(Photo: Johan Perrson) Following the end of the Second World War, Europe experienced huge population movements as the displaced peoples throughout the continent sought refuge from its ravages and its aftermath. Some were stateless, others fled retribution, while many from Eastern Europe wanted to escape the Russian occupation and its imposition of the communist dream. All were refugees seeking a {…}
(Photo: Johan Persson) Welsh National Opera’s imaginative and ambitious summer program of operas, exhibition, and talks, under the banner headline of “Freedom,” is dedicated to exploring the theme of human rights. Four operas were scheduled, all of which focused on an individual who sought to protect, release or comfort a prisoner or someone under threat. In Menotti’s “The Consul,” it {…}
It has been announced that Welsh National Opera Artistic Director David Pountney will receive the honor of knighthood for his services to opera. Pountney, whose hit production of “Katya Kabanova” at the 1972 Wexford Festival brought him international recognition, served as English National Opera’s Director of Productions and as a guest director at some of the foremost opera houses around {…}
The South Banks Sky Arts Awards has announced its nominations, which include productions by the Welsh National Opera, the Garsington Opera, and the English National Opera. The awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, July 7, 2019 at the Savoy Hotel. It will be aired on July 10, 2019 on Sky Arts and will be hosted by Melvyn Bragg. The {…}
British conductor Harry Ogg is set to join the Welsh National Opera this Summer as WNO Associate Conductor in collaboration with the Donatella Flick-LSO Conducting Competition after reaching the final of the Competition in London in 2018. In a press statement, Ogg said, “I’m over the moon to be taking up this position with WNO. Having worked here on two {…}
(Photo: Bill Cooper) Having seen Graham Vick’s joyless production of “The Magic Flute” at last year’s Macerata Festival, which amounted to little more than a heavy-handed political rant, how refreshing and restorative it was to watch Welsh National Opera’s light, amusing and wholly positive production. Certainly, the work, probably more than most, is open to a variety of interpretations given {…}
The Welsh National Opera has announced new information on its Freedom Season, a curated season rooted in exploring themes of human rights, justice and political imprisonment. The freedom season will include a number series of talks, discussions and debates, taking place across the city alongside an immersive digital reality art exhibition, community engagement work and operatic performances of Jake Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking,” {…}
The Welsh National Opera is set to present a new production of Donizetti’s ‘Don Pasquale” that will tour smaller stages across Wales and England. The new production will feature a new translation by award-winning director Daisy Evans with Andrew Shore in the title role and WNO Associate Artist Harriet Eyley as Norina. The production will transport the piece to downtown {…}
The Welsh National Opera has announced its 2019-20 season, which is set to include two new productions and three revivals. The season will run from Sept. 21, 2019 through May 9, 2020. WNO’s season begins with a new production of Bizet’s “Carmen.” The autumn cast will star Virginie Verrez in the title role, Dimitri Pittas as Don José, Phillip Rhodes {…}
The Welsh National Opera has announced “Freedom,” a season of operatic works with complementary panel discussions, talks, community engagement and an exhibition of immersive reality artwork exploring the themes of human rights, justice, and political imprisonment. Curated by Artistic Director David Pountney, the season is set to present every element of the performing company from the WNO Chorus and Orchestra through {…}
On his deathbed, Sergei Prokofiev talked of his hope that “War and Peace,” the opera he considered to be his greatest composition for the stage, would eventually become known the world over in its definitive version. In Russia and other Slavic countries this has largely been achieved, but in the West, performances have been rare indeed. Welsh National Opera’s decision {…}