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Opera North

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the British organisation. For the unrelated American opera company, seeOpera North (U.S.A.).

exterior of a neo-classical theatre
The Grand Theatre, Leeds, home of Opera North

Opera Northis an English opera company based inLeeds.The company's home theatre is theLeeds Grand Theatre,but it also presents regular seasons in several other cities, at theTheatre Royal, Nottingham,theLowry Centre,Salford Quaysand theTheatre Royal, Newcastle.The company's orchestra, theOrchestra of Opera North,regularly performs and records in its own right. Operas are performed either in English translation or in the original language of the libretto, in the latter case usually withsurtitles.

The major funders of Opera North includeArts Council Englandand, in Yorkshire,Leeds City Council,West Yorkshire Grants,North Yorkshire County Council,andEast Riding of YorkshireCouncil.

History

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Opera North was established in 1977 as English National Opera North, as an offshoot ofEnglish National Opera,with the specific intention of delivering high-quality opera to the northern areas of England which, up to that point, had had no permanently established opera company. The company gave its first performance, ofSaint-Saëns'sSamson and Delilah,on 15 November 1978. The founding music director of the company wasDavid Lloyd-Jones,who held the post until 1990. In 1981, the company's name was changed to Opera North, and the official ties with English National Opera ceased to exist.

Paul Danielbecame the company's second music director, serving in the post from 1990 to 1997. With general administrators Nicholas Payne and, later, Ian Ritchie and Richard Mantle, the company continued to bring operatic novelties, as well as a wide selection of familiar works, to its audience in the North of England and further afield. Following Daniel's departure,Elgar Howarthheld the temporary post of music advisor, untilSteven Sloanebecame music director in 1999.

Richard Farnesbecame music director in 2004. Achievements during his tenure included the company's first staging of Wagner'sDer Ring des Nibelungen,over a span of 4 years.[1][2][3][4][5]Farnes stood down as music director after the 2015–2016 season.[6]

In October 2015,Aleksandar Markovićmade his first appearance as guest conductor with the company.[7]In February 2016, the company announced the appointment of Marković as its next music director, effective with the 2016–2017 season.[8]His first production as music director of the company was in September 2016, withDer Rosenkavalier.[9]On 18 April 2017, Opera North announced that Marković had resigned as the company's music director, with his contract formally to terminate in July 2017, but where he is not to appear with the company for the remainder of the 2016–2017 season.[10]

In June 2019, Opera North announced the appointments ofGarry Walkeras its next music director, and ofAntony Hermusas its new principal guest conductor. Walker became music director effective with the 2020–2021 season.[11]

In October 2021, Opera North relocated their headquarters to the Howard Opera Centre, following an £18 million redevelopment.[12]

The previous general director of Opera North wasSir Richard Mantle,who held the post since 1994 and retired in December 2023. He is succeeded by Opera North's current general director and CEO, Laura Canning. the first woman named to the post, effective December 2023.[13]

Characteristics of the company

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Repertory

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As well as presenting the bread-and-butter operas of the standard repertory, the company has performed a number of operas that are rarely seen in Britain. Examples include:

In 2011, the company performedThe PortraitbyMieczysław Weinbergand initiated an annual series of semi-staged concert performances of the four operas inWagner'sDer Ring des Nibelungenby performingDas RheingoldinLeeds Town Hall.Beached,a community opera by composerHarvey Broughwith a libretto byLee Hallco-commissioned by Opera North and the sea-side resort ofBridlingtonpremiered on 15 July 2011.

At the request of the Bridlington primary school whose 300 children performed in the opera, the company asked for the removal of an explicit reference to a gay character's sexuality from one of the scenes. Hall initially refused, and the opera was withdrawn.[14]However, following negotiations the matter was resolved when the character's contentious line "Of course I'm queer" was changed to "Of course I'm gay".[15]

World premieres

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Opera North has given world premières of the following operas:RebeccabyWilfred Josephs(1983),CaritasbyRobert Saxton(1991),Baa, Baa, Black SheepbyMichael Berkeley(1993),Playing AwaybyBenedict Mason(1994),The Nightingale's to BlamebySimon Holt(1998),Jonathan Dove'sThe Adventures of Pinocchio(2007) andSwanhunter(2009), andSkin DeepbyDavid SawerandArmando Iannucci(2009). In July 2009, Opera North premièredPrima Donna,a new opera byRufus Wainwright,at theManchester International Festival.[16]

Musical theatre

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Opera North has also given performances of musical theatre works. The first wasJerome Kern'sShow Boat(in collaboration with theRoyal Shakespeare Company) in 1989, and productions ofGershwin'sOf Thee I SingandSondheim'sSweeney Toddfollowed in 1998. A joint production with West Yorkshire Playhouse of Sondheim'sInto the Woodswas staged in Leeds in 2016.[17]Latterly, the works ofKurt Weillhave become something of a speciality, with productions ofLove Life(1996),One Touch of VenusandThe Seven Deadly Sinsin 2004,Arms and the Cowin 2006, andStreet Scenein 2020. In 2009,Let 'Em Eat Cake,the sequel toOf Thee I Sing,was produced, and in 2012Rodgers and Hammerstein'sCarouselwas performed in Leeds, Salford and London. It was revived in 2015, playing in Leeds before touring to Norwich, Edinburgh and Dublin.

Electronic music

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Opera North has worked extensively with electronic composerMira Calix,commissioningDead Wedding(for the Manchester International Festival 2007)Onibus(2008) and the installationChorus(2009) for the opening of the Howard Assembly Room with visual artist UVA.

Awards

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Music directors

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References

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  1. ^Tim Ashley (21 June 2011)."Das Rheingold – review".The Guardian.Retrieved27 February2016.
  2. ^Yorkshire Post (17 October 2021)."Take a look behind the scenes at Opera North following its £18m redevelopment".The Guardian.Retrieved17 October2021.
  3. ^Tim Ashley (17 June 2012)."Die Walküre – review".The Guardian.Retrieved27 February2016.
  4. ^Tim Ashley (18 June 2013)."Siegfried – review".The Guardian.Retrieved27 February2016.
  5. ^Alfred Hickling (15 June 2014)."Götterdämmerung review – belt-and-braces Wagner".The Guardian.Retrieved27 February2016.
  6. ^Imogen Tilden (30 April 2014)."Opera North announce first Poppea and departure of music director Farnes".The Guardian.Retrieved27 February2016.
  7. ^Martin Dreyer (23 October 2015)."Review: Opera North in Jenůfa; Grand Theatre, Leeds".The Yorkshire Press.Retrieved27 February2016.
  8. ^"Opera North's new Music Director: Aleksandar Marković"(Press release). Opera North. 24 February 2016.Retrieved27 February2016.
  9. ^Alfred Hickling (18 September 2016)."Der Rosenkavalier – eloquently staged revival belies its age".The Guardian.Retrieved19 April2017.
  10. ^"Statement regarding Opera North's Music Director"(Press release). Opera North. 18 April 2017.Retrieved19 April2017.
  11. ^"Opera North announces new musical leadership"(Press release). Opera North. 24 June 2019.Retrieved4 July2019.
  12. ^Bond, Chris (17 October 2021)."Take a look behind the scenes at Opera North following its £18m redevelopment".The Yorkshire Post.
  13. ^"Laura Canning announced as new General Director & CEO"(Press release). Opera North. 12 April 2023.Retrieved24 April2023.
  14. ^Mark Brown (3 July 2011)."Opera pulled after school protests over gay character".The Guardian.Retrieved27 February2016.
  15. ^"Homophobia row opera to go ahead".BBC News.7 July 2011.Retrieved27 February2016.
  16. ^Higgins, Charlotte (9 October 2008)."From pop to opera: petrified Rufus Wainwright embraces 'the dark religion'".The Guardian.Retrieved22 February2009.
  17. ^"Into the Woods review – Opera North casts spell on Sondheim fairytale".TheGuardian.com.12 June 2016.
  18. ^"MUSIC AWARDS FOR 2022".Critcs' Circle.31 May 2023.Retrieved12 February2024.
  19. ^"UK Theatre Awards 2023".UK Theatre.Retrieved12 February2024.
  20. ^"Asian Media Awards 2023 Winners".Asian Media Awards.28 October 2023.Retrieved12 February2024.
  21. ^TMA press releaseArchived14 December 2007 at theWayback Machine
  22. ^RPS Music Awards siteArchived15 July 2011 at theWayback Machine
  23. ^Metro report
  24. ^Arts Council press release
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