Feb '09 The Royal Visit

Feb '09 The Royal Visit

It was with great excitement that Opera North received a visit from Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall in February, to celebrate the success and culmination of Transformation and see the newly refurbished Howard Assembly Room.

After a brief tour of the Victorian Grand Theatre, meeting some of the longstanding members of the Company, the Royal couple watched a mini performance in the theatre, whilst viewing the renovations of the stage and the auditorium that formed the first phase of Transformation. The group then moved through to Opera North’s studios to see a session of OPUS in action, a unique youth group project run by Opera North’s education department and visit the costume department.

The tour ended in the newly restored Howard Assembly Room, with a reception and musical performance by Opera North, Yorkshire Young Musicians and Susannah Glanville, currently starring as Tosca in Opera North’s production.

Richard Mantle, Opera North’s General Director, summed up the visit;
“His Royal Highness is well known for his appreciation of opera and his knowledge of architecture and heritage. TRH seemed as equally charmed and impressed with the work in the Howard Assembly Room as the public have been during the opening month.”