SKIPTON composer Ben Crick is to conduct a world premiere of a Yorkshire dialect version of one of the greatest known comic operas.
Rossini's Barber of Seville has been adapted by Yorkshire poet, playwright and broadcaster, Ian McMillan and will be performed at the inaugural Bradford Opera Festival at St George’s Hall on Thursday November 23.
Featuring the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra, founded by Ben Crick, who is also its artistic director; and Bradford Festival Choral Society, the production is directed by Alex Chisholm.
The accomplished cast will include international baritone Oscar Castellino; mezzo-soprano Felicity Buckland; Sam Kibble; Bradford bass baritone Julian Close and Ukrainian Soprano, Milana Sarukhanyan, who now lives in Bradford.
Rossini’s opera tells the story of Count Almaviva as he sets his sights on the beautiful Rosina and enlists Figaro – barber, fixer, and all-round man of action – to help woo her. And this will be no easy feat: Rosina’s guardian Doctor Bartolo keeps her under lock and key with the intention of marrying her himself.
Ian McMillan said: “I am really excited to be adapting The Barber of Seville into Yorkshire dialect because it is an opera that was just made for the poetic tones of The Sublime Tyke Talk."
In 2017 Ben Crick and Alex Chisholm worked together to bring Ice Cream: The Opera by Ian McMillan and Russel Sarre to the Bradford Festival. From there grew the idea to have a homegrown Opera Festival – featuring classic operas remade for Bradford and brand-new work made by Bradford artists.
The Barber of Seville is a co-production between Bradford Opera Festival, Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra and Bradford Festival Choral Society.
On Friday, December 1 at Skipton Town Hall, Ben Crick will direct Handel's ever-popular masterpiece Messiah.
The concert will feature Skipton Camerata Orchestra, conducted by Ben; and the Clothworkers Consort of Leeds, with Bryan White as chorus master, and soloists, Jennifer Clark, soprano; Katie Sharpe, mezzo soprano; Michael Jones, tenor, and Whitaker Mills, baritone.
Messiah is both a classical masterpiece and a national institution. Highly regarded for its musical and emotional expressiveness, its popularity owes much to its ability to appeal to a wide range of listeners.
Messiah will be at 7pm at Skipton Town Hall on December 1. Tickets at https://skiptontownhall.co.uk or from the town hall box office.
Tickets for the Barber of Seville, at 7.30pm on November 23, are available from the Bradford Theatre Box Office on 01302 432000 or online https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/VqA_C71xxiAjv5X2t8RwMH/
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