An early Happy St David’s Day to you all – dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! Our 2020/2021 Season goes on general sale today, perfectly timed to celebrate the patron saint of Wales. You can book tickets for Autumn 2020 and Spring 2021 operas at any of our venues: Cardiff, Plymouth, Bristol, Birmingham, Llandudno, Southampton in the Autumn, plus Milton Keynes or Liverpool in the Spring.
Next year provides opportunities to see much-loved operas as well as a brand new one in a Season that brings new faces to the WNO stage alongside regular favourites. American lyric soprano Amanda Majeski makes her Company and role debut in Jenůfa in Autumn 2020. Spring 2021 sees the return of Rebecca Evans and Mary Elizabeth Williams, with David Kempster and Linda Richardson, also returning. With conductors including our Music Director, Tomáš Hanus who has recently announced his extended tenure with us (Jenůfaand Der Rosekavalier); Kerem Hasan, our former Associate Conductor (The Barber of Seville); and Alexander Joel, who returns to the WNO pit following last year’s Rigoletto (Faust). These known names are joined by two conductors new to the Company, Pietro Rizzo (Il trovatore), and Matthew Kofi Waldren (Migrations).
Autumn 2020 brings our acclaimed production of Janáček’s Jenůfa back out on the road – the heart-wrenching tale of one woman’s quest to marry the father of her secret child, but her family has other plans. Our classic production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville also returns following a short run this Summer here in Cardiff. Sung in Italian, the roguish barber, Figaro, plays cupid for Count Almaviva and Rosina, outwitting Dr Bartolo with his antics in this feel-good opera. The Season is completed by a newly commissioned piece: Migrations, by Will Todd. Will Todd and director David Pountney are working with several librettists to tell tales of migration, both human and avian, inspired by the 400th anniversary of The Mayflower’s journey.
Spring 2021 includes another new production, this time of Gounod’s Faust. A classic opera story with deals made with the devil; youth, love, trickery and lust, all are included in this story and it looks set to be another visually stunning production. Olivia Fuchs is the director and she also directed our 2017 production of Der Rosenkavalier, also making a return this Season. With its motif of time passing and the fear of ageing, Richard Strauss’ opera offers comedy and drama in equal measure. Finally, we complete our performances with one of Verdi’s most celebrated middle-period operas (following La traviata in 2018 and Rigoletto in Autumn 2019) with Il trovatore. Featuring one of the most instantly recognisable pieces of music, the Anvil Chorus, Verdi’s rousing score for Il trovatore tells the tale of a gypsy woman burnt at the stake and the tragic consequences that play out through the years following.
If more than one of the above takes your fancy, don’t forget you can save money by taking advantage of our multi-buy offers, or just buy tickets for one opera; both are available as of today.