Opera North

When you're out shopping... and hear THIS 😮 Soprano Anna Dennis with Mozart's famous 'Queen of the Night aria' @TrinityLeeds.

#ONMagicFlute opens @GrandTheatreLS1 this week 👉bit.ly/MagicFlute2425

👋 Just to say we won't be actively posting on X anymore, but will still be here to reply to enquiries and feedback.

Come and find us on @bluesky 👉bsky.app/profile/operan…

or Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and LinkedIn!

★★★★★ from @Telegraph: "Rip-roaring... bring on the recording, and some more revivals"

If you couldn't make our Love Life performances, look out for the @BBCRadio3 broadcast on 8 Feb, and official cast recording!

telegraph.co.uk/opera/what-to-…

Elgar Howarth, 1935-2025

All at Opera North are sad to learn of the death earlier this week of Elgar Howarth, a hugely influential figure in British classical music and our Chief Guest Conductor from 1985-88.

Elgar, know as Gary, was invited to the Company by founding Music Director David Lloyd-Jones, and together they were formative in steering Opera North through the earlier years.

The first opera he conducted for us was Verdi's Nabucco in 1982 (pictured here), followed by Puccini's La bohème, Strauss’ Arabella, the British premiere of Nielsen’s Maskerade and many more. He was also a friend of composer Harrison Birtwistle and led the Orchestra of Opera North in various Birtwistle projects, including a memorable trip to Vienna to perform Endless Parade with renowned Swedish trumpeter Håkan Hardenberger.

Gary later served here as Music Advisor, making vital artistic decisions, and remained an important part of Opera North's life for the first twenty years.

We are immensely grateful for all he contributed to the Company.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from @theartsdesk for Love Life:

"Brilliantly reconstructed... the piece requires resources that few organisations could bring, and possibly only Opera North, with its large chorus body all capable of taking outstanding roles, could even attempt it today"

theartsdesk.com/opera/love-lif…