WNO Autumn Season
Welsh National Opera open their 2019 autumn season with one of the most iconic operas of all time, Georges Bizet’s Carmen. Written in 1875, Carmen tells the story of Don José (Dimitri Pittas), a young soldier who is led astray by femme fatale Carmen (Virginie Verrez). Despite José sacrificing everything for Carmen, he eventually loses her to bullfighter Escamillo (Phillip Rhodes).
Directed by award-winning Jo Davies, and conducted by WNO’s musical director Tomáš Hanus, this version of Carmen is set in 1970s America. It promises to delve into Carmen’s desires and political position. Coupled with the famous melodies of the Habanera and Toreador Song, this production plans to be as irresistible as Carmen herself.
Next up is Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto. Based on the play Le Roi S’Amuse by Victor Hugo, it’s a tragic tale of failed revenge and the unbreakable love between a father and daughter. With Grammy winner Mark S Doss in the title role, this WNO adaptation hopes to bring fresh life to the historic story.
Last, but certainly not least, is The Cunning Little Vixen, written by Czech composer Leoš Janáček. Vixen merges the creative minds of Hanus and WNO’s former creative director Sir David Pountney, and has been part of the WNO repertoire since the early 80s. Telling the story of a young vixen who escapes from her capture at the hands of a forester, the opera has a playful nature. This, alongside its bright and colourful set, means that it has an all ages appeal.
But with Vixen, there’s a twist this time: the WNO are also launching an Augmented Reality (AR) experience, developed to accompany the performance. A Vixen’s Tale will be free and open to all, depicting the story through AR, music, and illustration. This kind of technology is the natural follow-on to the WNO’s recent digital work in other performances.
If you want to know more about the upcoming autumn season at the WNO, then be sure to attend Opera Insight on Sun 8 Sept. The event sees Hanus and Davies joined by the Carmen creative team and cast, sharing behind the scenes information on the creative process.
words Seren McKeever
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Sat 21 Sept-Sat 12 Oct. Tickets: from £14. Info: 029 2063 5000 / www.wno.org.uk
