Looking to try something different? Perfect for escapism or a great night out with friends, opera is a definite must for every bucket list – particularly when brand-new bookers can get some of the best tickets in the theatre for just £20.
We know opera’s awesome, but if you still need convincing, here’s our top five reasons why we believe it’s for everyone …
If you love music, theatre, drama, storytelling, art or even fashion, you’re in the right place! Opera brings all these art-forms together on one stage with amazing costumes, iconic tunes which you’ll recognise from films and adverts, dramatic storylines to take you on an emotional rollercoaster, and captivating characters you’ll be rooting for – or against – from their very first note.
This season, drama is very much the order of the day with the fantastical tale told by Mozart in The Magic Flute followed by the composer Benjamin Britten’s reimagining of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Gilbert & Sullivan’s ghost story extraordinaire Ruddigore.
Jeni Bern as Tytania and Henry Waddington as Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, 2013 © Tristram Kenton
You’re in for a visual treat with the variety of costumes – and wigs! – you’ll spot during a single performance.
The Costume department at Opera North is tasked with bringing the Costume Designer’s vision to life, while also ensuring that everything looks great on the wearer and will survive the rigours of a hectic performance schedule, including tour dates! Once the singers are in costume, the make-up team get to work before the action is played out on a specially designed and imaginatively lit set. Wherever you look, there’s always something to catch the eye.
Helen Évora, Lorna James and, Amy J. Payne as Three Ladies and Kang Wang as Tamino in The Magic Flute, 2019 © Alastair Muir
One of the most astonishing things about opera is the staggering power of the singers’ voices. Even more unbelievable is the fact they produce the volume they do without the help of a single microphone! Even when the auditorium is full and you’re sitting right at the back, we guarantee you’ll get the shivers as a soprano hits the high notes – and just wait until you hear the massed voices of the Chorus of Opera North!
It’s not just about the singing though. You also get to enjoy the sound of the Orchestra of Opera North playing live in the pit which is an incredible experience in itself. If you fall in love with their playing, the good news is that they deliver a world-class programme of concerts away from the opera stage each year.
Samantha Hay as Queen of the Night with Amy J. Payne, Lorna James and Helen Évora as the Three Ladies © Alastair Muir
Whether you’re watching an opera in Leeds or at one of our tour venues, the performance will have English subtitles displayed on digital screens on either side of the stage. These ensure that, even if the singers are performing in a different language, you’ll always know what’s going on. Even better, we show enough of what’s being sung to keep you abreast of the action, but not so much that you have to stay glued to the screen and miss what’s happening on stage.
To ensure as many people as possible can enjoy the opera, we also offer accessible options. These include audio-described performances with backstage touch tours beforehand. Audio introductions are created for every production with large print also available.
Daniel Abelson as Puck with children's chorus in A Midsummer Night's Dream, 2013 © Tristram Kenton
A night at the opera is far more affordable than you might imagine. In fact, if you’ve never experienced opera before, you can take advantage of Try it ON and treat yourself to a pair of great seats for £20 each, complete with extra goodies on the night.
If you’re under 30 or a full-time student, you can bag yourself a ticket for £10 (or completely free of charge for Leeds opera-goers aged 16-20) – and tickets for everyone else start at just £16 in Leeds, depending on where you’d like to sit. Early booking definitely pays off though, as the cheaper options tend to get snapped up within days of going on sale!
Tickets for our 2024-25 season are available now with the choice of Mozart’s fantastical adventure The Magic Flute, Britten’s retelling of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Gilbert & Sullivan’s riotous Ruddigore.
They will be followed by a rare opportunity to catch Kurt Weill’s Love Life and a new production of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman as well as The Magic Flute Lite for families, schools or anyone who would like to dip their toe into Mozart’s magical world without watching the full opera.
