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Friday 13 March 2026 Lowry, Salford ***** A viscerally powerful production of Britten's masterpiece John Findon as Peter Grimes and Philippa Boyle as Ellen Orford. Credit James Glossop In his programme note for Opera North's performance of Peter Grimes at Lowry in Salford on Friday, Andrew Mellor compares the central character in the opera with …
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Friday 27 February 2026 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ***** Soprano Ailish Tynan steals the show in a superb semi-staging of Mozart's comic opera Lucy Crowe as Fiordiligi, Ailish Tynan as Despina and Taylor Raven as Dorabella © Matthew Johnson Photographer English National Opera is rapidly establishing a foothold in Manchester, with appearances at the Manchester Classical festival last …
Continue reading "English National Opera – Così fan tutte – Live Review"
Saturday 1 February 2025 Grand Theatre, Leeds **** A superbly sung and acted new production, exploring the plight of refugees Robert Hayward as The Dutchman and Layla Claire as Senta. Photo credit: James Glossop In 2018, Opera North became the first opera company in the UK to be awarded Theatre of Sanctuary status, to recognise …
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Friday 15 November 2024 Lowry Theatre, Salford **** An imaginative production brings out the humanity in Mozart's last opera Pasquale Orchard as Papagena and Emyr Wyn Jones as Papageno. Photo credit: Tristram Kenton Last Friday the revival of Opera North's 2019 production of Mozart's Magic Flute came to a packed Lowry Theatre in Salford. The …
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Wednesday 30 October 2024 Westminster Cathedral London ***** A moving and passionate performance of Britten's pacifist masterpiece The Bach Choir perform Britten's 'War Requiem' with The Philharmonia Orchestra at Westminster Cathedral, conducted by David Hill. Image © Andy Paradise "My subject is War, and the pity of War.The Poetry is in the pity...All a poet …
Saturday 12 October 2024 Grand Theatre, Leeds **** A joyful production, set in the swinging sixties, with dark undertones Henry Waddington as Nick Bottom and Daisy Brown at Tytania with the children of A Midsummer Night’s Dream cast as Fairies. Photo credit: Richard H Smith Last Saturday was the opening night of Opera North's revival …
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Garsington Opera, Philharmonia Orchestra Royal Albert Hall, London Tuesday 10 September 2024 ***** A dream cast and orchestra bring comedy, conflict and magic to Britten's Dream Benjamin Britten's work is often performed at the Proms - The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra has been performed 44 times, there have been 31 performances of Four …
Continue reading "Prom 68: Britten – A Midsummer Night’s Dream"
Friday 14 June The Stoller Hall, Manchester ***** A bold and innovative programme of maritime music The nearest beach to Manchester is in Southport, about 35 miles away as the crow flies, or about 45 miles by car. Yet in this landlocked city where the sea has no impact on its citizens' daily lives, it …
Continue reading "Kantos Chamber Choir – Behold the Sea – Live Review"