| Rimski-Korsakov, Nikolaï (1844-1908) | Le Coq d'or (Sung in English) |
| English Touring Opera | ||
| Gerry Cornelius | Direction | |
| James Conway | Mise en scène | |
| Neil Irish | Décors, Costumes | |
| Rory Beaton | Lumières | |
| English Touring Opera Orchestra | ||
| English Touring Opera Chorus | ||
| Grant Doyle | Baryton | Tsar Dodon |
| Paula Sides | Soprano | Queen of Shemakha |
| Robert Lewis | Ténor | Astrologer |
| Thomas Elwin | Ténor | Prince Guidon |
| Jerome Knox | Baryton | Prince Afron |
| Edward Hawkins | Basse | General Polkan |
| Amy J Payne | Soprano | Amelfa |
| Alys Mererid Roberts | Soprano | Golden Cockerel |
English Touring Opera returns to Hackney Empire with a poetic production of the most popular of operas, and a lively new production of a comic Russian fantasy by Rimsky-Korsakov.
The Golden Cockerel was the final – and favourite – opera of Rimsky-Korsakov, the brilliant Russian whose exotic orchestration has made similar works such as Scheherezade so popular. A daring satire on the last days of the Romanov empire, and in particular the debacle of the Russo-Japanese War, it is as explosive as it is charming. Led by new ETO Music Director Gerry Cornelius and ETO Director James Conway, with Grant Doyle (most recently ETO’s Macbeth) in the role of the sleepy Emperor Dodon, this should be an evening of fantasy, mischief, and enough musical delight to ice a lemon cake!