Welcome to York Opera

York Opera is York’s leading amateur opera company. Each year we produce a number of operas, operettas and concerts, including some for charity. Our singers are from all over Yorkshire, and are occasionally even recruited internationally!

Our Current Production

From April to June this year York Opera is presenting a series of concerts in various venues in and around York, Ryedale and Scarborough. They start off on Sunday 22^nd April at the Riley-Smith Hall in Tadcaster, (Tickets from Wendy Binns 01937 830418) followed by the 28^th April at Scarborough College.(01723 360620). The May concerts will be on Thursday the 10^th at Helmsley Arts Centre (01439 771700) and on Friday the 18^th at The National centre for Early Music Walmgate, York. On Saturday 9^th June the concert will be at The Kirk Theatre Pickering (Tickets from Television House Pickering YO18 7AE 01751 472847)

The Company has been rehearsing a selection of well-known opera choruses and over 20 of the group’s soloists from various parts of Yorkshire and Humberside will be taking part in some or all of the concerts. These include Sopranos Sharon Nicholson Skeggs, Heather Watts and Hilary Dyson; Mezzos Becky Smith, Cathy Atkin and Rosy Jamieson; Tenors Karl Reiff and Hamish Brown; and Basses/Baritones Ian Thompson-Smith, Clive Goodhead and Steve Griffiths.

Musical Director for all the concerts is Alasdair Jamieson and piano accompaniment will be by Tim Tozer and Kenneth Briggs.

The Programme, which will vary from venue to venue will include items from Gilbert and Sullivan operas which have been performed by York Opera,arias and ensembles from Mozart operas and solos, ensembles and choruses from operas by Verdi, Puccini, Wagner and Bizet.

All concerts will start at 7.30 pm, prices either £10 or £12 depending on the venue. As well as the above phone numbers, tickets and details for all the venues will be available from Richard Shouksmith 01904 490303.

For more information about the programme and performers please go to the concert webpage.

Iolanthe

In November 2012 it's back to the Theatre Royal in York for a production of Iolanthe - Gilbert and Sullivan's satire of politics and law. It will run from Wednesday 7^th November to Saturday 10^th November. In addition to our normal evening performances, we will also be performing a matinee on the Saturday.

Auditions will be Tuesday and Thursday, 12th and 14th June - further information here.

'Tis the Season to be Carol Singing!

In addition to singing in the Designer Outlet, we also led the singing in the York Community Carol Concert at the Barbican on 18th December 2011. See York Press for further details.

Past Productions

In October 2012 York Opera performed Otto Nicolai's The Merry Wives of Windsor in the Theatre Royal.

Take a look at some of our past rehearsal photos.

We are pleased to announce that Sir Thomas Allen has agreed to be the patron of York Opera. You can read all about this distinguished singer here.

We sing for pleasure – of ourselves and our audiences – and to critical acclaim. Recent reviews have commented on both the quality of the performances and the enjoyment given to our audiences (see our past productions page).