Opera North will partner with Shadwell Opera for the world premiere of Isabella Gellis’ “The Devil’s Den.” The opera will take the stage on Nov. 15, 2025, at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the Howard Assembly Room in Leeds and marks Opera North’s first in a new series of collaborations with innovative UK companies. The cast includes Jennifer France, {…}
A new organization representing the UK’s opera sector, the UK Opera Association (UKOA), has officially launched, uniting 20 founding companies to advocate for opera’s future and strengthen its presence across the country. UKOA, which was founded by Birmingham Opera Company, British Youth Opera, Buxton International Festival, English National Opera, English Touring Opera, Garsington Opera, The Grange Festival, Glyndebourne, Longborough Festival {…}
(Photo credit: Charlie Swinbourne) Opera North has announced the appointment of a new Howard Assembly Room general manager and lead programmer. Tony Green joins the core team behind Opera North’s Leeds city-centre venue. Green brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles across live music, cultural events and e-commerce. Green will take on the creative programming of the space {…}
The members of the Association of British Orchestras (ABO) are presenting live music making activities for children as part of the UK’s #AnOrchestrainEverySchool initiative. The events which take place throughout the UK feature interactive performances and workshops for a variety of age groups. Partnered organizations promoting opera are Opera North and Wells Cathedral School. Opera North will give participants the {…}
Opera North has announced its 2025-26 season. Judith Weier’s “The Secret of the Black Spider” will be conducted by Nicholas Shaw and directed by Rosie Kat. Performance Dates: Sept. 26 & 27, 2025 Handel’s “Susanna” will star Anna Dennis, Matthew Brook, and Claire Lees. Johanna Soller conducts the production by Olivia Fuchs. Performance Dates: Oct. 4 – Nov. 21, 2025 Isabela Díaz and {…}
At the end of its celebratory 75th birthday year, the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama announced Dame Shirley Bassey CH DBE FRWCMD as its new President. For the next three years she will hold the title. The President of the College is an honorary role which supports the College’s position as the national conservatoire of Wales and inspires {…}
(Photo credit: Vikram Kushwar) Guildhall School of Music & Drama has announced that Dr. Toby Young has been selected to receive a Future Leaders Fellowship, awarded by UKRI (UK Research & Innovation). The fellowship provides a grant of £1.4 million, the largest research-related funding award Guildhall School has received to date. This funding goes directly towards Dr. Young’s research project {…}
(Photo credit: Keith Saunders) The program booklet for Opera Australia’s new production at Sydney Opera House of “Tosca”, an Opera North production, says that “Puccini set each act of his opera in three very specific locations which you can still visit today: the Sant’Andrea della Valle church in Rome, the Palazzo Farnese and the Castel Sant-Angelo over the River Tiber”. {…}
(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, {…}