Trio of treats for all ages

Opera North makes its latest eagerly-awaited visit to Nottingham’s Theatre Royal, from Tuesday, November 17, to Saturday, November 21.
Opera North's The Barber of SevilleOpera North's The Barber of Seville
Opera North's The Barber of Seville

To coincide with Opera North’s return, the company will be bringing its work to new audiences of all ages with a new under 30s discount scheme, an interactive performance for schools, workshops for over 55s and a free lunchtime concert.

From Tuesday, November 17, Opera North stages Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Janáček’s Jenůfa and Cole Porter’s classic musical Kiss Me, Kate. Anyone who is aged between 19 and 29 years, or a full time student, can claim £10 tickets to any of the performances by signing up for free membership of their Under 30s scheme.

All tickets are together in the Upper Dress Circle, making for a great opportunity to socialise with other Under 30s members. Tickets can be booked at the theatre or by telephone on 0115 989 5555, and tickets and membership cards can be collected in person at least an hour before the show.

An interactive schools performance, Jenůfa in a Moment, will bring the stories and characters of the opera to life for students aged 14 to 18 on Wednesday, November 18. Janáček’s powerful tale of love, jealousy and sacrifice should offer plenty to fire the imaginations of participants as actor Anthony Haddon portrays some of the leading roles, accompanied by musician Sylvia Hallett.

Students can offer their advice on how the plot should develop, before attending Opera North’s acclaimed production of the work on the Theatre Royal’s main stage in the evening to discover how the story really ends. School places, including discounted tickets to the evening performance, can be booked directly with Opera North Education on 0113 223 3520 or by emailing [email protected].

As a treat for all ages, on Thursday, November 19, musicians from the Orchestra of Opera North will perform Brahms’s Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano as part of the Royal Concert Hall’s popular Live at Lunch series of free concerts. In the first ever Live at Lunch double bill, their performance will be followed by former Opera North baritone Garry Magee and pianist Tim Lole with Schubert’s song cycle Schwanengesang. As usual there is no need to book - just drop in and enjoy a drink from the bar before the concert.

begins at 12.15pm.

Opera North’s work away from the Main Stage continues into 2016 as conductor Tim Burke will lead schoolchildren in an Inside The Ring workshop offering a taster of Wagner’s epic opera cycle, which comes to the Theatre Royal in June.