WELSH NATIONAL OPERA: SPRING SEASON – TRAGEDIES OF THE 18TH CENTURY | STAGE PREVIEW
For the coming spring season, the Welsh National Opera (WNO) are transforming the stages of the Wales Millennium Centre into a beautiful reflection of 18th century Italy and Spain, afterwards doing the same across the UK until April. These three new productions all revolve around the age-old themes of love, vengeance and tragedy.
David Poutney’s rendition of Verdi’s epic opera La Forza Del Destino will be the first to return, running across the entirety of the new season. The production provides a symphony of recognisable melodies and fantastic opportunities for performers to showcase their outstanding abilities. Set in Seville, we follow the journey of Leonora and South American nobleman Don Alvaro’s plan to elope, against the wishes of her father. When Leonora’s father is unexpectedly killed by a stray bullet, the lovers spiral downwards, ultimately leading to the dénouement of one of Verdi’s most jaw-dropping operas.
Puccini’s Tosca will be joining the stage on Fri 9 Feb, with the revival of a tantalising love triangle between the beautiful Floria Tosca, her lover Marlo Cavaradossi and the disgusting Chief of Police, Scarpia, whose scheming leads the narrative to a shocking and unexpected twist. Tosca is one of the most beloved operas in the world, drawing inspiration from the spectacular surroundings of Rome during the Napoleonic invasion, with a captivating portrayal of Floria Tosca, alternatively played by Claire Rutter and Mary Elizabeth Williams.
The last addition to the season is Mozart’s Don Giovanni, set in Spain’s Golden Age. Here the subject matter is the legend of Don Juan’s seductive ways, filtered through the story of Don Giovanni, played by Gavan Ring. The opera follows his womanising and cruelty towards those around him, eventually ending in his death as a punishment for all his wrong-doings. One of the highlights of this comically tragic tale of Giovanni’s demise is the Catalogue aria, which consists of a list of all 2065 of his lovers, a piece typical of Mozart’s showboating. It will only place twice at the WMC, om Thurs 22 and Sat 24 Feb, whilst the others will receive at least three showings, but this year’s season certainly look to be swooningly classic. YASMIN AKTAR/GEORGE CAULTON
Wales Millennium Center, Cardiff, Fri 2 – Sat 24 Feb. Tickets: £10-£48 Info: 029 2063 6464 https://www.wmc.org.uk