in the magical open-air setting of Opera Holland Park on 6th and 8th August 2025, the play is written and performed by award-winning Tama Matheson, who delivers a mesmerising performance as Beethoven. Matheson’s deep research and passion for his subject shine through every line. His portrayal brings Beethoven to life not only as a musical genius but as a flawed, wounded, fiercely determined human being.

The script is witty and emotionally intelligent, offering a window into Beethoven’s inner world. It’s far from a dusty biography; this is theatre at its most visceral. Told through dramatic monologue and sharp dialogue, I Shall Hear in Heaven explores Beethoven’s deafness…