Howard Assembly Room, Leeds on Saturday 15 November 2025, at 3pm and 6pm.
Opera North joins forces with the award-winning young company Shadwell Opera to present the world premiere of The Devil’s Den, an extraordinary new opera by Isabella Gellis – a bold, atmospheric work rooted in English folklore, ritual and superstition.
This is the first opera ever to feature a live Morris Dancing Side as part of its dramatic structure, performed by Sheffield City Morris, and marks the launch of Opera North’s new strand of collaborations with innovative companies across the UK.
Inspired by the painting by British artist Ben Edge, The Devil’s Den tells a haunting story of a child, a rabbit, a druid, and a devil, set in a nameless English village bound by ancient ritual. The result is a mesmerising fusion of movement, myth and music, a celebration of both old and new traditions.
Conducted by Finnegan Downie Dear (Shadwell Opera’s new Artistic Director, and winner of the Mahler Conducting Competition), and directed by Jack Furness, the cast features Jennifer France, Lotte Betts-Dean, Nicholas Morris and Ossian Huskinson.
Audiences are invited to make a day of it: alongside the two performances, the Howard Assembly Room will host folk singing and Morris dancing workshops, and talks with artists and musicians, creating a fully immersive folk-meets-opera day out.
Performance Details:
Date: Saturday 15 November 2025
Times: 3pm and 6pm
Venue: Howard Assembly Room, Opera North, 32 New Briggate, Leeds LS1 6NU
Tickets: Available now via https://www.operanorth.co.uk/whats-on/the-devils-den/
