A joyous, green Falstaff opens Opera North's season

Henry Waddington (Falstaff)

Richard Burkhard (Ford) and Henry Waddington (Falstaff)

Kate Royal (Alice), Louise Winter (Quickly), Helen Évora (Meg) and Isabelle Peters (Nannetta)

Kate Royal (Alice) and Henry Waddington (Falstaff)

Richard Burkhard (Ford), Henry Waddington (Falstaff), Kate Royal (Alice) and ensemble

By Richard Wilcocks, 29 September 2023

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“much more than a clownish self-deluded fat man, bringing subtlety and depth to the character”

Reviewed at Leeds Grand Theatre, Leeds on 28 September 2023

Verdi, Falstaff

Opera North

Garry Walker, Conductor

Olivia Fuchs, Director

Leslie Travers, Set Designer

Gabrielle Dalton, Costume Designer

Paule Constable, Lighting Designer

Orchestra of Opera North

Henry Waddington, Sir John Falstaff

Richard Burkhard, Ford

Kate Royal, Alice Ford

Isabelle Peters, Nannetta

Egor Zhuravskii, Fenton

Louise Winter, Mistress Quickly

Helen Évora, Meg Page

Colin Judson, Bardolfo (Bardolph)

Dean Robinson, Pistola (Pistol)

Paul Nilon, Dr Caius

John Findon triumphs in the return of Opera North’s Peter Grimes

Richard Wilcocks, 13th February

Benjamin Britten’s dark masterpiece Peter Grimes returns triumphantly to Opera North, conducted by Gary Walker and revived by Karolina Sofulak and Tim Claydon.

*****

Opera North’s Susanna: how a woman stood up to her abusers

Richard Wilcocks, 4th October

Handel's oratorio is staged by Olivia Fuchs and conducted by Johanna Soller in Opera North's latest successful collaboration with Phoenix Dance Theatre.

****1

To be or not to be: Hamlet returns to the Buxton Festival

Mark Pullinger, 16th July

After 45 years, Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet returns to Buxton in a gripping, psychological staging by Jack Furness.

****1

Opera North’s “fleeing” Dutchman links to plight of asylum seekers

Richard Wilcocks, 1st February

Opera North’s The Flying Dutchman, directed by Annabel Arden, conjures up frightening storms and links the production to the plight of asylum seekers.

****1

Opera North’s gleeful Magic Flute revived

Richard Wilcocks, 27th September

Conducted by Christoph Konz and directed by James Brining, Opera North’s revival of The Magic Flute remains an inventive reinterpretation of Mozart’s classic opera.

****1

Richard Wilcocks, 15th February

Opera North's revives its Cavalleria rusticana production by Karolina Sofulak, pairing it this time with Rachmaninov's early opera Aleko.

****1

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Richard Wilcocks

Richard Wilcocks has worked as a journalist, as a teacher and for the British Council. He sings bass with Leeds Festival Chorus.