Editing Opera North (section)

==History==
Opera North was established in 1977 as English National Opera North, as an offshoot of [[English National Opera]], with the specific intention of delivering high-quality opera to the northern areas of England which, up to that point, had had no permanently established opera company. The company gave its first performance, of [[Camille Saint-Saëns|Saint-Saëns]]'s ''[[Samson and Delilah (opera)|Samson and Delilah]]'', on 15 November 1978. The founding music director of the company was [[David Lloyd-Jones (conductor)|David Lloyd-Jones]], who held the post until 1990. In 1981, the company's name was changed to Opera North, and the official ties with English National Opera ceased to exist.

[[Paul Daniel]] became the company's second music director, serving in the post from 1990 to 1997. With general administrators Nicholas Payne and, later, Ian Ritchie and Richard Mantle, the company continued to bring operatic novelties, as well as a wide selection of familiar works, to its audience in the North of England and further afield. Following Daniel's departure, [[Elgar Howarth]] held the temporary post of music advisor, until [[Steven Sloane]] became music director in 1999.

[[Richard Farnes]] became music director in 2004. Achievements during his tenure included the company's first staging of Wagner's ''[[Der Ring des Nibelungen]]'', over a span of 4 years.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/21/das-rheingold-leeds-review | title=Das Rheingold – review | work=The Guardian | author=Tim Ashley | date=21 June 2011 | access-date=27 February 2016}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite news|author=Yorkshire Post|date=17 October 2021|title=Take a look behind the scenes at Opera North following its £18m redevelopment|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/take-a-look-behind-the-scenes-at-opera-north-following-its-ps18m-redevelopment-3421223|access-date=17 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jun/17/die-walkure-opera-north-review | title=Die Walküre – review | work=The Guardian | author=Tim Ashley | date=17 June 2012 | access-date=27 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jun/18/siegfried-opera-review | title=Siegfried – review | work=The Guardian | author=Tim Ashley | date=18 June 2013 | access-date=27 February 2016}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/jun/15/gotterdammerung-opera-north-review-wagner-ring | title=Götterdämmerung review – belt-and-braces Wagner | work=The Guardian | author=Alfred Hickling | date=15 June 2014 | access-date=27 February 2016}}</ref> Farnes stood down as music director after the 2015–2016 season.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/apr/30/opera-north-new-season-poppea-departure-richard-farnes | title=Opera North announce first Poppea and departure of music director Farnes | work=The Guardian | author=Imogen Tilden | date=30 April 2014 | access-date=27 February 2016}}</ref>

In October 2015, [[Aleksandar Marković (conductor)|Aleksandar Marković]] made his first appearance as guest conductor with the company.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/13892504.Review__Opera_North_in_Jen__fa__Grand_Theatre__Leeds/ | title=Review: Opera North in Jenůfa; Grand Theatre, Leeds | work=The Yorkshire Press | author=Martin Dreyer | date=23 October 2015 | access-date=27 February 2016}}</ref> In February 2016, the company announced the appointment of Marković as its next music director, effective with the 2016–2017 season.<ref>{{cite press release | url=http://www.operanorth.co.uk/news/opera-north-aleksandar-markovic | title=Opera North's new Music Director: Aleksandar Marković | publisher=Opera North | date=24 February 2016 | access-date=27 February 2016}}</ref> His first production as music director of the company was in September 2016, with ''[[Der Rosenkavalier]]''.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/sep/18/der-rosenkavalier-eloquently-staged-revival-belies-its-age | title=Der Rosenkavalier – eloquently staged revival belies its age | work=The Guardian | author=Alfred Hickling | date=18 September 2016 | access-date=19 April 2017}}</ref> On 18 April 2017, Opera North announced that Marković had resigned as the company's music director, with his contract formally to terminate in July 2017, but where he is not to appear with the company for the remainder of the 2016–2017 season.<ref name="OperaNorth2017">{{cite press release | url=https://www.operanorth.co.uk/news/statement-regarding-opera-north-s-music-director | title=Statement regarding Opera North's Music Director | publisher=Opera North | date=18 April 2017 | access-date=19 April 2017}}</ref>

In June 2019, Opera North announced the appointments of [[Garry Walker]] as its next music director, and of [[Antony Hermus]] as its new principal guest conductor. Walker became music director effective with the 2020–2021 season.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.operanorth.co.uk/news/opera-north-announces-new-musical-leadership/ | title=Opera North announces new musical leadership | publisher=Opera North | date=24 June 2019 | access-date=2019-07-04}}</ref>

In October 2021, Opera North relocated their headquarters to the Howard Opera Centre, following an £18 million redevelopment. <ref>{{Cite news|last=Bond|first=Chris|date=17 October 2021|title=Take a look behind the scenes at Opera North following its £18m redevelopment|work=The Yorkshire Post|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/take-a-look-behind-the-scenes-at-opera-north-following-its-ps18m-redevelopment-3421223}}</ref>

The previous general director of Opera North was [[Richard Mantle|Sir Richard Mantle]], who held the post since 1994 and retired in December 2023. He is succeeded by Opera North's current general director and CEO, Laura Canning. the first woman named to the post, effective December 2023.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.operanorth.co.uk/news/laura-canning-announced-as-new-general-director-ceo/ | title=Laura Canning announced as new General Director & CEO | publisher=Opera North | date=12 April 2023 | access-date=2023-04-24}}</ref>