OPERA NORTH PRESENTS MOZART’S THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO & BRITTEN’S PETER GRIMES

Whether people prefer a country house comedy or a tense coastal tragedy, Opera North’s upcoming shows at Lowry, Salford fit the bill. 

With a new production of Mozart’s much-loved The Marriage of Figaro and the return of the company’s award-winning production of Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes, these are storylines which explore the human condition in all its guises, with incredible scores from two of classical music’s best-known composers. 

At the opening performance on Thursday 12 March, audiences are invited to attend Figaro and Susanna’s wedding celebrations in The Marriage of Figaro in the Lyric Theatre. 

While all the lovestruck couple want to do is get hitched, there are several obstacles to overcome before they say ‘I do’, not least the fact that Count Almaviva (James Newby) has his eye on the bride-to-be - and there will be big repercussions if the groom cannot pay off a loan in full. 

Directed by Louisa Muller with design by Madeleine Boyd, this new production sets all the action in a modern country pile. Valentina Peleggi conducts Mozart’s memorable score, while the cast includes Lancashire-born Claire Lees as Susanna, Liam James Karai as Figaro and Hongni Wu as Cherubino. This is the first time Opera North has performed the opera in its original Italian; English subtitles will be displayed on either side of the stage throughout.

As part of their ‘Reimagining the Classics’ initiative, award-winning Streetwise Opera has partnered with Opera North to enable groups who have experienced homelessness in Manchester to reinterpret The Marriage of Figaro in a way that feels meaningful to them. 

On the afternoon of Saturday 14 March, they will be bringing their short, rewritten version of the composer’s comic masterpiece to the Lyric stage with special guest artists and the Orchestra of Opera North. 

Featuring three short stories about love, loyalty and lies, the lighthearted piece includes new commissions by Ellen Sargen and Nicholas Lewis and is directed by Katherine Wilde.  Ahead of the performance, Streetwise Opera will run a short, practical workshop, ‘How to Create an Opera’, while students from the Royal Northern College of Music will entertain people with pop-up performances in the foyer spaces before and after the event.

For younger members of the family, Little Listeners: Orchestra Unpacked takes place at 3pm on the same day in Lowry’s Compass Room. The Orchestra of Opera North is looking for mini detectives to join them on a tuneful treasure hunt, collecting a host of hidden music gems in time for a suitably grand finale. In this relaxed 45-minute concert, singing and movement are actively encouraged, making it the perfect introduction to orchestral music for all ages from 12 months upwards.

The mood takes an altogether darker turn on Friday 13 March when Benjamin Britten’s heart-wrenching Peter Grimes makes a welcome return. Fisherman Peter Grimes is a complex character. Both vulnerable and violent, he becomes increasingly isolated when he is ostracised following the death of two of his apprentices. Faced with the implacable judgement of the community, haunted by guilt and increasingly unstable, Grimes’ fate hangs precariously in the balance. 

Originally directed by Phyllida Lloyd and winner of the 2007 South Bank Show Opera Award, this revival is directed by Karolina Sofulak and Tim Claydon with Opera North Music Director Garry Walker conducting. The stellar British cast includes John Findon in the title role with Philippa Boyle as Ellen Orford and Simon Bailey as Captain Balstrode. Hilary Summers makes her role debut as Auntie. 

Isla Mundell-Perkins, Opera North’s Director of Artistic Administration, comments: “With 2026 marking 50 years since his death, it felt like the perfect time to bring back this absorbing production of what is generally considered to be Benjamin Britten’s greatest work. With the composer’s rich, emotional music underpinning the hard-hitting drama, it is everything an opera should be: relevant, soul-searching and deeply moving.”

Tickets for both operas start at just £24 each, with £10 options for Under 30s. The Saturday performance of The Marriage of Figaro will be audio described by Alice Gilmour.