Welsh National Opera Autumn Tour
Date: 30 Oct - 3 Nov 2007 (annual)
Theme: Opera
Rating: 2 Stars
Renowned for one of the most convoluted plots in operatic history (which need not detain us here), Verdi's Il trovatore boasts such fine individual numbers as the Anvil Chorus, the Soldiers Chorus and the ensemble Miserere, with music that raises the passions like few others. Michal Klauza conducts this revival of Peter Watson's Scottish Opera production, here starring Luis Rodriquez (Tuesday performance) and Dennis O'Neill (Friday), Katia Pellegrino, David Soar and Anne-Marie Owens (30 October & 2 November).
The Sacrifice, inspired by the ancient tales in the early Welsh collection The Mabinogion and with a libretto by poet Michael Symmons Roberts, is directed by Katie Mitchell and stars WNO regulars Christopher Purves, Lisa Milne, Sarah Tynan, Peter Hoare and Leigh Melrose. It is a timeless tale of a ruler's ultimate sacrifice to ensure the safety of his country, however faction-ridden and war-torn. This is MacMillan's second full-length opera - following Inés de Castro composed in the early 1990s - and just like that opera, the composer conducts (31 October).
La Cenerentola is given in a new production by Barcelona-based company Comediants, directed by Joan Font and here conducted by Gareth Jones. Most of the traditional aspects of the pantomime version are intact in Rossini's version of the fairy tale - although the fairy godmother is replaced by bass Alidoro as the mastermind of Angeline's (Rossini's Cinders) transformation. Marianna Pizzolato makes her UK debut in the title role, with Colin Lee, Roberto de Candia, Robert Poulton, Andrew Foster-Williams and Julianne Young (1 & 3 November).
Welsh National Opera, based in Cardiff, was founded in 1944. It is the only company to have won the Royal Philharmonic Society Opera award three years running (1998-2000) and in 2004 - its Diamond Jubilee year - it moved to its new home, the Wales Millennium Centre.
Event Details
- First Date: 30 October 2007 - 3 November 2007 TBC
- Opening Hour(s): 7.15pm
- Town: Llandudno
Venue Details
- Venue: Venue Cymru
- Address: Promenade, LL30 1BB
- Tel: +44 (0) 29 2063 5000
- Directions: Lladudno is very small - it is hard to miss the Promenade! The mainline rail station is three miles from the centre, although there is a branch line to the city centre, which is a few minutes' walk from the theatre.
For those driving there is free parking for North Wales Theatre patrons at the rear of the building (for non-theate patrons there is a pay and display scheme).