THREE productions inspired by William Shakespeare make up Welsh National Opera’s Autumn season, which will comprise of a British premiere and two new productions.
The season is part of the official Shakespeare 400 celebrations to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the great bard’s death and will visit Mayflower Theatre in November.
The Shakespeare 400 season will include the British premiere of André Tchaikowsky’s The Merchant of Venice alongside new productions of Verdi’s Macbeth and Cole Porter’s classic musical Kiss Me, Kate.
Composed by André Tchaikowsky, a Polish-Jewish composer and pianist who died very shortly after creating this opera, The Merchant of Venice is a powerful and serious attack on prejudice with themes closely felt by Tchaikowsky himself who was smuggled out of the Warsaw ghetto with false identity papers and survived the Holocaust in hiding with his grandmother.
Macbeth in a co-production with Northern Ireland Opera (NIO) is a new production that places Verdi’s classic opera in a contemporary setting, allowing for a new exploration of the tale of state violence, corruption and superstition.
The season is completed with Cole Porter’s classic musical Kiss Me, Kate in a co-production with Opera North which sits perfectly within the operatic repertoire and pays homage to Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Jam-packed with hit tunes including Too Darn Hot, Another Op’nin’ Another Show, and Brush Up Your Shakespeare, this new production will feature operatic and West End singers alongside the renowned WNO Chorus and Orchestra.
WNO Artistic Director David Pountney said: “For our autumn season we join in the nationwide celebration of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. Music is everywhere in Shakespeare, from the fools and clowns whose songs pepper his works, to the sublime musicality of his use of language. It is hardly surprising that he has inspired so much music, and in this wonderfully diverse season you can enjoy him as tragedian, psychologist and witty entertainer.”
WNO's Shakespeare Season will run from November 1 to 5 with Merchant of Venice (November 1), followed by Macbeth (November ") and Kiss Me, Kate (November 3 to 5).
Tickets: 023 8071 1811 or mayflower.org.uk
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