Opera North’s latest family show The Big Opera Adventure hits the stage this month, encouraging all age groups to discover opera.
The show opens at Huddersfield Town Hall (in a concert staging) on October 20 at 3.30pm, followed by a performance at Leeds Grand Theatre on October 29 (3pm) and at The Lowry in Salford on November 16 (11am).
The interactive. 50-minute production transports audience to a theatre in which the curtain has just come down on the last show before the doors close for good. It may be time for the caretaker to lock up the building, but a host of fairytale and operatic characters are not prepared to see it go without putting up a fight!
Everyone in the audience is invited to join in their mission to save it from closure, by solving clues and unravelling riddles while learning some memorable tunes along the way.
Performing are actor Luke Broughton, opera singers Msimelelo Mbali (currently Sarastro in The Magic Flute), Julia Mariko, and Dominic Bevan, with the Orchestra of Opera North.
Written and directed by Jonathan Ainscough, the show is billed as the perfect opportunity to experience opera for the first time in a fun way. Every performance will be BSL sign-interpreted and the shows at Leeds and The Lowry will be subtitled.
Jacqui Cameron, Opera North’s learning & engagement director, said: “These performances are primarily aimed at 5 to 12-year-olds, but can be enjoyed by anyone who has never tried opera before.
“We aim to engage people regardless of age with music and live performance, enabling them to experience at first hand the joy it can bring. Opera is basically a story told through song; children respond really well.”
In addition to The Big Opera Adventure, the Leeds-based company is making it easier for people to experience a full-length opera over the coming months with 6pm start times for some performances, more matinees and English subtitles, as well as sign-interpretation, audio description and touch tours on selected dates. New-to-opera ticket schemes are available at all tour venues (which include Newcastle Theatre Royal and Nottingham Theatre Royal), with the Try it ON scheme, offering £20 tickets for first-timers, £10 tickets for under-30s and students, and free tickets for 16 to 20-year-olds.
Tickets for The Big Opera Adventure are available now from operanorth.co.uk.
More info and tickets here