Thousands of university staff and students have connected with opera as a result of the DARE partnership with Opera North, many for the first time. In turn, Opera North staff can access the University’s unrivalled libraries.
“Having joined DARE More, which is an Opera North scheme for university staff, Opera North sends me regular messages suggesting operas to see and events to go to – heavily discounted. Madama Butterfly was my first ever opera experience – I wouldn’t have gone if we didn’t have this partnership – and now I try something different every season.”
Admin Support Assistant, Faculty of Medicine.
“Opera North has a deserved reputation for their innovative, creative and thought-provoking productions; on top of that, ON’s orchestra, choir and soloists are exceptional. The opportunity to experience international standard productions and performances on our doorstep – especially in a cultural climate in which policy makers and funding bodies are aggressively forcing managed decline on the arts – is not to be dismissed lightly. Attending ON productions is, and will remain, a major highlight of my cultural calendar.”
Professor Edward Venn, Professor of Music, School of Music
“I’ve always loved going to Opera North and have been going for years. I have wonderful memories of some of the productions I have seen. We are so lucky to have them in Leeds. They put on such an interesting variety of operas, repeating old favourites, like Cosi fan tutte, and then introducing less well-known operas, like Masque of the Night as well as daring alternative productions of old favourites such as Orpheus.”
Judith Georgas, SES Officer (Admissions), Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, School of Medicine
“My motivation for seeing Opera North productions derives from their excellent reputation for the amazing visual spectacles they produce. My recent attendance at La rondine confirmed this, particularly in the staging, choreography and costumes. The attention to detail in the costumes and the evocation of late 1930s fashion in the Parisian setting was striking in its amazing attention to detail and significantly contributed the enjoyment of the opera.”
Dr Kevin Almond, Associate Professor, School of Design
“To celebrate our partnership’s 10th anniversary, we had a ‘fill the auditorium’ challenge. It was exciting to welcome hundreds of university staff and students to the dress rehearsal of Rossini’s Cinderella, lots of whom were here for the first time.”
Alice Parsons, former Opera North Higher Education Manager
“Having access to the University library and the expertise of the library staff provides a valuable dramaturgical resource for the Opera North creative and publications teams.”
Opera North.