The Orchestra of Opera North is the only British orchestra to have a year-round dual role performing in both opera houses and concert halls. Founded in 1978 by David Lloyd-Jones as the English Northern Philharmonia, the orchestra changed its name to The Orchestra of Opera North in 1981 and their official ties with English National Opera ceased to exist.
The orchestra performs with international guest conductors and soloists as part of the Leeds International Concert Season, University of Leeds International Concert Series, and Kirklees Concert Season. It also collaborates with local choral societies and is the resident orchestra for the Leeds Conductors Competition.
The orchestra received a Gramophone Award for its recording of Walton’s opera Troilus and Cressida and has earned recognition for its series of the composer’s orchestral music conducted by Paul Daniel and for its complete Beethoven piano concertos with pianist Howard Shelley, as well as for its recording of Elgar’s cantata Caractacus with Huddersfield Choral Society and conductor Martyn Brabbins.
The Orchestra of Opera North has been at the heart of Opera North’s celebrated concert stagings of Wagner’s Ring cycle (2016), which won two Royal Philharmonic Society award and a South Bank Sky Arts Award, Puccini’s Turandot (2017), Richard Strauss’ Salome (2018) and Verdi’s Aida (2019).
For more information, visit www.operanorth.co.uk.
Photo: Richard Moran
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