FALLEN Women is the theme for Welsh National Opera’s Spring Season of productions, brought to the stage at the Mayflower next week. The trio of operas follow the stories of three women whose different paths in life lead them astray.
With the subjects of human trafficking, exploitation and a world of glamour and capitalism, the operas cover subjects as modern and relevant today as when the operas were written.
But 19th century Society dictated that while you could watch a woman misbehaving and enjoy their misdemeanours, it was under the strict condition that they had to be seen to be punished in the end by meeting their fate.
WNO present a classic revival of Verdi’s tearjerker La Traviata, pictured. An attack on hypocrisy, it also celebrates compassion, love and self sacrifice.
Puccini’s breakthrough hit and first great opera, Manon Lescaut tells the tale of an impressionable young woman who wanted it all and Puccini charts her rapid descent from innocent to criminal with feverish intensity.
It runs alongside another new production of Boulevard Solitude by Hans Werner Henze, the composer’s 1950’s updating of the Manon Lescaut story in a musical cocktail of jazz, 19th century opera and 20th century styles.
The season runs from Tuesday to Saturday as part of the company’s UK tour.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here