Stan Graham's Leisure Guide for North and West Yorkshire
On Monday, 17th October, it will be 60 years to the day since a spotty, overweight East Leeds slum kid sat down with his mum after tea to watch the local ITV regional news programme, People and Places. There were only two channels back then, both in black and white, and very little popular music…
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The Opera North Winter/Spring Season has kicked off with a classic. La traviata by Verdi has all the the core ingredients of an opera; forbidden love, death, redemption, family fall-outs, big scenes, quiet moments and bangin’ tunes! The story is that of a glamorous Parisienne courtesan, Violetta, who, let’s just say, enjoys a good night…
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Thursday, 29th September sees the start of the 2022-23 Opera North Season with a staging of La traviata at Leeds Grand Theatre. I have taken my posh frock to the cleaners in anticipation. This is the first of six operas being staged between now and next March with a mixture of classic and less well…
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When I walked into Howard Assembly Room on Sunday afternoon I thought that I had accidentally stumbled into a yoga class, with mats laid on the floor. It then dawned on me that this concert was part of their Wellbeing Weekend, so any thoughts of being made to squeeze this rather ample body into lycra…
Read MoreWe are coming to the time of year when Opera North gets into full swing with its major productions. Once again they will be at Leeds Grand Theatre so ambiance will not be found wanting. There is a theme this year with, not only a ‘reimagined’ version of Monteverdi’s Orpheus, but also a performance of…
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Just over a week ago I went to a lunchtime concert by the Orchestra and Chorus of Opera North entitled Summertime. On Sunday I went to another called Opera In The City in Millennium Square which should really have been named Singin’ in The Rain. The concert started at 5.30pm, about half an hour after…
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It was just my luck to discover last year’s Dewsbury Town Hall Lunchtime Concert Season only in time to catch the last one so I had resigned myself to waiting until the end of September for the next. What a pleasant surprise to find out that there was a one-off event to celebrate Summertime on…
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This is the first production in an Opera North season devoted to Orpheus, and why not! There is no mention of his being in The Underworld, probably because they knew that the Tubes were on strike. A Tale of Orpheus & Eurydice is a prequel to Orpheus by Monteverdi, who is generally credited with the…
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Anyone taking even a passing glance at this site will know how much I enjoy going to this venue. The great thing is, because it specialises in one-night stands, I get more opportunities to indulge myself as well as broadening my musical knowledge with every trip. I hope that once you have seen what is…
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Should you ever meet Richard Wagner in another life I suggest that you greet him by just saying ‘Hello’. I get the feeling that if you ask ‘How are you?’ you will spend a couple of days listening to his answer. He is the Cecil B DeMille of opera, taking as much time as he…
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Tyke It To The Limit 