Opera North: La Fanciulla del West

By Richard Wilcocks, 23 January 2014

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Reviewed at Leeds Grand Theatre, Leeds on 21 January 2014

Puccini, La fanciulla del West

Opera North

Richard Farnes, Conductor

Aletta Collins, Director

Giles Cadle, Set Designer

Alwyn Mellor, Minnie

Kathryn Walker, Wowkle

Rafael Rojas, Dick Johnson

Bonaventura Bottone, Nick

Robert Hayward, Jack Rance

Eddie Wade, Sonora

Graeme Danby, Ashby

Callum Thorpe, Billy Jackrabbit

Gavan Ring, Jake Wallace

Dean Robinson, José Castro

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.

Opera North brings new life to Puccini's western