Editing Opera North

{{Short description|Opera company based in Leeds, England}}
{{About|the British organisation|the unrelated American opera company|Opera North (U.S.A.)}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
[[File:Grand Theatre, Leeds 001.jpg|thumbnail|alt=exterior of a neo-classical theatre|The Grand Theatre, Leeds, home of Opera North]]
'''Opera North''' is an English opera company based in [[Leeds]]. The company's home theatre is the [[Grand Theatre Leeds|Leeds Grand Theatre]], but it also presents regular seasons in several other cities, at the [[Theatre Royal, Nottingham]], the [[Lowry Centre]], [[Salford Quays]] and the [[Theatre Royal, Newcastle]]. The company's orchestra, the [[Orchestra of Opera North]], regularly performs and records in its own right. Operas are performed either in English translation or in the original language of the libretto, in the latter case usually with [[surtitles]].

The major funders of Opera North include [[Arts Council England]] and, in Yorkshire, [[Leeds City Council]], West Yorkshire Grants, [[North Yorkshire County Council]], and [[East Riding of Yorkshire]] Council.

==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> 

==Characteristics of the company==

===Repertory===
As well as presenting the bread-and-butter operas of the standard repertory, the company has performed a number of operas that are rarely seen in Britain. Examples include:
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* ''[[Les mamelles de Tirésias]]''  ([[Francis Poulenc|Poulenc]]) (1978)
* ''[[The Mines of Sulphur]]''  ([[Richard Rodney Bennett]]) (1980)
* ''[[A Village Romeo and Juliet]]''  ([[Frederick Delius|Delius]]) (1980)
* ''[[Prince Igor]]'' ([[Alexander Borodin]]) (1982)
* ''[[Béatrice et Bénédict|Beatrice and Benedict]]'' ([[Berlioz]]) (1983)
* ''[[Jonny spielt auf|Johnny Strikes Up]]''  ([[Ernst Krenek|Krenek]]) (1984, British première)
* ''[[Intermezzo (opera)|Intermezzo]]''  ([[Richard Strauss]]) (1986)
* ''[[Daphne (opera)|Daphne]]''  (Strauss) (1987, British première)
* ''[[La finta giardiniera]]'' ([[Mozart]]) (1989)
* ''[[Jérusalem]]'' ([[Verdi]]) (1990, British première)
* ''[[Ariane et Barbe-bleue|Ariane and Bluebeard]]''  ([[Paul Dukas|Dukas]]) (1990)
* ''[[Masquerade (Nielsen)|Masquerade]]''  ([[Carl Nielsen]]) (1990, British professional première)
* ''[[King Priam]]''  ([[Michael Tippett]]) (1991)
* ''[[L'étoile (opera)|L'étoile]]'' ([[Chabrier]]) (1991)
* ''[[The Jewel Box]]'' (Mozart, arranged by [[Paul Griffiths (writer)|Paul Griffiths]]) (1991)
* ''[[La gazza ladra|The Thieving Magpie]]'' ([[Rossini]]) (1992)
* ''[[Iolanta]]'' ([[Tchaikovsky]]) (1992)
* ''The Duenna'' ([[Roberto Gerhard]]) (1992, British première)
* ''[[Der ferne Klang]]'' ([[Schreker]]) (1992, British première)
* ''[[La Gioconda (opera)|La Gioconda]]'' ([[Ponchielli]]) (1993)
* ''[[Gloriana]]'' ([[Britten]]) (1993)
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* ''[[Il re pastore]]'' (Mozart) (1993)
* ''[[Il matrimonio segreto|The Secret Marriage]]'' ([[Domenico Cimarosa|Cimarosa]]) (1993)
* ''[[Oberto (opera)|Oberto]]'' (Verdi) (1994, British stage première)
* ''[[Le roi malgré lui|The Reluctant King]]'' (Chabrier) (1994, British stage première)
* ''[[Troilus and Cressida (opera)|Troilus and Cressida]]''  ([[William Walton]]) (1995)
* ''[[Hamlet (opera)|Hamlet]]'' ([[Ambroise Thomas]]) (1995)
* ''[[Médée (Cherubini)|Medea]]'' ([[Luigi Cherubini|Cherubini]]) (1996)
* ''[[Julietta]]'' ([[Martinů]]) (1997)
* ''[[Giovanna d'Arco|Joan of Arc]]'' (Verdi) (1998)
* ''[[Radamisto (Handel)|Radamisto]]'' ([[Handel]]) (2000)
* ''[[Genoveva]]'' ([[Robert Schumann|Schumann]]) (2000)
* ''[[Moscow, Cheryomushki|Paradise Moscow]]''  ([[Shostakovich]]) (2001)
* ''[[Francesca da Rimini (Rachmaninoff)|Francesca da Rimini]]''  ([[Rachmaninov]]) (2004)
* ''[[L'occasione fa il ladro|Love's Luggage Lost]]'' (Rossini) (2004, British stage première)
* ''[[Djamileh]]'' ([[Bizet]]) (2004)
* ''[[La vida breve (opera)|La vida breve]]'' ([[Manuel de Falla]]) (2004)
* ''[[La voix humaine]]''  (Poulenc) (2006)
* ''[[The Fortunes of King Croesus]]'' ([[Reinhard Keiser]]) (2007, British première)
* ''[[The Excursions of Mr Broucek]]'' ([[Leoš Janáček|Janáček]]) (2009)
* ''[[The Snow Maiden]]'' ([[Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov|Rimsky-Korsakov]]) (2017)
* ''[[Trouble in Tahiti]]'' ([[Leonard Bernstein]]) (2017)
* ''[[The Greek Passion]]'' ([[Martinů]]) (2019)
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In 2011, the company performed ''The Portrait'' by [[Mieczysław Weinberg]] and initiated an annual series of semi-staged concert performances of the four operas in [[Richard Wagner|Wagner]]'s ''[[Der Ring des Nibelungen]]'' by performing ''[[Das Rheingold]]'' in [[Leeds Town Hall]]. ''Beached'', a community opera by composer [[Harvey Brough]] with a libretto by [[Lee Hall (playwright)|Lee Hall]] co-commissioned by Opera North and the sea-side resort of [[Bridlington]] premiered on 15 July 2011.

At the request of the Bridlington primary school whose 300 children performed in the opera, the company asked for the removal of an explicit reference to a gay character's sexuality from one of the scenes. Hall initially refused, and the opera was withdrawn.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jul/04/opera-beached-pulled-school-protests | title=Opera pulled after school protests over gay character | work=The Guardian | author=Mark Brown | date=3 July 2011 | access-date=27 February 2016}}</ref> However, following negotiations the matter was resolved when the character's contentious line "Of course I'm queer" was changed to "Of course I'm gay".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14064060  | title=Homophobia row opera to go ahead |work=BBC News| date=7 July 2011 | access-date=27 February 2016}}</ref>

===World premieres===
Opera North has given world premières of the following operas: ''Rebecca'' by [[Wilfred Josephs]] (1983), ''Caritas'' by [[Robert Saxton]] (1991), ''Baa, Baa, Black Sheep'' by [[Michael Berkeley]] (1993), ''Playing Away'' by [[Benedict Mason]] (1994), ''The Nightingale's to Blame'' by [[Simon Holt]] (1998), [[Jonathan Dove]]'s ''[[The Adventures of Pinocchio]]'' (2007) and ''Swanhunter'' (2009), and ''Skin Deep'' by [[David Sawer]] and [[Armando Iannucci]] (2009). In July 2009, Opera North premièred ''[[Prima Donna (opera)|Prima Donna]]'', a new opera by [[Rufus Wainwright]], at the [[Manchester International Festival]].<ref>{{cite web|access-date=22 February 2009|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/oct/09/rufuswainwright.folk|title=From pop to opera: petrified Rufus Wainwright embraces 'the dark religion'|author=Higgins, Charlotte|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=9 October 2008}}</ref>

===Musical theatre===
Opera North has also given performances of musical theatre works. The first was [[Jerome Kern]]'s ''[[Show Boat]]'' (in collaboration with the [[Royal Shakespeare Company]]) in 1989, and productions of [[Gershwin]]'s ''[[Of Thee I Sing]]'' and [[Stephen Sondheim|Sondheim]]'s ''[[Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street|Sweeney Todd]]'' followed in 1998. A joint production with West Yorkshire Playhouse of Sondheim's ''[[Into the Woods]]'' was staged in Leeds in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/jun/12/into-the-woods-review-west-yorkshire-playhouse|title = Into the Woods review – Opera North casts spell on Sondheim fairytale|website = [[TheGuardian.com]]|date = 12 June 2016}}</ref> Latterly, the works of [[Kurt Weill]] have become something of a speciality, with productions of ''[[Love Life (musical)|Love Life]]'' (1996), ''[[One Touch of Venus]]'' and ''[[The Seven Deadly Sins (ballet chanté)|The Seven Deadly Sins]]'' in 2004, ''[[Der Kuhhandel|Arms and the Cow]]'' in 2006, and ''[[Street Scene (opera)|Street Scene]]'' in 2020. In 2009, ''[[Let 'Em Eat Cake]]'', the sequel to ''Of Thee I Sing'', was produced, and in 2012 [[Rodgers and Hammerstein]]'s ''[[Carousel (musical)|Carousel]]'' was performed in Leeds, Salford and London. It was revived in 2015, playing in Leeds before touring to Norwich, Edinburgh and Dublin.

===Electronic music===
Opera North has worked extensively with electronic composer [[Mira Calix]], commissioning ''Dead Wedding'' (for the Manchester International Festival 2007) ''Onibus'' (2008) and the installation ''Chorus'' (2009) for the opening of the Howard Assembly Room with visual artist UVA.

==Awards==
*Winner of the Outstanding Achievement in Opera Award at the 2022 Critics' Circle Music Awards<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 May 2023 |title=MUSIC AWARDS FOR 2022 |url=https://criticscircle.org.uk/music-awards-for-2022/ |access-date=12 February 2024 |website=Critcs' Circle}}</ref> for ''Orpheus, Music by [[Claudio Monteverdi]] and [[Jasdeep Singh Degun]]'' (co-music directors [[Laurence Cummings]] and [[Jasdeep Singh Degun]]). The production also went on to win the Achievement in Opera Award in the 2023 [[UK Theatre Awards]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=UK Theatre Awards 2023 |url=https://uktheatre.org/uk-theatre-awards-2023/ |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=UK Theatre |language=en-GB}}</ref> and Best Stage Production in the 2023 Asian Media Awards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-28 |title=Asian Media Awards 2023 Winners |url=https://www.asianmediaawards.com/asian-media-awards-2023-winners/ |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=Asian Media Awards |language=en-GB}}</ref>
*Winner of the [[South Bank Sky Arts Award]] for [[Rigoletto]] 2022 (music director; [[Garry Walker]], stage director [[Femi Elufowoju Jr.]])
*Winner of the [[TMA Theatre Award]] for Outstanding Achievement in Opera 2007 (for ''[[Peter Grimes]]'', directed by [[Phyllida Lloyd]]),<ref>[http://www.tmauk.org/NewsAndPress/Article.aspx?article=166 TMA press release] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214161340/http://www.tmauk.org/newsandpress/Article.aspx?article=166 |date=14 December 2007 }}</ref> and in 2004
*Winner of the [[Royal Philharmonic Society]] Award for Opera & Music Theatre 2007 (for ''Peter Grimes'')<ref>[http://www.rpsmusicawards.com/2007/winners/index.html?page=2007/winners/categories/operatheatre.html RPS Music Awards site] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715205553/http://www.rpsmusicawards.com/2007/winners/index.html?page=2007%2Fwinners%2Fcategories%2Foperatheatre.html |date=15 July 2011 }}</ref> and in 2005
*Winner of the [[South Bank Show]] Award for Opera 2007 (for ''Peter Grimes'')<ref>[http://www.metro.co.uk/fame/article.html?in_article_id=34382&in_page_id=7&in_a_source= Metro report]</ref> and 2005 (for its ''Eight Little Greats'' season of one-act operas)<ref>[https://archive.today/20070615133620/http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/pressnews/news_detail.php?rid=9&id=260 Arts Council press release]</ref>
*Winner of the [[Manchester Evening News]] Theatre Awards for Opera 2004
*Winner of the Audiences Yorkshire Award for Best Overall Marketing and Audience Development Campaign 2004

==Music directors==
* [[David Lloyd-Jones (conductor)|David Lloyd-Jones]] (1978–1990)
* [[Paul Daniel]] (1990–1997)
* [[Steven Sloane]] (1999–2002)
* [[Richard Farnes]] (2004–2016)
* [[Aleksandar Marković (conductor)|Aleksandar Markovic]] (2016–2017)
* [[Garry Walker]] (2020–present)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.operanorth.co.uk/ Official site]
*Archival material at {{wikidata|qualifier|property|P485|P856|format=\[%q %p\]}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Opera North| ]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1978]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Leeds]]
[[Category:1978 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Culture in Yorkshire]]