Welsh National Opera Orchestra Announce Crossing Borders Concert Tour of Wales and England, conducted by WNO Music Director, Tomáš Hanus

WNO Orchestra will embark on a musical journey through some of Central Europe’s finest masterpieces, for their summer concert tour ‘Crossing Borders’ presented by WNO Music Director Tomáš Hanus.

The tour opens on Thursday 4 July at Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon and will visit venues across Wales and England, including Turners Sims, Southampton (9 July), Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff (11 July), Pontio, Bangor (12 July), The Hafren, Newtown (13 July) and Aberystwyth Arts Centre (21 July).

Opening the concert is the spirited Overture from Smetana's The Bartered Bride, marking the composer’s 200^th anniversary. Then, audiences in Brecon, Southampton and Aberystwyth will be treated to Beethoven’s highly celebrated Violin Concerto, with soloist WNO Leader David Adams. Meanwhile, audiences in Bangor, Cardiff and Newtown will hear Mozart’s lyrical Clarinet Concerto in A Major; Mozart’s last completed instrumental composition, with soloist Thomas Verity.

Thomas Verity says: ‘We’re so lucky as clarinetists to have one of Mozart’s late masterpieces in our core repertoire. I’m really looking forward to playing the Concerto across Wales with my wonderful WNO colleagues. I find the slow second movement particularly beautiful, where it’s as if Mozart writes an opera aria for the clarinet!’

Rounding off the programme is Schumann’s fantastical and inspiring Symphony No 4, infused with the famous ‘Clara Theme’, in dedication to his wife.

WNO Music Director Tomáš Hanus said ‘I am delighted to be touring Wales and England with WNO Crossing Borders this summer, visiting some new venues in these beautiful countries. It is a joy to be able to present Smetana’s Bartered Bride Overture in the year marking the 200^th anniversary of Smetana’s birth, bringing music from my country (Czechia) to the UK. It is also a fantastic opportunity to showcase the exceptional musicians of WNO Orchestra, joined by WNO Orchestra’s Leader David Adams and Section Principal Clarinet Thomas Verity, in two mammoth concertos of the classical repertoire, Beethoven’s mighty Violin Concerto and Mozart’s much loved Clarinet Concerto. We complete this programme with the fiery, yet lesser known, 4^th Symphony of Schumann, a perfect display of the musicianship of this fantastic ensemble.’

Tickets for the concert can be booked from each venue for more information visit wno.org.uk/orchestra

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 operative 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

• The Orchestra and the Chair of the Leader of the Orchestra are supported by Mathew and Lucy Prichard 
• Principal Chairs in WNO Orchestra members are sponsored by WNO’s Principal Players Circle 
• Tomáš Hanus role as WNO Music Director is generously supported by Marian and Gordon Pell

For more information, photos or interviews please contact:

Sophie Revell, Press and Communications Assistant 

Sophie.revell@wno.org.uk

Christina Blakeman, Press Manager 

Christina.blakeman@wno.org.uk

Rhys Edwards, Communications Manager  Rhys.edwards@wno.org.uk 

Penny James and Rachel Bowyer, Head of Communications (job-share) 

Penny.james@wno.org.uk / Rachel.bowyer@wno.org.uk

Crossing Borders Tour Dates