- WNO returns to Swansea with Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro and the first in a new tour of Play Opera LIVE family performances
- National Opera Studio returns to Cardiff with annual showcase
- Dame Sarah Connolly concert ahead of role in Peter Grimes
- WNO Orchestra to perform New Year Celebration Concert tour and Opera Favourites at the Movies
The Marriage of Figaro
Director Max Hoehn returns to WNO to revive Tobias Richter’s colourful production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro which will open in Cardiff on 6 February and will be conducted by former WNO Associate Conductor, Kerem Hasan. The opening notes of the well-known overture set the musical scene for this classic opera full of love, laughter and mistaken identity. This production, which features designs by the late Ralph Koltai and costumes by Sue Blane, was created to be a feast for the eyes as well as the ears.
The production then tours to Swansea’s Grand Theatre, marking WNO’s return to the operatic stage in Swansea for the first time in a decade.
Austrian soprano, and winner of the 2014 Ferrier Award, Christina Gansch will make her WNO debut to sing Susanna, in what will also be a role debut for her. Christina represented Austria in the finals of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition in 2021. Soprano Chen Reiss also makes her WNO debut in the role of Countess Almaviva. Former WNO Associate Artist Harriet Eyley will return to the Company to sing Cherubino, Giorgio Caoduro returns to sing Count Almaviva, and Michael Mofidian will sing the title role, Figaro. Also joining the cast is Wyn Pencarreg as Doctor Bartolo, Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts as Don Basilio and Don Curzio and Monika Sawa as Marcellina.
There will be further performances in Cardiff, Southampton, Birmingham, Milton Keynes and Plymouth between April and June.
Play Opera LIVE opens in Swansea
WNO’s return to Swansea will also see the Grand Theatre hosting the opening performance of this year’s popular family show, Play Opera LIVE. Opening on St David’s Day (1 March), this is a fitting way for WNO to herald its stage return to the city of Swansea.
This interactive and educational family show is the perfect introduction to opera and classical music, and this time, the concerts will have a ‘magnificent music from stage and screen’ theme. Tom Redmond returns to present the show which will feature WNO Orchestra and for the first time, WNO Chorus.
As always, there will be free fun activities delving into the world of opera in the foyer before the performances with costumes, face painting and props on offer.
Following the performance in Swansea, further performances will take place in Cardiff, Southampton, and Plymouth between April and June.
New Year Celebration Tour
WNO Orchestra will ring in 2025 with another of their New Year Celebration concert tours. From Johann Strauss II Overture to Die Fledermaus to Brahms Hungarian Dance No 4, leader of WNO Orchestra and Concertmaster David Adams will lead a selection of waltzes, polkas and classical favourites. The Orchestra will be joined by two of WNO’s latest Associate Artists Erin Rossington and William Stevens.
The concert tour will open in Swansea’s Great Hall on 3 January before visiting Southampton (4 January), Brecon (5 January), Bangor (10 January), Newtown (11 January), Truro (12 January) and finishing up in Cardiff at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama’s Dora Stoutzker Hall for two performances on 17 January.
Dame Sarah Connolly and Tomáš Hanus with WNO Orchestra
In March, WNO Orchestra will be joined by Dame Sarah Connolly, for a concert conducted by WNO Music Director Tomáš Hanus. Mezzo soprano Sarah Connolly will join the Company ahead of her performances in Peter Grimes to sing Mahler’s Lieder Eines fahrenden gesellen (Songs of a Wayfarer). The concert also includes Schubert’s Symphony No 8 Unfinished, Sibelius’s Symphony No.7 and Mahler’s Adagietto from Symphony No 5.
Two performances of the concert will take place at RWCMD’s Dora Stoutzker Hall in Cardiff, on 15 and 16 March.
Opera Favourites
WNO Orchestra and Chorus will again take centre-stage with the return of WNO’s Opera Favouritesat the Movies concert. The concert features a programme of popular arias and songs that feature in films including Pretty Woman, The Shawshank Redemption, Philadelphia, Mrs Doubtfire and Quantum of Solace. Sopranos Meeta Raval and Haegee Lee return to WNO as well as baritone Phillip Rhodes alongside WNO Associate Artist Erin Rossington.
Opera Favourites at the Movies will be performed in Cardiff (7 February).
The Marriage of Figaro Cwta | In Short
Following a successful pilot during the 2023/2024 Season and as part of our ongoing Programmes and Engagement programme, Cwta | In Short will return with a condensed version of The Marriage of Figaro. Cwta | In Short offers an abridged version of classic operas, aimed at encouraging newcomers to the art form. Joining the cast are members of WNO Chorus, WNO’s Associate Artists, Sion Goronwy, Jack Holton and previous Associate Artist Emily Christina Loftus. Sarah Crisp will direct with Frederick Brown conducting.
The free performances will be offered for dates in April and May to school groups and music service groups in Cardiff, Southampton, Birmingham and Milton Keynes.
National Opera Studio
Continuing WNO’s long-standing partnership with National Opera Studio’s Young Artists programme, audiences will have the opportunity of seeing today’s new talent for the operas of tomorrow in the Studio’s annual showcase in Wales Millennium Centre’s Donald Gordon Theatre accompanied by WNO Orchestra on 2 February. Fresh from conducting Verdi’s Rigoletto in Llandudno and Plymouth during WNO’s Autumn Season, Teresa Riverio Böhm returns to conduct with Laura Attridge directing.
Max Hoehn, The Marriage of Figaro Director said: ‘Welsh National Opera’s touring version allows audiences to experience Mozart’s opera on a very human scale with playful period costumes by Sue Blane and spare abstract sets by the late Ralph Koltai that focus our attention on the relationships and personalities that drive the piece. I look forward immensely to directing this revival specifically for this brand new cast, featuring several exciting role debuts.’
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Welsh National Opera is the national opera company for Wales, funded by the Arts Councils of Wales and England to provide large-scale opera, concerts and outreach across Wales and to major cities in the English regions. We endeavour to provide transformative experiences through our education and outreach programme and our award-winning digital projects. We work with our partners to discover and nurture young operatic talent, and we aim to show future generations that opera is a rewarding, relevant and universal art form with the power to affect and inspire.
WNO production images are available for download at wno.org.uk/press
Further information on WNO’s productions can be found at wno.org.uk
- Leading production support from the Colwinston Charitable Trust
- The role of WNO Music Director Tomáš Hanus is supported by Marian and Gordon Pell
- 2024/2025 Productions are supported by Dunard Fund
- The Marriage of Figaro is a co-production with Grand Théâtre de Genève and is supported by WNO Partners
- Leader of WNO Orchestra is Supported by Mathew and Lucy Prichard
- WNO Orchestra is Supported by Mathew and Lucy Prichard
- WNO Orchestra Chairs are Supported by Principal Players Circle
- WNO is grateful for the generous support of the Shirley & Rolf Olsen Bursary, Sheila and Richards Brooks Bursary, Anthony Evans Scholarship, The Eira Francis Davies Bursary, Bateman Family Charitable Trust, Joseph Strong Frazer Trust, Stanley Picker Trust, and Chris Ball Bursary towards our WNO Associate Artist Scheme.
For more information, photos or interviews please contact:
Christina Blakeman, Press Manager
Rachel Bowyer, Head of Communications
