| Biography | Opera North is an English opera company based in Leeds. The company's home theatre is the Leeds Grand Theatre, but it also presents regular seasons in several other cities, at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, the Lowry Centre, Salford Quays and the Theatre Royal, Newcastle. It has also visited Sadler's Wells Theatre and the Barbican Centre in London and, less regularly, the Bradford Alhambra, the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield, and other venues, including theatres in Belfast and Dublin and the Edinburgh Festival Theatre. The Company's orchestra, the Orchestra of Opera North, regularly performs and records in its own right. Operas are performed either in English or in the original language of the libretto, in the latter case usually with surtitles.
The English Northern Philharmonia (ENP) is the resident orchestra of Opera North and since its formation in 1978 by David Lloyd-Jones has established itself as one of the UK's leading operatic orchestras. In addition to playing for all the Company's performances, the ENP enjoys an independent existence as a symphony orchestra, giving concerts throughout Yorkshire and the surrounding area.
The ENP has appeared with numerous international guest conductors and soloists, as well as with David Lloyd-Jones, its Founder Conductor, and Paul Daniel who was Opera North's Music Director and Principal Conductor of the ENP from 1990 to 1997. The orchestra is an important contributor to all the major concert series in the Yorkshire region and has also made visits abroad, not only with Opera North, but also in its capacity as a symphony orchestra.
The ENP offers a range of programmes covering the entire orchestral repertoire, ranging from a Mozart-sized orchestra to a full symphony orchestra, and has given particular attention to British music, both operatic and orchestral. It has gained considerable acclaim for its operatic gala concerts with singers of international status. The Orchestra has a strong commitment to educational and community work, and is involved with several schools-based projects both in Leeds and further afield. |