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Marriage of Figaro, Welsh National Opera

The beautiful thing about The Marriage of Figaro is that, a couple centuries after it was written, it still holds up. Indeed – and differently from many other opera comedies, whose hijinks can feel forced and outdated to a contemporary audience – it can easily read as commentary on a number of topics our modern sensitivities are…

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Opera Favourites At The Movies, Welsh National Opera

Opera Favourites At The Movies, WNO It is time for a concert showcase at the WNO – an excellent opportunity to leave to the side any concerns with how to visually narrate a storyline or express the deeper themes of a work through staging, and simply entertain the audience with a pure display of technical…

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Opera’s knight: Sir Bryn Terfel

Wales’ musical knight Bryn Terfel tells me he is always looking for another feather for his cap and there will be plenty to add in 2025. Launching a new singing competition with the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama; working as a coach on Yr Llais, S4C’s Welsh language version of The Voice, being…

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Mid Wales Opera big jump in ticket sales for 2024 SmallStages tour of Pagliacci

Touring across Wales and the Borders, visiting 12 local venues which are rooted in their community, the Mid Wales Opera 2024 SmallStages tour of Pagliacci saw a 37% increase in average ticket sales per venue compared to the previous year. After receiving a lifeline in the form of a grant from Powys County Council’s Shared…

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I Pagliacci, Mid Wales Opera

Abergavenny Borough Theatre Mid Wales Opera is like many other touring companies in scaling down for relatively small venues those works written to fill out bigger ones; but, unlike most of them, it has made an art and a virtue of miniaturisation. Given reasonable parameters, most operas can be reduced to basics: with a few…

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The Abduction from the Seraglio

Mozart Süreyya Opera Sahnesi, Istanbul There is something special seeing a performance of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera “The Abduction from the Seraglio” in Istanbul, which is, of course, where the opera is set. However, the venue is not the Topkapi but a gorgeous 1920s theatre. This absolute jewel of a theatre is in the Kadiköy…

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Genuinely funny and beautifully sung, Il turco in Italia, Glyndebourne Autumn Season 2024

Il turco in Italia, Gioachino Rossini For the first time revived at Glyndebourne, the 2001 production by French director Mariame Clément is truly entertaining and very enjoyable. The concept of the piece revolves around a contemporary writer, Prosdocimo, suffering from writer’s block, who flips through a travel magazine and creates all sorts of characters and…

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Jonathan Lyness: Bringing Opera to the SmallStages, Pagliacci’s Journey and the Fight to Keep Touring Alive

In Ruggero Leoncavallo’s iconic opera, Pagliacci, we witness the tragic unraveling of a man consumed by jealousy and grief, his theatrical role tragically mirroring the heartbreak of his own life. It’s a story that speaks to the vulnerability of the human condition—a theme that resonates with touring companies today as they face the very real threat of dwindling…

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New cast members delight in Il triticco, Puccini, Welsh National Opera

This production of Il trittico belonged to the new cast members, who brought even more energy and vibrancy to the stage. While the original cast was impressive, the new lineup delivered unforgettable performances across all three operas. The entire cast was superb, but there were definitely standout performances that made this revival really shine. Andrés…

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Mid Wales Opera fights on with Pagliacci

 Mid Wales Opera has saved Arts Council of Wales funding annhiliation to be able to annoucce that tickets are now on sale for their upcoming SmallStages production of Pagliacci.  The SmallStages tour of Pagliacci is a continuation of MWO’s commitment to bringing high-quality opera to communities across Wales and the Borders and will run from October…

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