Opera North’s Green Season at The Lowry
Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
This autumn, the forward-thinking and ever-brilliant Opera North bring their Green Season of performance to The Lowry. Expect thrilling tales of love, laughter and loss in the company’s first full sustainable season of three productions.
Ambitious and progressive, Opera North will unleash a larger-than-life character in Falstaff, a bracing romance in La rondine and a brand-new work, Masque of Might celebrating our relationship with the natural world. Bringing their usual high-quality performance, this is Opera North’s first full ecologically conscious season too. A Green Season of three sustainable operas, which ingeniously all share one skeleton set designed by Leslie Travers.
Expect thrilling tales of love, laughter and loss in the company’s first full sustainable season of three productions.
We’re excited to see the company’s new and riotous production of Verdi’s comedy masterpiece, Falstaff, running for two performances on 15 and 18 November. Shifting the action to the 1980s, and bursting with energy and humour, Shakespeare’s lovable rogue will leave audiences grinning from ear to ear. With his eyes on a couple of rich wives as his passport to a brighter future, all manner of comedy ensues. Unfortunately for Falstaff (but a great source of entertainment for us), the ladies are ten steps ahead and have already started concocting a plan to teach him a lesson he will never forget. Following his success as Parson in The Cunning Little Vixen, we’re thrilled to see Henry Waddington return to Opera North to take on the role of Falstaff. With lots of unexpected plot twists, confusion, disguises and deception, and Verdi’s wonderfully wicked score, this new production promises to be a joyful riot.
We’re also pleased to offer Creative Tourist readers a special discounted ticket link for both performances of Falstaff. Take advantage of an exclusive £25.00 ticket offer (available on all seats), by clicking here.
Next up is Masque of Might on 16 November, a brand-new work that ‘repurposes’ the music of baroque composer Henry Purcell. The composer’s lesser-known and rarely performed works are skillfully assembled by Sir David Pountney to create a witty parable examining our relationship with the natural world.
Opera North brings yet another exhilarating season of performance to Salford.
Puccini’s La rondine completes the Green Season triple-bill on 17 November. As the composer of La bohème and Madama Butterfly, Puccini is no stranger to themes of love and passion. La rondine (The Swallow) is Puccini’s take on the La traviata tale. Opening amidst the decadence and glamour of 1930s Paris, Magda, the mistress of a wealthy banker, is willing to take flight for true love when she meets young Ruggero – but will there be a fairytale ending to their romance? James Hurley directs this opera of lush orchestration, sweeping melodies and hard-hitting duets, with soprano Galina Averina singing Magda alongside tenor Sébastien Guèze as Ruggero.
Opera North brings yet another exhilarating season of performance to Salford. The Green Season has seen the company recycle and reuse sets and props, and take advantage of local resources and craftspeople. Audiences are invited to join the company on its green journey by choosing digital programmes and tickets at the checkout, and travelling to the theatre by public transport where possible.
