Opera North's Salford line-up

Published: 28 February 2015
Reporter: David Upton

Henry Waddington, Gaynor Keeble, Joseph Shovelton and Quirijn de Lang in The Marriage of Figaro Credit: Clive Barda / ArenaPAL

Opera North returns to The Lowry in Salford in the middle of March with a new production of Mozart’s comedy The Marriage of Figaro, an exciting double-bill including a new Gianni Schicchi and the return of the highly-successful La traviata.

Figaro is one of opera's most tender, funny and heart-warming works and a top international and British cast includes baritone Richard Burkhard, whose previous roles at Opera North include Sir Despard Murgatroyd in Ruddigore.

Norwegian soprano Silvia Moi sings Susanna, a role she has previously sung in Malmö and at the Komische Oper Berlin. She also appeared as Papagena in Kenneth Branagh’s film version of The Magic Flute.

The Marriage of Figaro is sung in English.

A new production of Gianni Schicchi and a revival of La vida breve come together in a double-bill.

Director Christopher Alden’s take on Manuel de Falla’s short exuberant opera, is an all or nothing tragedy of a woman who loves a worthless man, the atmosphere heightened by the influence of Andalusian folk song and Spanish dance rhythms.

Gianni Schicchi, the other half of this double bill, is Puccini’s only outright comedy, based on an episode in Dante’s Inferno. Puccini’s music illustrates the greed and absurdity driving the actions of a dying man’s scheming relatives.

La vida breve is sung in Spanish with English titles. Gianni Schicchi is sung in Italian with English titles.

Opera North’s hit production of La traviata returns with a new cast, following a successful run in November 2014. Alessandro Talevi's production of Verdi's tear-jerker proved an instant hit with audiences, with glamorous costumes and sets evoking the decadence and debauchery of Belle Époque Paris.

Polish soprano Anna Jeruc-Kopec takes the role of Violetta, the Fallen Woman of the title.

*Some links, including Amazon, Stageplays.com, ATG Tickets, LOVEtheatre, BTG Tickets, Ticketmaster, The Ticket Factory, LW Theatres and QuayTickets, are affiliate links for which BTG may earn a small fee at no extra cost to the purchaser.

Are you sure?