If you’ve always fancied going to see an opera but you don’t know what, read on...
Welsh National Opera are bringing three great productions to Milton Keynes Theatre later this week and we’ve put together an easy, step-by-step guide that will help you decide which one might be the right choice for you.
Let’s take two hugely popular TV programmes as our starting point. Dr. Who and The Bodyguard.
So, say you’re a fan of Dr. Who. What’s the draw? Is it the fantasy element? If so, then Mozart’s The Magic Flute (Thursday, March 28 & Saturday, March 30) will transport you into a dream world. The music, which includes the magnificent Queen of the Night aria, is some of the most sublime ever written.
If it’s the excitement of travelling to different worlds and seeing history in the making, then opt for Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera (Wednesday, March 27), based on the true story of King Gustav lll of Sweden, in which power, passion and politics collide.
But if it’s a sideways look at the history of our own royal family that intrigues you then Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux – with weird and wacky designs inspired by Vivienne Westwood - is the way to go.
OK, you prefer the gripping storyline and the secret passions that rise to the surface of The Bodyguard. But do you like something new? That’ll be the Verdi for you then. Just like the shocking events in The Bodyguard, the lives of the characters in Un Ballo in Maschera (Friday, March 29) are rocked to the core when an assassination takes place on, of all places, the dancefloor.
If, like The Bodyguard, you know what you like and if there’s one thing you do know about your taste in music and that is that you like to hum along with a good tune, then The Magic Flute is a no-brainer for you. It has some of the most recognisable and beautiful music ever written by Mozart - and he knew a thing or two about composition.
Roberto Devereux gives The Bodyguard a good run for its money when it comes to the spine-tingling thriller aspect. Time is running out for Devereux, Elizabeth l’s former lover, accused of treason and the victim of revenge, as the clock ticks ever faster towards his execution… Oooh-er!
Hopefully, that has made things a little clearer. But to be frank, there is truly something for everyone in this year’s programme from Welsh National Opera!
Go get those tickets - book here
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