First cast/creative announcements for ‘La Traviata’
Northern Ireland Opera announces a trio of top female cast and creatives for their stunning new adaptation of Giuseppe Verdi’s tragic love story, directed by Artistic Director Cameron Menzies, opening at Belfast’s Grand Opera House this September.
In this first cast reveal, rising soprano star Siobhan Stagg (ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, STAATSOPER BERLIN, BAVERISCHE STAATSOPER, HAMBURG STAATSOPER, OPERNHAUS ZURICH) debuts in the leading role as courtesan Violetta Valéry. Renowned choreographer for both stage and screen Isabel Baquero (ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, SCOTTISH OPERA, GARSINGTON OPERA, RICHARD EYRE’S ‘LA TRAVIATA’) joins the creative teamalongside conductor Rebecca Lang, one of the most versatile and vivacious cross-over artists of her generation, with accolades in both opera and musical theatre (HAMBURG STATE OPERA, THEATER AM POTSDAMER PLATZ, BERLIN; HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE, MELBOURNE; EVITA AND MY FAIR LADY, FLENSBURG). She returns to the company after her huge success with La Bohéme and will be working with the Ulster Orchestra in their first collaboration with NI Opera since before the pandemic, for this new production.
Announced alongside the trio of female talent and NI Opera’s reunion with the Ulster Orchestra is the casting of a 24-strong chorus of Northern Irish and Irish artists. The singers, chosen as part of a local casting call out, will also join NI Opera’s new chorus development programme and receive training and support including from the renowned Thomas Victor Johnson, Music Staff at Staatsoper Unter den Linden.
Artistic Director Cameron Menzies comments: “I have had the great pleasure of working with each of these artists before and I can’t wait for Rebecca Lang, Isabel Baquero and Siobhan Stagg to be in the same room to bring to life to this new and vibrant take on this operatic masterpiece. NI Opera is very fortunate to be able to work with artists of such an extraordinary calibre.”
Ian Wilson, Grand Opera House Chief Executive said: “I am delighted to welcome back Northern Ireland Opera for the first time since the Grand Opera House was restored, with one of the most sumptuous and beautiful operas ever written. Opera has been a key part of the programme here for more than 125 years, and we are looking forward to seeing Siobhan and the other cast members follow in the footsteps of Luciano Pavarotti, Nellie Melba and many other great singers who have performed on the Grand Opera House stage.”
Ciaran Scullion, Head of Music and Opera, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said, “The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is hugely proud to be principal funder of Northern Ireland Opera and the Ulster Orchestra who make their return to the Grand Opera House this September for La Traviata featuring the internationally acclaimed line-up of Rebecca Lang, Isabel Baquero and Siobhan Stagg. We’re delighted to once again see local artists being offered amazing professional development opportunities and working alongside world-class talent.”
Further cast and creative announcements will follow shortly. For more information about September’s production of ‘La Traviata’ and to book, click here.