Royal Liverpool Philharmonic: Tchaikovsky 5

Our trio of fifth symphonies in the season concludes with Tchaikovsky’s wonderful Romantic masterpiece, a work that never fails to blaze its impassioned colours when heard in a live performance. At the helm we have young charismatic maestro Alexander Shelley and the word charismatic certainly also applies to the Norwegian brother and sister duo Mari and Håkon Samuelsen who are our soloists in the Brahms Double Concerto; “It was virtually impossible to divert attention from the pair with their sensitive and athletic playing. Dazzling in their intelligence, the two played together as a mirror, with perfection, with great brilliance and virtuosity - a joyful and optimistic performance of the Brahms concerto.” (Grazia Italia, May 2011). Completing the programme is Richard Strauss’ portrayal of Don Juan - the perfect work to showcase the virtuosic talent of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s musicians.

Programme:
Strauss Don Juan
Brahms Double Concerto for Violin and Cello
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 in E minor

Conductor: Alexander Shelley
Violin: Mari Samuelsen
Cello: Håkon Samuelsen

Concert in a Café

Love, loss and dastardly doings

Grab a cup of tea and settle in to enjoy some great moments from opera unfold around you….

Soprano Bibi Heal escapes from the stage and lands in the Arch Café, to perform some of opera’s most beautiful and dramatic moments, from Spain, France and Italy, accompanied by accordion.  Find your socks blown off by the power and beauty of the operatic voice up close, and do something really different with your afternoon tea break.

Concerts last approx 25 minutes and are free of charge to café customers. No need to book.

Start times:

• 12.30pm
• 1.30pm
• 2.30pm

Inside Opera: Joshua

Members of the cast and creative team of Joshua discuss Opera North's new production of Handel's epic biblical drama.  Free, but tickets must be booked in advance at the Box Office.

Joshua

New Production

Given their splendid, highly affective music, riveting drama and continuing appeal and relevance to today’s audiences, it is hardly surprising that Handel’s late oratorios have often been described as his greatest operas. Accordingly, staged productions of Handel’s oratorios have increasingly entered the repertoire of the world’s great opera houses.

With Joshua, Opera North now takes on one of Handel’s greatest works from the height of his late creative period. Conveying the Old Testament story of Moses’ successor as he leads the Israelites in conquest of Canaan, it marries spiritual meditation and the most tender of love stories with the kind of epic plot line most people would associate with the latest Hollywood movie.

Handel deploys all of his vast experience as an opera composer in his highly theatrical and pictorial score. Strongly characterised, Joshua includes a marvellous series of set-piece moments, such as the collapse of the walls of Jericho and the miracle of the sun and moon standing still at the battle of Gibeon. As you would expect from the composer of the Messiah, Joshua also contains some of Handel’s most monumental choral music. The triumphal return of Othniel after his victory at Debir is celebrated in one of Handel’s most famous choruses, ‘See, the conqu’ring hero comes!’ best known in its incarnation as the hymn tune ‘Thine Be the Glory’.  

Joshua was first performed in 1748 at the Covent Garden Theatre in London. Its military themes struck an immediate chord with a public in a triumphalist mood following the defeat of the Jacobite uprising in 1746,  quickly turning the piece into one of the most successful of Handel's later oratorios. Now staged in Leeds Grand Theatre by director/designer Charles Edwards, this new presentation returns the work to its roots in the theatre.  Tackling the militaristic undertones of the original by exploring the costs of war on the individual and society, Edwards converts the work's original message into a passionate plea for peace and understanding.

Lasts approximately 2 hours 30 minutes.
Sung in English.

Financially supported by the Opera North Future Fund

Music: Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Segal

‘It’s the work of two musicians from very different backgrounds who seem to understand each other almost intuitively’ The Guardian

Ballaké Sissoko, one of Mali’s greatest kora player, joins forces with cellist Vincent Segal to perform material from their sublime 2011 album Chamber Music.

Sissoko’s music is steeped in ancient West African traditions. He’s also a staunch innovator, as demonstrated through his collaboration with Segal who has also worked with Elvis Costello and Cesária Évora. These two gifted musicians have found a way to make a global chamber music for the 21st century audience by interweaving the kora and cello to create delicate sweeps of music.

Discover more about their album Chamber Music here.

Save 20% at the Howard Assembly Room: Buy tickets for two or more shows displaying the 'Save' symbol (only available when you book in person or by phone, not available on-line).

Music: Fence Collective presents...James Yorkston, The Pictish Trail, Seamus Fogarty

‘Yorkston has reached a state of grace that writers can spend forever trying to attain: songs that sound not so much written as carefully retrieved from your own subconscious, playing with an intuition bordering on telepathy.’ The Times

The sleepy fishing village of Anstruther, East Fife is home to the much admired and Mercury nominated Fence Records - a collective of musicians founded by King Creosote, whose sublimely, far-reaching collaborations are always imbued with a folk spirit.

James Yorkston was the first artist to emerge from the Fence Collective with a series of critically acclaimed albums, including his latest, I was a Cat from a Book, which brings a new approach to his compelling, emotional songwriting. This tour sees Yorkston share the stage with other key artists from Fence Collective - The Pictish Trail (Johnny Lynch) and Seamus Fogarty.

Save 20% at the Howard Assembly Room: Buy tickets for two or more shows displaying the 'Save' symbol (only available when you book in person or by phone, not available on-line).

Music: Jackie Oates

Lullabies

Join us at the Howard Assembly Room, transformed by armchairs and blankets for the most soothing night out of the year, slippers are optional! Find a comfy spot, curl up with a mug of cocoa and settle in for the launch of folk singer Jackie Oates’ brand new album of lullabies, old and new.

Not simply restful songs to lull a child to sleep, lullabies can also be bawdy, bitter or melancholy, dealing with relationships and dark emotions. Having spent the past two years collecting lullabies from across the country, Jackie Oates has recorded an album of the finest, performed here live for the first time.

Discover more about Jackie Oates and listen to her music here.

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Music: Participate: Rock-a-bye-baby

Bring your babies and toddlers to learn and sing rare beautiful English lullabies and nursery songs with folk artist Jackie Oates. Incorporating gentle movement, puppetry and musical instruments, participants will learn the secrets of lulling a baby to sleep and will be able to take home copies of the songs taught during the workshop.

Suitable for 0-4 year olds and their parents/carers. 

Limited capacity

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The Orchestra of Opera North: Mahler 6

Orchestra favourite and Mahler expert Jac van Steen returns to Kirklees for a programme on a truly epic scale. ‘Tragic’ remains most listeners’ verdict on the emotional contents of Mahler’s great 6th Symphony. But with its classical conception and execution, including imperious march music, moments of pastoral repose (complete with cowbells), and heaven-storming passages overflowing with joy, it is first of all an endlessly fascinating tumultuous whirlwind of musical extremes. On a smaller scale but no less intense is Haydn’s 44th Symphony. Popularly known as ‘Mourning’, Haydn asked late in his life for the work’s slow movement to be played at his funeral.

Programme:
Haydn Symphony No. 44 in E minor ‘Tragic’
Mahler Symphony No.6 in A minor

Conductor: Jac Van Steen

Before most of our concerts this year we’ll be Talking Music with some of our soloists and conductors, and members of the orchestra. Talking Music starts at 6.40pm. We do hope you'll be able to join us for some lively discussion.

Music: Stile Antico

Passion and Resurrection

‘…staggeringly beautiful’ The Sunday Times

‘…typically flawless’ The Observer

‘mellifluous vocal bliss only possible with long rehearsals, close listening and constant eye contact’ The Times

Vocal ensemble, Stile Antico brings its expressive and beautiful singing to a programme exploring the glorious music composed for Passiontide and Easter. 

The performance unfolds around you from all corners of the room, with richly varied music that retraces the events of Holy Week and draws on two centuries of English and Continental repertoire, including William Byrd and Jean Lheritier.

In a performance that unfolds around you from all corners of the room, William Cornysh's anguished Woefully Arrayed and William Byrd's exuberant In resurrectione tua stand as the extremes of an emotional journey retracing the events of Holy Week. The music is richly varied, drawing on two centuries of English and Continental repertoire, from John Taverner to Orlando Gibbons, and Jean Lheritier to Tomas Luis de Victoria.

Save 20% at the Howard Assembly Room: Buy tickets for two or more shows displaying the 'Save' symbol (only available when you book in person or by phone, not available on-line).

Music: Hebrides Ensemble with Synergy Vocals

Since it was the Day of Preparation...

‘Wonderfully rich in its musical tapestry…Superb performances all round’ The Times

Following the world premiere of Since it was the Day of Preparation... at the Edinburgh International Festival 2012, the Hebrides Ensemble brings James MacMillan’s new work to Leeds in time for Easter. Written specially for the group, the piece takes up the story of the Resurrection. Insightful and hugely assured playing by the Hebrides Ensemble joins forces with Synergy Vocals. Told in Macmillan’s incisive musical language, shot through with melting lyricism, this is an unmissable rendition of this powerful story, with bass Andrew Greenan portraying the figure of Christ

This piece has been commissioned by the Hebrides Ensemble, along with partners Edinburgh International Festival, King’s Place and Soli Deo Gloria.

www.hebridesensemble.com

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Film: The Cabinet of Dr Caligari

Silent film with live score by Martyn Jacques (Tiger Lillies)

‘Other musicians have ‘done’ Caligari live. What makes Jacques such a good fit is his grasp of the film’s uniquely haunting atmosphere of seedy carnival corruption and funereal beauty… Spellbinding.’ The Times

Dir Robert Wiene; 1920; 78 mins; cert U

Olivier Award winner Martyn Jacques, front man of the acclaimed punk-cabaret band The Tiger Lillies, brings his first ever solo show to Leeds: a new soundtrack to the iconic silent film The Cabinet of Dr Caligari.

The story of the sinister Dr Caligari and his fairground attraction arriving in the small town of Holstenwall is the perfect match for Jacques’ tender and grotesque songs.  He accompanies himself on accordion and piano in a one-man show that is wonderfully rich, lyrical and heartbreaking in equal measure.  A freak show in the fairground… very Tiger Lillies!

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The Orchestra of Opera North: Classic FM at the Movies

Our Classic FM themed concerts on Sunday afternoons have become hugely popular and our special movie inspired programme is bound to be a highlight of the season. At the helm we welcome back our beloved conductor Martin André, and we are pleased to welcome for the first time Tim Lihoreau, Classic FM’s weekday More Music Breakfast presenter, for a concert that is the perfect introduction to the joys of classical music for all the family.

Programme:
Maurice Jarre Lawrence of Arabia: Overture 
Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 (Brief Encounter)
Rota The Godfather: Suite (Love theme)
Howard Shore The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
John Williams Raiders of the Lost Ark: Raiders’ March, ET, Schindler’s List
Mussorgsky Night on the Bare Mountain
John Williams Jurassic Park, Superman, Star Wars

Conductor: Martin André
Piano: Danny Driver
Presenter: Tim Lihoreau

Before most of our concerts this year we’ll be Talking Music with some of our soloists and conductors, and members of the orchestra. Talking Music starts at 3.10pm. We do hope you'll be able to join us for some lively discussion.

Music: Marc Ribot

Silent Movies

: ‘...emotive, graceful, but with a glint of mischief in his method.’ Rolling Stone

Best known for his long-standing musical partnership with Tom Waits, Marc Ribot has also worked with the likes of Robert Plant and Elvis Costello. In this rare UK performance, he plays from his album Silent Movies, which finds him taking another surprising step in his 25 year career. Replete with beautiful melodies and quietly wistful playing, this programme is filled with gentle, haunting songs that evoke the feel of a different time.

This is an evening of film music reimagined: some pieces are from Ribot’s library of never-used film scores and others are film-inspired compositions. The result is music of gorgeous contemplation that lingers on the mind long after it is over.  

www.marcribot.com

Supported by: Matthew Bourne and Chris Sharkey

Save 20% at the Howard Assembly Room: Buy tickets for two or more shows displaying the 'Save' symbol (only available when you book in person or by phone, not available on-line).

Northern Sinfonia: The Four Seasons

The second appearance in the season by the Northern Sinfonia features the ever versatile and virtuosic Bradley Creswick directing a concert of favourites for strings and solo violin. Included are Vivaldi’s four most famous concertos and heart- rending Autumnal works by Ungar and Albinoni. Spring will certainly be the prevailing mood, though, in a concert that promises energy in spades. 

Programme:
Handel Concerto Grosso in G major, Op. 6, No.1
Albinoni Adagio in G minor for Organ and Strings
Hubay Herje Kati, Op. 32
Jay Ungar The Ashoken Farewell
Vivaldi The Four Seasons

Leader/Director: Bradley Creswick

Before most of our concerts this year we’ll be Talking Music with some of our soloists and conductors, and members of the orchestra. Talking Music starts at 6.40pm. We do hope you'll be able to join us for some lively discussion.

Pre-show talk: La clemenza di Tito

Opera North's Editor, Stuart Leeks explores Mozart's penultimate masterpiece

Music: Twilight: Lament

The Broken Heart
With the Clothworkers Consort of Leeds, director Bryan White

Renaissance composers such as Monteverdi and Josquin were drawn to loss and heartbreak like moths to a burning flame. Through beautiful part songs and solos, these great composers dissected the human heart, and told the stories of the abandoned, the forsaken and the aggrieved. With words taken from Ovid, Virgil and other classical poets, these Laments remain amongst the most haunting and beautiful of all songs.

To complement Opera North’s new production of Purcell’s opera Dido and Aeneas, the award-winning early-music choir, The Clothworkers Consort of Leeds, present the great heroines of classical mythology – Ariadne, Penelope and Dido – in this intimate concert created specially for the Howard Assembly Room.

Music: Participate: Gamelan Workshop

Join the Gamelan Sekar Petak ensemble from the University of York to explore the wonderful world of Javanese music and try your hand at playing traditional Gamelan instruments.

Suitable for ages 8+

Save 20% at the Howard Assembly Room: Buy tickets for two or more shows displaying the 'Save' symbol (only available when you book in person or by phone, not available on-line).

La voix humaine

Francis Poulenc (1959)

New production

Lesley Garrett makes her return to the operatic stage in a work of rare originality and stark emotional honesty.  

A woman is sprawled alone on her bed. ‘It looks like the scene of a murder’ said Jean Cocteau, who wrote the play on which Poulenc’s opera is based.  But the woman isn’t dead.  She gets up and makes to leave, when the phone rings. It is her ex-lover. During the next 40 minutes we hear one side of an increasingly desperate conversation in which the woman tries anything to win him back.  But it’s no use – she can’t get through to him. He hangs up, and she’s left whispering ‘Je t’aime’ to nobody.

La voix humaine is short in length, but not on emotional impact. Through the lone voice of the woman, Poulenc expresses all the pain and fear of rejection in the rawest fashion, whilst enveloping her voice in music of caressing warmth and sensuality.

Aletta Collins returns to Opera North to direct this one woman show, which will showcase Lesley Garrett’s talent in this heartbreaking portrayal of a relationship’s breakdown.

Sung in English

Lasts approximately 40 minutes 

La Voix Humaine is presented in a double-bill with Dido and Aeneas with a 25 minute interval between the productions.

Film: La belle et la bête

‘From the opening credits, written in chalk on a schoolroom blackboard, to the final ascent into the clouds… this is one of cinema's most magical films.’ The Observer

Josette Day and Jean Marais lead the cast in this adaptation of the famous naturalistic and surreal French fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. The film exhibits a childlike love of magical storytelling and is known as one of Cocteau’s most poetic and dreamlike films.

Composer Georges Auric’s lavish and impressionistic score is a remarkable achievement, contributing to the film’s otherworldly quality as much as Cocteau’s innovative cinematography.

Screened to accompany Opera North’s new production of La Voix Humaine (written by Cocteau) and as part of the Howard Assembly Room FILMusic series. There will be an introduction by Dr Claire Lozier lecturer in French at the University of Leeds.

Save 20% at the Howard Assembly Room: Buy tickets for two or more shows displaying the 'Save' symbol (only available when you book in person or by phone, not available on-line).

Music: Vinicio Capossela

Stories from Sailors, Prophets and Whales

‘A visionary songwriter... he spins enigmatic fantasies of both skid row Americana and mythological Italy in a grittily elegant cabaret-jazz style.’ The New York Times

Described as ‘Italy’s greatest secret’ by the Sunday Times, and ‘Italy’s most intriguing musical traveller’ by Mojo, Vinicio Capossela comes to the Howard Assembly Room for the first time following his successful show at the Barbican, London earlier this year.

Capossela’s magic lies in his ability to break the boundaries of a song and evoke entire worlds infested by demons, grace, shadows and lost souls. His music blends the folklore tradition of Italy with influences as varied as Tom Waits, tango and rebetiko. A household name in his native land, this is a rare opportunity to hear one of Italy’s best loved performers in an intimate setting.

Listen to more of Vinicio Capossela’s music here.

In association with Italian at the University of Leeds as part of LivItaly: Bringing Contemporary Italian Culture to Yorkshire

Save 20% at the Howard Assembly Room: Buy tickets for two or more shows displaying the 'Save' symbol (only available when you book in person or by phone, not available on-line).

Music: The Be Good Tanyas

‘Three feisty angels…a confident, modern approach to a very traditional sound. Intimate, chilling but always entertaining.’ The Guardian

‘Their music is a marvellous blend and the singing, musicianship and orchestration is simply top notch.’ The Daily Telegraph

After a long hiatus from performing in the UK, The Be Good Tanyas are back with a uniquely intimate show at the Howard Assembly Room. Their music mixes of deep country, early American folk, old time blues and gospel, with a gorgeous instrumentation, stunning vocals and seamless harmonies, to create music that is both honest and captivating.

The Vancouver based trio of Frazey Ford, Trish Klein and Samantha Parton, burst onto the roots music scene over a decade ago, capturing the hearts of fans and critics alike and this tour marks the release of their new album A Collection (2000-2012).

Listen to tracks here: http://www.begoodtanyas.com/

Unfortunately Sam Parton can no longer join the band on their British tour. We are sorry to hear that she hasn't fully recovered from a car accident that occurred in September. They are very pleased to welcome singer, artist and ukulele player Caroline Ballhorn to join the tour in Sam’s place. 

YSP and Opera North present Four Seasons: Winter 2013

In the beautiful, intimate surroundings of the Chapel, musicians and singers from Opera North celebrate and evoke the spirit of winter.

This performance is curated by Principal Cellist of the London Sinfonietta, Oliver Coates. 

Access to the Chapel
Please note, access is via the cross-country walking route only and the terrain is uneven. Hard wearing, outdoor footwear is advised. The Chapel is a Grade II listed building with original stepped entrance.

The Orchestra of Opera North: Opera Gala

The Spring opera season at the RNCM opens with a Gala evening of arias by Mozart, Beethoven, Bizet, Puccini, Verdi, Mascagni, Offenbach and Johann Strauss, performed by RNCM vocal students working alongside four RNCM alumni and the Orchestra of Opera North under conductor Andrew Greenwood.

Conductor: 

Andrew Greenwood

Soloists:        

Linda Richardson – soprano
Louise Winter – mezzo
Sipho Fubesi – tenor
David Kempster – baritone

The Orchestra of Opera North: Howard Shelley’s Schumann

“I think many listeners will agree with me that this is the most finely realised and ravishingly beautiful Schumann Concerto to have come for a long time…” so said the International Record Review of Howard Shelley’s outstanding recording with our very own Orchestra of Opera North. This concert is a perfect way for the family to spend a Sunday afternoon blending, as it does, the Schumann Concerto with Mendelssohn’s most popular overture and Dvorák’s most effervescent and sunny symphony. 

Programme:
Mendelssohn Hebrides Overture Fingal’s Cave
Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor
Dvorák Symphony No. 8 in D

Piano/Director: Howard Shelley

Before most of our concerts this year we’ll be Talking Music with some of our soloists and conductors, and members of the orchestra. Talking Music starts at 3.10pm. We do hope you'll be able to join us for some lively discussion.

The Orchestra of Opera North: Viennese Whirl

Definitely a highlight of the season for many – book early to avoid disappointment for our  ever-popular afternoon of Viennese classics.

Programme:
Von Suppé Morning, Noon & Night in Vienna
Eduard Strauss Reiselust Polka
Johann Strauss II Roses from the South, Thunder and Lightning Polka
Richard Strauss Der Rosenkavalier: Waltzes
Lehár The Merry Widow: Overture
Johann Strauss II Acceleration Waltz
Josef Strauss Jockey Polka
Johann Strauss II Leichtes Blut, Pleasure Train, Blue Danube Waltz

Conductor: Jacek Kaspsyzk
Tenor: Ed Lyon

Music: Crows' Bones

A Folk Ghost Story for Christmas

Performed by Martin Green (Lau), Becky Unthank, Niklas Roswall and Inge Thomson.

‘[a] voice like a haunting mist’ The Guardian on Becky Unthank

‘Mischievous, endlessly creative....these densely arranged songs, collages and pure instrumental passages nearly submerge his accordion in glorious seas of sound’ The Scotsman on Martin Green

Murdered lovers and kisses that kill; this specially curated Yuletide evening of ghostly songs will send shivers down your spine. Led by Lau accordionist Martin Green, a collection of handpicked folk luminaries including Becky Unthank, nykelharpist Niklas Roswall and singer Inge Thomson draw together traditional folk songs from northern lands about ghosts, ghouls and unquiet spirits. The evening begins with a chance to hear Roswall play an entrancing set of traditional Scandinavian tunes and midwinter songs.

Gather around the Howard Assembly Room’s winter hearth for an acoustic and intimate  candlelit festive concert; an unmissable journey into the dark heart of folk song.

Lighting Designer - Ben Everett

Music: Alice Coote: Winterreise

Piano: Julius Drake

‘This remarkable mezzo-soprano performs with raw and exposing sincerity’ The Telegraph

Over its span of 24 songs, Schubert’s Winterreise is a great piece of storytelling. From the door of a jilting lover to a final encounter with a mysterious ghostly figure, each song takes us deeper into the frozen emotional landscape of someone at the edge of sanity.

Following acclaimed performances at the Wigmore Hall, mezzo-soprano Alice Coote and pianist Julius Drake share their blindingly intense interpretation of Schubert’s beautiful tale, revealing the emotional truth of this winter journey through the realms of heartbreak.

Why do I avoid the paths
Used by other travellers?

Words: Participate: Once upon a time...

Usher in the festive season by diving into the magical world of Hans Christian Andersen, where tinderboxes possess magical powers and Snow Queens rule the lands.

In this workshop you’ll hear wonderful tales and perhaps even spin your own, with the help of our storyteller.

Suitable for 8-12 year olds and their families.

The Orchestra of Opera North: Symphonic Dances

A programme of wonderful melodies and outstanding virtuosity is promised as Opera North’s Music Director Richard Farnes returns to the season. Rachmaninov’s final orchestral work is for many his greatest achievement and this is certainly also the case of Sibelius’s Symphony No. 5 – “True musical magic” was the description by one critic at the première. Classical Brit winner Jack Liebeck makes his Kirklees début with a concerto that consistently features in the Classic FM Hall of Fame. 

Programme:
Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances
Glass Violin Concerto
Sibelius Symphony No. 5 in E^b

Conductor: Richard Farnes
Violin: Jack Liebeck

Before most of our concerts this year we’ll be Talking Music with some of our soloists and conductors, and members of the orchestra. Talking Music starts at 6.40pm. We do hope you'll be able to join us for some lively discussion.

The Orchestra of Opera North: Sibelius, Glass & Kodály

Programme:

Sibelius Finlandia
Glass Violin Concerto
Kodály Háry János
Sibelius Symphony No.5 in E=

Conductor Richard Farnes

Violin Jack Liebeck

Pre-concert talk 6.45pm in the Albert Room
David Fligg discusses the evening’s works.
Entry is free to ticket-holders for the concert but space is limited so please arrive early to avoid disappointment. 

Music: Lesley Garrett

Forsaken Women
Music by Purcell, Beethoven and Verdi

‘Garrett is…a natural communicator and just about the best ambassador for opera’ The Times

One of the UK’s best loved artists, Lesley Garrett performs ahead of her forthcoming return to Opera North in 2013 to sing the role of Elle in Poulenc’s La voix humaine.

In this intimate concert she explores the rich history of opera’s forsaken women, bringing to life great moments of lost love by Purcell, Beethoven and Verdi amongst others. In a tapestry that weaves together arias from the baroque period through the Romantics and into the modern day, Garrett has chosen to embody women of character, sensitivity and emotional depth. Early booking is highly recommended.

Words: Hilary Mantel

This event has been cancelled

We are sorry to let you know that Hilary Mantel is no longer able to appear next Thursday 22 November due to health problems. Unfortunately we are not able to reschedule the event and so we are offering a full refund for bookers. To arrange this please contact the Leeds Grand Theatre Box Office on 0844 848 2720, and a member of staff will be able to help.

Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and we hope we can welcome you to another event soon.

Shaking hands with Satan. 

‘Mantel knows what to select, how to make her scenes vivid, how to kindle her characters. She seems almost incapable of abstraction or fraudulence; she instinctively grabs for the reachably real’ The New Yorker

Man Booker Prize-winning author Hilary Mantel (Wolf Hall, Bring up the Bodies) says that whilst growing up, the devil was a vital presence in her life, therefore it was only natural that he should feature in her dynamic and vivid novels. Having explored his many guises in her fiction, in this special talk she seeks his traces in the 21st century. The journey leads us from the rumours that Anne Boleyn sold her soul to be Queen, to the nature of the modern pact with the devil, and how we can recognise him when he visits us. This event includes live music.

Find out more about the author Hilary Mantel here.  

Watch an interview with Hilary Mantel here, where she discusses her new novel, Bring up the Bodies, the sequel to her 2009 Booker Prize-winning novel, Wolf Hall: 

Music: Jack DeJohnette Group with Don Byron

‘DeJohnette is setting himself ever more fascinating rhythmic puzzles without compromising his awesome powers to push and swing’
The Guardian

One of the finest jazz drummers of all time, Jack DeJohnette marks his 70th birthday in style with a terrific quintet that includes brilliant reedsman Don Byron. 

In a career spanning over half a century, DeJohnette has been the drummer of choice for a who’s who of jazz giants - Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny and Herbie Hancock - and sits firmly alongside them, having won a coveted Jazz Masters Award earlier this year. As a composer and band leader he is hugely respected, creating acoustic and electric musical languages that always sound as fresh as tomorrow.

Find out more about Jack DeJohnette here: www.jackdejohnette.com

Northumberland Music Festival: An Evening With Opera North

The Gala Opening to the second Northumberland Music Festival.

Programme

Beethoven Fidelio 
Jetzt, Schätzchen jetzt sind wir allein 

Mozart La Clemenza di Tito 
Torna di Tito
Ah, perdona il primo affetto

Gounod Faust 
Salut, demeure chaste et pure
Faites-lui mez aveux
Oh Dieu! Que de bijoux

Donizetti Anna Bolena
È sgrombro il loco

Puccini La Bohème
Che gelida manina
Si, mi chiamano Mimi
Oh soave fanciulla

Smetana The Bartered Wife
If you would only let me speak

Massenet Werther 
Il faut nous séparer

Mozart Le nozze di Figaro
Deh vieni
Voi che sapete
Sull’aria...che soave zeffiretto

Bizet Carmen 
La fleur que tu m’avais jetée

Offenbach The Tales of Hoffmann
Barcarolle

J Strauss The Gypsy Baron
Treasure Trio

Soprano Stephanie Corley
Tenor Adrian Dwyer
Mezzo Soprano Rebecca Afonwy-Jones
Baritone Jonathan Sells

Piano John Querns

Film: Pandora's Box

Dir. Georg Wilhelm Pabst, Germany 1929, 133 mins. Cert PG

Silent film with a new live score

Composed and performed by Jóhann Jóhannsson and Hildur Gudnadóttir..

‘at that time a dangerously shocking film. It still remains an intensely sexy one’.  The Guardian on Pandora’s Box

‘Supremely evocative compositions’ BBC music on Jóhann Jóhannsson

GW Pabst’s 1929 silent film follows the rise and fall of the captivating, amoral young prostitute Lulu and her various ill-fated relationships, brought to life by the inimitable Louise Brooks. 

Part of an international renaissance of silent film, this special screening sees award-winning Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson (Fordlandia), cellist and composer Hildur Gudnadóttir (Múm/Throbbing Gristle), and turntablist Philip Jeck combine forces. The brand new live soundtrack plays with the film’s volatile energy, Weimar-era recordings and the iconic figure of Louise Brooks.

Pre-show talk: The Makropulos Case

Join Opera North's Editor Stuart Leeks to investigate The Makropulos Case, Janacek's intriguing opera about a 300-year-old woman finally facing the prospect of mortality. Tickets for this 30-minute talk are free, but must be booked in advance.

Music: Sing ON Faust

‘Excellent Choir Master! It was a real treat to meet and hear the members of the choir and soloists of Opera North at such close quarters’
Past attender of Sing ON

Join Chorus Master Timothy Burke and members of the Chorus of Opera North for a morning of passion and damnation, singing some of the finest music from Gounod’s Faust, including the thrilling ‘Soldiers’ Chorus’.

Unmistakeably French and overflowing with wonderful melodies, Faust is a joy to sing. This three hour participatory workshop is a great chance for those who love singing to experience an opera from the inside out.

For anyone who can read music.

Inside Opera: Faust

Opera North's Editor Stuart Leeks chairs a discussion with members of the cast and creative team of Opera North's new production of Gounod's operatic masterpiece based on the Faust legend.  Tickets for this 45-minute event are free, but must be booked in advance.

Faust

Charles Gounod (1859) 

A Pact with the Devil
New production

Middle-aged scholar Faust longs for a life full of glory and pleasure that he never had. Méphistophélès is offering a second chance in exchange for his soul. An innocent woman, Marguerite, falls victim to this diabolical pact when Faust seduces her with fatal consequences. But while for Marguerite there is hope for redemption, for Faust there is none.

Performed in more than 50 countries and translated into 25 languages, Gounod’s great melodramatic opera has been capturing audiences since its 1859 Paris premiere. Alongside Carmen, it remains one of the most popular French operas of all time. Bursting with moving solos, dramatic ensembles and thrilling choruses, every scene of Gounod’s masterpiece is overflowing with memorable melodies including the charming Jewel Song and the powerful Soldier’s Chorus.

Renowned tenor Peter Auty takes the title role joined by James Creswell - as the devil Méphistophélès - who is returning to Opera North after his recent roles in Norma and Das Rheingold. Their trio is completed by Juanita Lascarro as Marguerite, bringing a confidently flexible vocal for which she has become famous.

Gounod’s Faust is one of several operas inspired by Goethe’s great Faust drama- other examples are Berlioz’s The Damnation de Faust and the rarely performed Mefistofele by Arrigo Boito. The Metropolitan Opera was opened with a performance was Gounod’s version of Faust in New York on 22 October 1883. It remains one of the most in demand operas at the Met, with more than 730 performances given up until 2008. For several decades New York’s opera season opened with a performance of the piece. 

Sung in French with English titles

Last approximately 3 hours

Music: Juan Martin and Ensemble

Musica Alhambra

Celebrated virtuoso of the Flamenco guitar, Juan Martìn has been voted one of the top three guitarists in the world by US magazine Guitar Player. His latest project explores the roots of flamenco through Moorish and Indian gypsy music, Sephardic song and his own inimitable flamenco style. 

He is joined by his ensemble, blending flamenco guitar with oud, tabla and clarinet, in what The Guardian describes as ‘virtuoso playing, for sure, but with a difference. Intensity and emotion were there... but Juan Martìn’s skill was in creating unexpected textures and colours within the flamenco setting.’

‘Juan Martín literally wrote the book on Spanish guitar styles: his El Arte Flamenco de la Guitarra is a worldwide bestseller…In Martín's hands, flamenco is not so much a musical style as an entire culture compressed into a quivering box of air’
The Guardian

Discover more about Juan Martín and watch clips of him performing here: www.juanmartin.com

Little Voices workshop

Little Voices is a series of fun, 45-minute workshops, where adults, tots and babies can be creative together in a friendly and relaxing environment. You’ll have the chance to sing songs, explore instruments, play games and generally have fun with music! It’s also a great opportunity for socialising and making new friends.

Sessions aim to introduce music, drama and movement at the very earliest stages of a child’s development to spark a life-long connection with the arts. They also provide the ideal environment in which adults and infants can bond through creative play. Each session costs £3 (per child) with some concessions available for special circumstances. Light refreshments are also provided at the end of each workshop.

Though booking ahead is essential, Little Voices works on a drop-in basis, giving you the flexibility to attend however many sessions you like. If you would like to book on to a Little Voices session, or simply register your interest, please call 0113 2233623 or email littlevoices@operanorth.co.uk.

Performance: Light Night 2012: The Devil’s Jukebox

For Light Night 2012, step into the devil’s jukebox, where five hours of non-stop live music plays all around you, and we prove once and for all that the devil has the best tunes.

From Paganini’s fiendish fiddling and Chopin’s Devil’s Trill, to the infernal brilliance of Robert Johnson’s blues, make yourself comfortable for five minutes or five hours while our musicians take you on a tour of 500 years of Faustian music.

Just be careful to leave with your soul.

Musicians:

• David le Page - violin
• David Gordon – harpsichord and piano
• Danny Driver – piano
• Graham Instrall - percussion
• Stephanie Corley - soprano
• Matthew Sharp – cello and baritone
• Katherine Spencer - clarinets

Created by Opera North Projects.
Part of Light Night 2012.

For more information on Light Night visit www.lightnightleeds.co.uk

Don Giovanni

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1787)

Lust for life 
New production

Don Giovanni, opera’s great anti hero, is a man without scruples. Seducer, deceiver, killer, he cares very little about the disastrous consequences of his hedonistic quest for thrills, pleasure and amusement. But then his infatuated conquests, vengeful victims and their outraged relatives join forces in a bid for justice.

Inspired by the Spanish legend of Don Juan, Mozart and his congenial librettist Da Ponte forged a dramma giocoso, a dramatic comedy, without parallel. While Don Juan was originally justly punished to the audience’s delight and satisfaction, Mozart’s genius discovered a divine spark even in this being. Mozart’s liveliest, most extreme and most romantic music draws the image of a human being who knows that his existence is not infinite, and therefore wants to make the most of his time on earth.

Opera North’s first Don Giovanni for seven years sees the return of critically acclaimed director Alessandro Talevi and set and costume designer Madeline Boyd who worked together on the “electrifying” (Daily Telegraph) five-star production of Britten’s The Turn of the Screw in 2010.

Sung in Italian with English titles

Lasts approximately 3 hours

This production was captured by Digital Theatre and is available to stream or download here.

Film: Mephisto

Dir.  István Szabó, Hungary, 1981, 144 mins. Cert. 15

‘Extraordinary actor…compellingly brilliant film.’ The Guardian

In early 1930s Germany, ambitious actor Hendrik Hoefgen faces a choice between adapting to the new regime or professional outer darkness. Director István Szabó’s Oscar-winning character study charts Hoefgen’s gradual absorption into the Nazi propaganda machine, as he becomes its star actor. The heart of the film is Klaus Maria Brandauer’s tour de force portrayal of moral corruption and the terrible consequences of selling your soul in Hitler’s Germany. Can he survive in a world where the ideology of evil is the ultimate drama?

There will be a short introduction to the film by Dr Helen Finch, Academic Fellow at the University of Leeds.

Music: Open Rehearsal

With the Orchestra of Opera North

High drama and fine musicianship is the order of the day in this open rehearsal of Rimsky-Korsakov’s masterwork Sheherazade.

This morning rehearsal puts you at the heart of a working orchestra playing one of the great orchestral showpieces. The event includes an introduction from conductor Pablo Gonzalez and is part of the Orchestra of Opera North’s preparation for the opening of the Kirklees Concert Season.

There is very limited capacity, so book early to avoid disappointment.

The Makropulos Case

Leoš Janáček (1926)

Who Wants to Live Forever?
New production

Do you wish for immortality? Even if your endless life would be one without love?

When the celebrated opera diva Emilia Marty reveals the whereabouts of the lost will of Baron Jaroslav Prus, it seems as the long lasting squabbling over Prus’ vast estate might finally be resolved. But when Marty reveals an uncanny knowledge of events long gone and exerts an inexplicable power over the men surrounding her, it soon emerges that the enigmatic singer has secrets of her own.

Based on Karel Čapek’s eponymous absurd comedy, Janáček’s penultimate opera is a mystery thriller about desire and eternal life. Tackling the big questions of love, life and death, it keeps its audience guessing until the gripping end. Written in Janáček’s creative period alongside masterworks like Katya Kabanova and The Cunning Little Vixen, The Makropulos Case is often described as featuring the most transcendent music of all 20th century operas and contains some of the composer’s most radiant, life-affirming music.

Richard Farnes conducts this new production by acclaimed director Tom Cairns, which opens the 2012 Edinburgh International Festival. 

Sung in English with English titles

Lasts approximately 2 hours  

Performance: Ganapati

Adishakti

Indian dance company Adishakti travels to the UK for a very special series of performances as part of Ludus Festival Leeds. The myth of Ganapati, the elephant headed god, explores the cycle of creation, celebration and destruction. This piece brings alive the many versions of Ganapati’s birth story in brilliant visceral theatre and dance, while the rhythms of South Asian folk music charge the performance with texture and energy.

A rare chance to see the finest of contemporary Indian performance in the UK.

Presented by Ludus Festival Leeds in association with stage@leeds and DARE. To find out more about the Festival visit the website.

‘Director Veenapani Chawla vividly brought home music, dance, movement, craft forms, dialogue integrated in one performance language...’ The HINDU

Die Walküre: pre-performance talk

Join Opera North's Stuart Leeks to explore the second part of Wagner's epic Der Ring des Nibelungen

YSP and Opera North present Four Seasons: Summer 2012

In the beautiful, intimate surroundings of the Chapel, musicians and singers from Opera North celebrate the opening of the Anish Kapoor exhibition, and evoke the spirit of Summer. Led by musician extraordinaire and master of ceremonies, Matthew Sharp.

• Parking free after 17:00
• Duration: 80 minutes
• Please meet at the YSP Centre Information Desk 10 minutes prior to the performance time
• Longside Gallery and kiosk, YSP Centre, Coffee shop and Shop open until 20.00.
• YSP Restaurant will be closed for a private function.

Access to the Chapel
Please note, access is via the cross-country walking route only and the terrain is uneven. Hard wearing, outdoor footwear is advised. The Chapel is a Grade II listed building with original stepped entrance.

Getting to Longside Gallery (Anish Kapoor exhibition)
A free minibus shuttle service will be in operation between YSP Centre and Longside Gallery, seats subject to availabilty, at selected times. Alternatively, Longside Gallery can be reached by following two walking route, via Cascade Bridge or Oxley Bank (approx. 2km). Please note that the routes follows an uneven path with uphill stretches and may not be suitable for some visitors. Journey time: approximately 40 minutes each way. Please allow plenty of time before the event meeting time as there is no suitable interval during the performance for latecomer admittance.  
  
Visitor comments from the Spring concert
"An unforgettable evening."
"The atmosphere of the space, the lovely programme and acoustics were a perfect combination."
"The walk back across the estate following the lanterns will remain in my memory for a long time."

Performance: Babur in London

A new opera by Edward Rushton and Jeet Thayil

Following the success of the award-winning production Into the Little Hill, internationally renowned company, The Opera Group, return to the Howard Assembly Room with their new opera, Babur in London.

Babur in London tells a haunting story of four young people in today’s society grappling with their beliefs, the consequences of their actions, and their feelings for each other.

In a London suburb four young men and women are preparing a terrorist act. As their mission draws closer, they are disturbed by the ghost of Babur, first Mughal Emperor - poet and warrior, who died 500 years ago. Challenging their convictions he calls them ‘children playing at battle, in love with death’, but what are his motives for interfering?

The piece combines the contemporary poetry of Jeet Thayil with original music by esteemed composer Edward Rushton, described by The Guardian as "a brilliant young composer." Directed by John Fulljames.

You can view the programme (which includes the full libretto) here.

Running time approx. 80 minutes. No interval.

There will be a post performance talk on Thursday 14 June entitled 'What is it like to be a Muslim in Britain today?'.

The Opera Group Production, Co-Produced with Anvil Arts, Basingstoke and Opera North. The Opera Group previously won The Evening Standard Award for Best Musical for Street Scene in 2008.

Suggested age suitability 14+

‘Corrosively lyrical, jaggedly theatrical’ The Times on composer Edward Rushton

This production is supported by the Opera North Future Fund

Words: Simon Critchley: Is this what democracy looks like?

Simon Critchley examines the world we live in post 9/11.

How have our ideas about terror and violence changed? What have been the consequences for our understanding of democracy, both at home and all over the world? And what do the events of the Arab Spring and the OCCUPY movement tell us about the future world political environment?

Simon Critchley is Hans Jonas Professor at the New School for Social Research in New York. His many books include Infinitely Demanding, The Book of Dead Philosophers and The Faith of the Faithless.

‘A thoughtful, illuminating exploration… erudite and measured. Publisher’s Weekly on The Faith of the Faithless.'

The talk will be chaired by Dr Brad Evans, a Lecturer in Political Violence at the University of Leeds. He also directs the multi-media forum Histories of Violence.

This talk forms part of the DARE lectures 2012.

The Orchestra of Opera North: The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

An extra special concert to launch the weekend of national celebrations marking the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

A classic programme for music lovers of all ages and backgrounds includes the march written for the Queen’s Coronation, the suite from the opera Gloriana commissioned to mark the Coronation, a fabulous riot of a piece written by the Master of the Queen’s Music, plus two English gems, The Lark Ascending and Enigma Variations.

This concert has special ticket pricing and is a non-subscription concert, but please book early to avoid disappointment.

Conductor: Garry Walker
Violin: David Greed

Music: Cropper Welsh Roscoe Trio

Beethoven Trio in B flat Op.97 Archduke
Haydn Trio in C HobXV/27
Shostakovich Trio No 2 in E minor Op.67

Beethoven’s Archduke is one of the pinnacles of trio writing. Obsessive in its exploration of the possible combinations of the instruments – solos, duets, piano left hand, piano right hand, and of course the entire ensemble together, it is a breathtaking tour de force.

The Cropper Welsh Roscoe Trio comprises three of Britain’s finest chamber musicians: violinist Peter Cropper (ex-leader of The Lindsays), Moray Welsh (former Principal Cellist of the London Symphony Orchestra) and Martin Roscoe (pianist).

This programme shows the trio’s versatility, technical brilliance and passion for music, that have made them one of the most sought after piano trios in the country.

‘...playing with a torrential passion that was an immediate reminder of the virtues of

seasoned musicianship. Three more experienced and insightful players it would be hard to find....’ The Sunday Times

Film: A Taste of Cherry

Dir. Abbas Kiarostami, Iran
1998, 99 mins. Cert PG.
In Farsi with English subtitles.

Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, Iranian auteur Abbas Kiarostami’s A Taste of Cherry is a meditation on the emotional complexities of life and death.

Middle-aged Mr. Badii (Homayoun Ershadi) drives through the hilly outskirts of Tehran, searching for someone to rescue or bury him. He asks both a Kurdish soldier and an Afghan seminarist but both refuse.

The deceptively simple, meditative style of the film encompasses a tender humanism and formal genius, imperceptibly building to become an enquiry into how and why we live. A remarkably rich celebration of human dignity.

An event designed to contextualise the opera Babur in London.

‘My favourite filmmaker of the decade is Abbas Kiarostami. He achieves a simplicity that’s so difficult to attain. Michael Haneke (Dir. Cachet, The White Ribbon)

OverWorlds & UnderWorlds

From the imaginations of The Quay Brothers

One unreal weekend in Leeds beckons. The city is the canvas for a remarkable multi-location event curated by internationally acclaimed artist-filmmakers The Quay Brothers. Live performances, installations, light, music, dance, film and singing shops will transform the city's streets and spaces.  Performances at County Arcade and the Dark Arches, an eruption on Briggate, everything in between is there to be discovered. Join at any point and pick up your map, allowing a leisurely couple of hours to explore. 

Visit overworldsandunderworlds.com or follow @OW_UW for details.  Part of the Arts Council of England Cultural Olympiad 2012, 'Artists Taking the Lead', the project draws together creative talent from across Yorkshire to be inspired by the people and the buildings of Leeds for an unforgettable experience. 

Featuring composer Gavin Bryars and the Opera North Children’s Chorus.

County Arcade performances: Fri 5pm, 7pm; Sat 2.30pm, 5pm, 7pm; Sun 2pm, 3.15pm.

Dark Arches open: Fri 5-9pm; Sat 4-9pm; Sun 2-5pm.

Deluge!
Watery worlds and unruly, displaced water created by Yorkshire-based artists popping up in empty shops in the City Centre for the duration of O&U, inspired by songs or stories about water. Full details are in the 'Additional Events' section below.

www.overworldsandunderworlds.com

Leeds Canvas is a partnership between Opera North, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds Art Gallery, Northern Ballet, Phoenix Dance, Yorkshire Dance, Leeds Met Gallery and Leeds City Council.

It takes two.... Opera’s greatest duets

Experience a night at the opera unlike any other with some of the greatest double acts in opera. At this free summer event meet lovers and heartless villains, kings and courtesans, and hear some of the greatest stories of all time in some of opera’s most magical and unexpected duets. 

This unique chance to hear the power and beauty of operatic voices up close is a perfect introduction to opera. 

Part of European Opera Days. Directed by Daniel Norman.

Music: Mélodies and Chansons

By Jacques Brel, Debussy, Fauré and Poulenc

Baritone: Thomas Oliemans
Piano: Malcolm Martineau
Accordion & arrangements: Bert van den Brink

The wryly poetic songs of the master of French popular song, Jacques Brel, lie at the heart of this tour through the story of great chanson. Sung by the charismatic Dutch baritone Thomas Oliemnas, the evening also includes pieces by Debussy, Fauré and Poulenc. 

The arrangements are by Bert van den Brink, an extraordinarily versatile classical and jazz pianist/accordionist who has worked with musicians including Chet Baker. Join us for a memorable evening of French (and nearly French) song.

‘...Malcolm Martineau...the ever-immaculate accompanist...’ The Guardian on Martineau’s recording of the Songs of Francis Poulenc.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic: The New World

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic are firmly established as favourites with Kirklees audiences and this popular and accessible programme should be another hit. Dvořák’sNew World Symphony is, rightly, an enormously popular classic. Of the finale of Mozart’s great C minor Piano Concerto, Beethoven said to a pupil: ‘You and I will never be able to write anything like that’. Czech specialist Jakub Hrůša completes the programme with one of Smetana’s most entertaining tone poems.

Conductor: Jakub Hrůša
Piano: Evgeny Sudbin

Words: Dancing on Broadway with Kim Brandstrup

Kim Brandstrup is one of Europe’s most influential and in-demand contemporary choreographers. He has worked with leading international ballet companies, as well as in film and theatre. Perhaps surprisingly, Brandstrup is also a passionate devotee of the Broadway musical and is currently choreographing Opera North’s production of Carousel.

In this unique event, he discusses the great post-war Broadway musicals, illustrated with film clips, exploring the influence of ballet, contemporary dance and Hollywood on Broadway. Chaired by Opera North’s Projects Director, Dominic Gray.

Highlights of Kim Brandstrup’s career include his work with The Royal Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Rambert Dance Company, English National Opera and Teatro alla Scala, Milan.

‘A key to the way Kim Brandstup shapes choreography– makes it tell stories, explore moods, stimulate our reactions to movement - lies in his initial interest in cinema, and his formal studies in film’ Financial Times

Participate: Create your own Broadway Musical Number

You don’t have to be Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers to enjoy this entertaining workshop as no dance experience is necessary. To accompany Opera North’s production of Carousel, we are holding a workshop to celebrate the vivacity of musical theatre. 

You’ll have the chance to learn the moves of some classic Broadway numbers in a session that is fun-filled and family friendly. Whether adult or child, you’ll all be leaving with a spring in your step!

Grab your coat and get your hat, leave your worries on the doorstep, just direct your feet to the…Howard Assembly Room! 

Suitable for 8 + and their families

Gala Opera Night with the Orchestra of Opera North

Join the Orchestra of Opera North for an evening of opera classics in the beautiful surroundings of the Royal Hall, Harrogate. In this special concert, presented by Classic FM’s Mark Forrest and led by conductor Oliver von Dohnányi, three soloists present music from Madama Butterfly, Carmen, The Pearl Fishers, Tosca, Don Giovanni and many more.

Conductor:  Oliver von Dohnányi

Soprano:  Meeta Raval
Tenor:  Jung Soo Yun
Baritone: David Stephenson

Music: The Carousel Waltz

Dame Felicity Lott sings Richard Rodgers

Piano: Jason Carr

To accompany Opera North’s new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, we are delighted to be joined by the wonderful Dame Felicity Lott, a singer as comfortable with the great Broadway musicals as she is with the operas of Richard Strauss. 

This promises to be a memorable evening with some of the most splendid music written for stage, including songs from The King and I, State Fair, Pal Joey and Carousel itself. 

This is the first of a series of spring events celebrating Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s delightful and dark musical Carousel. 

‘generally all-round fabulous’ The Guardian

The Orchestra of Opera North: Russian Spectacular

An evening of full blooded Russian Romanticism in a programme of flair, drama and character. A beautiful work displaying the myriad colours of French Impressionism, Liadov’s atmospheric Enchanted Lake makes for a refreshing contrast to the power and passion of Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky. Two world-class artists, each renowned for their interpretations of this music, join our resident orchestra for what is sure to be a compelling evening of music-making.

Conductor: Jac van Steen

Piano: Peter Donohoe

Music: Nina Nastasia:NYC Alt-folk

A one-off UK date from New York City based singer Nina Nastasia, Her concise, hook-laden songwriting picks over themes of love, longing and loss, childhood dreams and human dramas. Her voice has been described as an intimate presence, able to freeze or melt your heart.

Having moved to New York from California on a whim, Nina gradually carved out a stellar career as a singer-songwriter, before being championed in the UK by the late radio DJ, John Peel, who described her music as ‘astonishing.’

Support comes from young Vermont-born folk singer Sam Amidon, who remakes traditional material into ‘startling, moving’ music.’ (The Guardian)

‘These intimate hushes and lilts would be remarkable even as instrumentals.... Yet it's Nastasia's voice--and the words that it sings--that really sucks the air out of the room.’
Mojo ****

Film: A Mighty Wind

From the director of comic ‘mockumentaries’ This is Spinal Tap and Best in Show, A Mighty Wind is a satirical journey into the off-beat heart of American pop-folk music. A spoof documentary crew shadows three bands, The Folksmen, the New Main Street Singers, and now-divorced couple Mitch & Mickey, as they take the stage together for the first time in 40 years for a memorial concert.

Director and performer Christopher Guest and his excellent ensemble cast are spot-on in their folk resurrections, aided by pitch-perfect song parodies.

Music: Twilight: Reem Kelani - Sprinting Gazelle

Powerful arrangements of Palestinian and Arabic songs from Palestinian singer Reem Kelani.

Whether backed by a cool jazz piano or left to soar a cappella, Kelani’s voice is a versatile and emotional tool. Here, she sings from her Palestinian album Sprinting Gazelle, including settings of poets such as Mahmoud Darwish and music by the great Egyptian composer Sayyid Darwish. Reem Kelani will be accompanied by the inventive jazz pianist Bruno Heinen.

The Orchestra of Opera North: Beethoven and Dvořák

Our Beethoven Symphony and Concerto cycle continues with the welcome return of Maestro Bamert to conduct the sunny Symphony No. 2 in D alongside the most popular of his Romances for violin and orchestra. Complementing these masterworks is Dvořák’s Cello Concerto, the most popular of its kind composed in the Romantic era.

Conductor: Mathias Bamert
Cello: Alban Gerhardt
Violin: David Greed

Music: Quatuor Mosaïques

An exceptional opportunity to hear the work of Joseph Haydn, ‘the father of the string quartet’, played by one of today’s most celebrated ensembles on a very rare UK visit.

Founded in Austria in 1985 by four members of legendary ensemble Concentus Musicus Wien, Quatuor Mosaïques is the most prominent period-instrument quartet performing today. Playing on period gut-stringed instruments, they specialize in the music of the 18th century and have received critical acclaim throughout the world for their thoughtful and authentic interpretations, including several Gramophone Awards for their Haydn recordings.

Quatuor Mosaïques is a repeat guest of the Edinburgh International Festival, and the quartet regularly performs in Vienna, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and Berlin’s Philharmonic Hall.

‘elegant, detailed phrasing and carefully wrought playing.’ 
The New York Times

Music: Alasdair Roberts, Emily Portman and Kris Drever

This very special evening, inspired by the music of Alasdair Roberts, celebrates three of the finest folk voices around.

Glasgow based musician Alasdair Roberts is in high demand, from collaborations with folk musicians Bonny ‘Prince’ Billy and Isobel Campbell to shows with Joanna Newsom and Smog. Deeply rooted in the traditional ballads of his homeland, his music is unexpected and unadorned, with his fine free-flying voice at its heart.

Singer, writer and concertina player Emily Portman’s 2010 debut album The Glamourygained her two BBC Folk Award nominations and a reputation for a lark-like voice and original, harmony-rich narratives, inspired by the darker underbelly of folklore and balladry.

Guitarist and singer Kris Drever is best known as one-third of multiple Folk Award winning group Lau. Here, his rich, warmly lived in voice goes solo, bringing to life traditional ballads and the songs of his contemporaries.

‘All strangeness, betrayal and bloody hands, it’s powerful, magical stuff.’ **** Q on Alasdair Roberts

'One of the new British folk scene's most beguiling presences' Uncut on Emily Portman

‘Maturity and flair flow from every track’ Daily Telegraph on Kris Drever

Performance: Cautionary Tales!

Opera North’s witty adaptation of Belloc’s deliciously macabre Cautionary Tales for Children was a big hit with audiences and critics when it first premiered in March 2011.

Bad boys and girls including lying Matilda, runaway Jim and daredevil George entertain you with their disobedient ways and dreadful ends. Full of colourful tunes and stories, this is a lively short piece of musical theatre for all the family and an ideal introduction to opera.

Suitable for children aged 5+ and their families. Duration: approx 60 mins.

Based on Hilaire Belloc’s verses
Composed by Errollyn Wallen
Adapted and directed by Pia Furtado

Installation: Five Truths

14 - 25 February (Mon-Sat), 2pm - 8pm
Free, no ticket needed

Part film, part theatre, part art installation: Five Truths comes to the Howard Assembly Room in its first exhibition outside London. Acclaimed director Katie Mitchell presents five interpretations of Shakespeare’s Ophelia in the style of five of the most important directors of the 20th century: Stanislavski, Artaud, Brecht, Jerzy Grotowski and Peter Brook.

Be transfixed as each Ophelia tells a different story with the same words from Hamlet. Olivier Award winning actor Michelle Terry is all of these Ophelias, at once quiet and introspective, wild and untamed, detached and distant - each version offers its own truth, while at the same time contradicting and challenging the other versions. Which moves you the most? Which do you recognize? Which Ophelia are you the closest to?

Blending theatre and technology, Mitchell’s films are played simultaneously across ten screens in the Howard Assembly Room on a ten-minute loop.

‘...it’s a visceral, immersive experience’ 
The Guardian

Five Truths has been created for the V&A in association with the National Theatre. With video designer Leo Warner, set designer Vicki Mortimer, lighting designer Paule Constable and sound designer Gareth Fry

Please note that some scenes may not be suitable for younger children.

Who is Ophelia?

(opens Wednesday 1 February)

Look out for this interactive installation around Leeds city centre, specially created to accompany Five Truths. Produced by groundbreaking multi-media artists Invisible Flock, visit www.operanorth.co.uk/whoisophelia to find out more

Norma: pre show talk

Sarah Estill of the Chorus of Opera North explores Bellini's masterpiece in these pre-show talks

Handel’s opera for the 21st century – a discussion

Friends of Leeds University Art and Music, in collaboration with Opera North and DARE, invite you to this lively discussion. Timed to coincide with Opera North’s upcoming production of Handel’s Giulio Cesare, Lucy Bradley, (Assistant Director, Giulio Cesare), Antony Krauss (Assistant Conductor, Giulio Cesare) and Stuart Leeks (Editor and Dramaturge, Opera North) will discuss the challenges of presenting a Handel opera for a 21st century audience. The cost, to include refreshments after the discussions, is £6. Ticket applications should be made (including a SAE for return of your tickets) to:

FUAM events
The School of Music
University of Leeds
LEEDS
LS2 9JT