New livestreams announced

Opera North today announces dates for livestreams of two major productions which have been disrupted by the second lockdown. Despite the latest setback, we are determined to keep making and sharing music with and for our audiences.

We can still perform behind closed doors under current government guidelines and we are excited to announce that we are now able to livestream Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins on Saturday 21 November, and Beethoven’s Fidelio on Saturday 12 December, meaning these fantastic productions can still be enjoyed from the comfort of your home. Both productions will be available to watch live and then on demand on Opera North’s website for a limited period.

A filmed version of Whistle Stop Opera: Cinderella is also due to be released online for free in December, offering the perfect lockdown alternative to family pantomime trips this year.

We have also made the difficult decision to postpone the tour of Parsifal in Spring 2021, due to the scale of musical forces needed for this event, which will not be possible under social distancing guidelines for performers. The tour of Parsifal will be replaced by a specially conceived event drawing on elements of Wagner’s Ring, conducted by Richard Farnes using Jonathan Dove’s orchestrations for a smaller orchestra.

If you are a ticket booker for a rescheduled or cancelled event you will be contacted by the box office holding your booking, giving you available options, including a full refund. Bookers of The Seven Deadly Sins and Fidelio will receive free access to the corresponding live streams.

Livestream: Fidelio

Sat 12 Dec, 7.00pm GMT
Available on demand for 7 days
Tickets: £15

Book now

This dramatic concert performance of Beethoven’s only opera will be streamed live from Leeds Town Hall conducted by Mark Wigglesworth with a cast including Rachel Nicholls, Toby Spence, Robert Hayward and Brindley Sherratt.

Fidelio was due to open at Leeds Town Hall on 29 November for four performances, all of which will now be cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions, and bookers for the live events refunded. All bookers will also receive free access to the livestream.

Postponed: Parsifal

Spring 2021

The planned tour of Wagner’s Parsifal, scheduled for May/June 2021, has been postponed until this scale of performance becomes feasible. Instead, there will be an evening of music drawing on elements from Wagner’s Ring, conducted by Richard Farnes and using Jonathan Dove’s orchestrations, which will be a companion piece to Opera North’s complete 2016 Ring cycle.

Existing ticket bookers for Parsifal will be contacted by each venue’s box office with options for a credit, to make a donation, or to receive a full refund.

Richard Mantle, General Director, Opera North:

“Throughout 2020, we have stayed true to our purpose of creating extraordinary experiences with music and opera in communities across the North and beyond. The return to lockdown is a significant setback, but our determination to make music is undiminished and we refuse to fall silent.

“We had planned to return to fully staged productions in November and December in Leeds and on tour, and our productions of The Seven Deadly Sins and Fidelio promise to be extraordinary musical and theatrical experiences. We are determined they will be shared and we are delighted to be able to stream them, sharing the thrill of live musical performance, not least during this lockdown when audiences are once more deprived of live events in person.

“As we head into 2021, it is clear that the landscape in which we operate is still shifting and that planning events with certainty is not yet possible. As the route to the easing of lockdown restrictions becomes clearer, we intend to announce a return to live performance at Leeds Grand Theatre and on tour in early 2021. We will continue to innovate and to work with creativity, generosity and determination to make music for everyone.”