The Welsh National Opera has released an open letter in response to budget cuts it has received from the Arts Council England and its perceived “campaign against opera.” The letter, which was undersigned by Sir Richard Amstrong, Dame Hilary Boulding, Matthew Epstein, Rebecca Evans, John Fisher, Anthony Freud, Helena Gaunt, David Jackson, Gwyn Hughes Jones, Samantha Maskrey, Sir Brian McMaster, {…}
Welsh National Opera’s (WNO) Youth Opera is taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint for its showcase scheduled for May 27 and 28. The event will feature 80 talented young singers who will bring “The Pied Piper of Hamelin & The Crab That Played With The Sea” to life on stage. Designers Céleste Langrée and Costume Supervisor Bea Viña embraced {…}
Photo credit: Craig Fuller A £3 million pound endowment has been left to the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and the Welsh National Opera. Major art supporters Philippa and David Seligman left the gift to offer lasting support to young artists and professional musicians alike. The legacy will also go to future projects. The Royal Welsh College of {…}
The Welsh National Opera has unveiled its 2023-24 season. First up is Golijov’s “Ainadamar.” Directed by Deborah Colker and conducted by Matthew Kofi Waldren, the opera will star Jaquelina Livieri, Julieth Lozano, and Alfredo Tejada. Performance Dates: Sept. 9 – Nov. 22, 2023 Olga Pudova will headline “La Traviata” in a production by David McVicar (Sarah Crisp will be the {…}
Welsh National Opera has announced today that its Long COVID program Wellness with WNO is expanding across Wales. Six health boards in Wales will be able to offer the rehabilitation service to patients, through direct referral to NHS Long COVID Services. The program shares techniques and strategies used by professional opera singers to support breath control, lung function, circulation, and {…}
A number of opera houses in the United Kingdom have released a joint statement calling for the Arts Council England (ACE) to develop an opera strategy, in conversations with audiences and colleagues across the industry. The statement said, “The boards of the Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne Opera, Opera North, the English National Opera, English Touring Opera, and Welsh National Opera are {…}
The Welsh National Opera has announced that it will no longer tour Liverpool. The company revealed that the decision was a result of the reduction it received in public funding; per an official press statement, the company is set to receive a 35 percent reduction (2.2 million pounds) from the Arts Council England. “Following their recent announcement, we are now {…}
The Welsh National Opera Youth Opera has announced its cast for its 2022 productions. First up will be Judith Weir’s “The Black Spider.” The work will star Tomo Jones and Mica Smith as Count Heinrich; Ffion Morgan Short and Rhianna Hogg as Christina; Euan McEvoy as Carl; and Owen Parson and Toben Durrant sharing the role of Casper. Dan Perkin {…}
Welsh National Opera has announced the launch of a brand-new podcast series, titled “WNO on Tour.” Listeners can join host Lorna Prichard as she discusses with artists and crew members their experiences of working on touring productions. Among her guests will be artists such as sopranos Alexia Voulgaridou and Elin Prichard, and WNO’s longtime Company Manager Ian Douglas. Prichard currently {…}
The Welsh National Opera has announced its 2022-23 season which will be divided into fall and spring seasons. Autumn 2022 The season opens with a new production of Janáček’s “The Makropulos Affair” starring Emma Bell as Emilia Marty. The opera will also star Nicky Spence, Gustáv Beláček, Mark Le Brocq, Harriet Eyley, David Stout, Alexander Sprague, and Alan Oke. Tomas {…}
The Welsh National Opera has announced its spring 2022 season. The season opens with a revival of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” with two casts led by Simon Bailey, Joshua Bloom, Marina Monzo, Linda Richardson, Andrei Kymach, Duncan Rock, James Platt, Trystan Llŷr Griffiths, Kenneth Tarver, Sarah Tynan, Meeta Ravel, Harriet Eyley, Isabelle Peters, James Atkinson, and Gareth Brynmor John. Tobias Ringborg and Frederick Brown share conducting duties. Performance {…}