(Photo credit: Victoria Cadisch) The Ryedale Festival has announced its programming for the 2024 season. This article features classical vocal works only. Mezzo-soprano Victoria Simmonds, the RSMF Ryedale Primary Choir, Ryedale Voices, Harmonia, The RyeLarks, and the Kirkbymoorside Town Junior Brass Band present the first “Community Song Cycle” by John Barber and Hazel Gould. The concert also features storyteller Rosie {…}
(Credit: Alejandro Tamagno) U.K.’s Opera North has announced the appointment of Katie Stillman as the new Leader of the Orchestra of Opera North. She will begin in her new position in August. In a statement, Stillman said, “I’m thrilled to be joining Opera North as Leader. Over the past few years, I have been excited by the energy, imagination, and {…}
Opera North has announced its 2024-25 season. The season opens with Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” with Claire Lees, Soraya Mafi, Egor Zhuravskii, Trystan Llŷr Griffiths, Anna Dennis, Msimelelo Mbali, Justin Hopkins, Emyr Wyn Jones, Pasquale Orchard, Colin Judson, and Andri Björn Róbertsson. Christoph Koncz, Patrick Lange, and Emilia Hoving share the podium and James Brining directs. Performance Dates: Sept. 27, {…}
Opera North’s company manager Jane Bonner has died. The company took to social media to announce the news, stating, “It is with huge sadness that Opera North learned this week of the death of our much-loved Company Manager, Jane Bonner. Jane worked for the Company for more than 40 years with true dedication, passion and great care for all of {…}
Opera North’s Board of Trustees has announced the appointment of Laura Canning as its new General Director & CEO. Canning will succeed outgoing General Director Richard Mantle OBE, who retires from the Company on Dec. 1. She is currently Director of Artistic Administration at Garsington Opera, a post she has held since 2015. She has also worked as an Artistic {…}
Opera North has announced its 2023-24 season, which will be split into autumn and spring. Henry Waddington, Helen Évora, Isabelle Peters, Egor Zhuravskii, Richard Burkhard, and Tichina Vaughn lead Verdi’s “Falstaff.” Garry Walker and Martin Pickard conduct the production by Jo Davies. Performance Dates: Sept. 28-Nov. 18, 2023 Andri Björn Róbertsson, Anna Dennis, James Laing, Patrick Terry, Callum Thorpe, Xavier Hetherington, and {…}
(Credit: Samantha Toolsie) Opera North has announced the appointment of Henry Filloux-Bennett as Executive Director. Filloux-Bennett is currently Executive Director and Deputy CEO of HOME in Manchester. He has also been the Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield and previously the Head of Marketing at The Lowry and Head of Marketing & Communications at Nottingham {…}
Opera North has announced a cast change for its upcoming production of Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos.” The company said that “Erin Caves has sadly withdrawn from the role of Tenor/Bacchus due to illness.” As a result, Ric Furman will sign the role for the Leeds Grand Theatre and the Lowry, Salford Quays performances while David Butt Philip will sing performances {…}
U.K’s Opera North has announced that Joséphine Korda will take up its annual 9-week Female Conductor Traineeship, while studying for her master’s at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. The company said that as it addresses the gender imbalance in classical music – and on the podium in particular, the intensive program offers emerging conductors wide-ranging experience and {…}
(Credit: Ⓒ-University-of-Leeds-web) The U.K.’s Opera North has announced Professor Edward Venn of the School of Music, University of Leeds, as its new Academic in Residence. Venn will spend a year at the Company bringing together diverse voices from all areas of the performing arts and academia for a series of discussions, events, and an exhibition focusing on race, ethics, and representation {…}
Opera North has announced that Richard Mantle OBE DL will retire as General Director in 2023 after almost 30 years of leading the Company. Mantle joined the company in 1994, following previous roles as Managing Director at Edmonton Opera in Canada, at Scottish Opera, and as Deputy Managing Director at English National Opera. He was later awarded an OBE in {…}