Breaking News!!! Opera North is not just about opera, with sopranos shattering wine glasses when they hit a High C, although I have a conspiracy theory that the bars in opera houses put their booze in plastic containers just in case, they stage lots of other types of concerts as well. A lot of them are at Howard Assembly Room, a venue which I intend to cover in a few days time, so please check back for details. Others are in various concert halls throughout Yorkshire, and some farther afield.
I will begin in Leeds at the Grand Theatre and Opera House, to give it its Sunday best name, where the Autumn season kicks off on 28th September. They have named this The Green Season where productions use shared scenic elements to reduce its use of materials and thus its carbon footprint. All sets, props and costumes in the season are sourced from previous productions or purchased second-hand. It’s amazing what you can find in charity shops! There are also more matinees to make it easier for audiences to use public transport – strikes permitting.
First up is Verdi’s Falstaff which is based on Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, and is a comedy romp, which means that it will be even more bonkers than usual. It stars Henry Waddington as the eponymous hero? with Kate Royal and Helen Évora as the wives. The Orchestra of Opera North will be conducted by Garry Walker. Falstaff runs from 28th September until 25th October, before moving on to Newcastle, Nottingham and Salford Quays. Please follow the link at the end for more information, dates and booking.
The second offering is the World Premiere of Masque of Might – another posh frock do then. It is described as a witty and satirical opera using Henry Purcell’s music to create a fantastical tale of power and corruption. The Director is Sir David Pountney with the Orchestra of Opera North conducted by Harry Bicket and stars Callum Thorpe, Anna Dennis and Andri Björn Róbertsson. The Leeds dates are 6th October until 27th October. It then follows the Newcastle, Nottingham Salford Quays route.
The Green Season concludes with La rondine by Puccini. It is set in 1930s Paris when Magda, the mistress of a wealthy banker, falls in love with a younger chap. Something tells me it won’t end well. The first performance is on 20th October, and it is in Leeds from that date until 28th October, guess where it goes then. Yup, Newcastle, Nottingham and Salford Quays. Galina Averina, Claire Lees, Sébastien Guèze and Elgin Llŷr Thomas star with Kerem Hasan conducting.
Huddersfield Town Hall is another of Opera North’s regular venues and there are a lot of events there to look forward to this autumn. On several Mondays from 11th September, there are organ recitals covering a plethora of musical genres.
They kick-off with David Pipe, great name for an organist, with a mixture of classical and jazz pieces.
Jonathan Scott takes over the keyboard on 25th September with a programme of familiar works including Fingal’s Cave and concludes with The Ride of the Valkyries, just the thing you need to stir you into tackling Huddersfield city centre on a late autumn Monday afternoon.
16th October sees, or should that be hears, Alexander Woodrow, Director of Music at Leeds Minster, beginning with Bach’s Toccata, Adagio and Fugue, or it could be Vincent Price in disguise.
Alessandro Bianchi performs a programme on 30th October containing Toccata on “Amazing Grace”, I used to go out with her, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.
Martin Baker is in the chair on 13th November, no, he isn’t getting the drinks in, just entertaining with Vivaldi, Bach and others.
On 27th November the Town Hall is graced by Organist Emeritus, Gordon Stewart who wraps up the series for 2023, although it resumes in January, by playing Bach’s Fantasia and Fugue in G Minor along with other works including the Handel Organ concerto: The Cuckoo and the Nightingale. Sadly I can’t do my Twitter jokes any more, they have all been X rated.
All of the above concerts begin at 1.00pm and are £5.50 each including booking fee.
Not wishing to be left out, Dewsbury Town Hall stages a series of monthly lunchtime concerts, this time on Wednesdays at 12.30pm but still £5.50. I love going to these events as they are varied and there is a soup and sandwich bar which means that, with the hall furnished with chair around circular tables, you can take your goodies in, thus giving the performances a really intimate feel. Oh, and did I mention the cakes.
The first in the series is called Flute and Harp, The former instrument is played by Luke O’Toole, and the latter Céline Saout. Both principal members of The Orchestra of Opera North.
18th October sees former Opera North Associate Artist, soprano Ellie Laugharne, accompanied by pianist David Cowan, the Company’s Head of Music. The event is called We’ll Gather Lilacs and is a collection of musical settings of poems and texts from around Europe, not a section of the Pantone chart.
Mahler’s Fourth Symphony is performed on 22nd November in a chamber arrangement by Claire Lees, soprano, and the Chamber Ensemble of Opera North. It is the final lunchtime concert before Christmas but the series returns in January.
Back to Huddersfield now, my, how we see the world, for some evening concerts featuring the full Orchestra of Opera North.
Thursday, 21st September we have Opera North’s Music Director, Garry Walker conducting his charges in a varied programme including Dvorák’s Symphony No.9 ‘From the New World’, along with works including pieces by Gershwin and a Cello Concerto from Guida, featuring soloist Andreas Brantelid.
Beethoven’s Symphony No.7 is the featured work on Thursday, 12th October with the Orchestra under the baton of Portuguese conductor Joana Carneiro who is making her Kirklees Concert Season debut. It also features Stephen Farr on the organ. I hope that they have it booked in for a service in the New Year.
On Thursday, 30th November Andrew Grams conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of Opera North in Gustav Holst’s The Planets. There are also works by Kochavi and Bernstein.
All of the Thursday evening concerts begin at 7.30pm but are preceded by Pre-concert talks at 6.40pm.
December begins with concerts by the University of Huddersfield Brass Band at 12.30pm at Dewsbury Town Hall, and 11th December at Huddersfield Town Hall.
We then get festive with Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes at Huddersfield Town Hall. They consist of two animated films but with the soundtrack provided by a live performance from the Orchestra of Opera North conducted by Terry Davies. It begins at 6.00pm so finishes in advance of bed time.
Dewsbury Town Hall hosts its Christmas Gala at 7.30pm on Thursday, 14th December with Garry Walker conducting the Orchestra, Chorus and Young Voices of Opera North. The programme comprises a New Commission from Longworth, Land of the Counterpane by Blake and Excerpts from The Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky arranged by Duke Ellington. There will also be a selection of carols which the audience are encouraged to join in with. None of your Bodyguard exclusion policy here.
Messiaen’s La Nativité du Seigneur is at Huddersfield Town Hall on Friday, 15th December, at 7.30pm which is a nine-movement cycle for Christmas. I always wanted a cycle for Christmas when I was a kid – still waiting!
That David Pipe is at it again with his organ on Thursday, 21st December with a selection of Christmas music from around the world. He is joined, or should that be soldered – sorry – by The Huddersfield Youth Choirs. Start time is 1.00pm
The year draws to a close – at last! – with Viennese Whirl, on Friday 29th December at 3.30pm at Huddersfield Town Hall, and then venturing to the far east on Saturday 30th December at 3.00pm with a performance at Hull City Hall. It is a concert in the Viennese New Year Tradition with polkas and marches to get the audience clapping along, some of them even do it in time. The Orchestra of Opera North is conducted by Jonathan Bloxham and the arias and songs are performed by Alexandra Lowe.
That, my fiends is that for 2023. I told you it wasn’t all stuffy stuff. Can’t wait for my soup and sarnie at Dewsbury.
For more details and booking please go to https://www.operanorth.co.uk/
All images from Opera North
Tyke It To The Limit 