Opera North: Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte at Leeds Grand Theatre – Reviewed

From its very beginnings, Cosí Fan Tutte ossia La Scuola Degli Amanti (perhaps “They’re All The Same or The School For Lovers”) has had a rough time of it from the critics. Written immediately after the social and political upheavals of 1789 in Paris, it was taken to be an Enlightenment attempt to remodel comic […]

Gioachino Rossini: The Barber of Seville, sung sozz ev’ry sof’ bugga gets it!

  BRATFORD OPPRA FESTIVAL Sent Georgi’s ‘All, Bratford Thuzdi 23 Nuvemba 2023  It wer’ mi wust fears realised t’uther deh in t’office when t’editter colls us in forra reet torkin’ tuh …  “Now sithee ‘eer, Tommus, lad,” sez t’owd lass, “a very much dowt  tha rilly noz  yer ‘arp from yer oboe wen it cums t’ […]

Opera North: La Rondine Reviewed

Puccini’s La Rondine (The Swallow) is at Leeds Grand Theatre on 24, 26 and 28 October, then touring until 17 November. To refer to La Rondine as Puccini’s Cinderella opera is something of an understatement. Premiered in 1917, with Puccini at the height of his creative powers, the successes of Bohème, Tosca and Butterfly already […]

Opera North: Masque of Might at Leeds Grand Theatre, to the music of Henry Purcell

Like many of the new promotions at Ilkley’s splendid Literature Festival, this latest world’s first from Opera North was conceived and worked out under the Covid pandemic’s restrictions. Confine a creator physically, by decree if you must, but, evidently, their brain can never be held in lockdown. Director, Sir David Pountney‘s initial approach to his […]

Opera north: Giuseppe Verdi: Falstaff – at Leeds Grand Theatre

Further performances will take place on Thursday 05 October, Saturday 14 October and Saturday 21 October , all at 7 p.m. Saturday 7 October and Wednesday 25 October are at 2 p.m. “Nothing ever goes in the bin,” is this Autumn’s mantra for Laura Hart, Opera North’s Production Office Co-ordinator. Sustainability lies at the heart […]