Cash-strapped Welsh National Opera has announced its 80th anniversary season with just one full opera, a double bill, a chamber-scale work, a children’s show, a family concert, and a Welsh language joint theatre venture.
The announcement comes as the company looks for a new musical director to replace Tomáš Hanus.
The new season understandably relies heavily on works originated elsewhere, including at Glyndebourne and English National Opera, and work with other Arts Council of Wales funded bodies, having failed to secure its funding objctives from the English and Welsh arts councils.
Outside of Cardiff, the national company’s only Welsh performances in the anniversary year are two operas and a concert in Llandudno, and performances of an evening chamber-scale work and a children’s afternoon show the following day in both Mold and in Bangor. There are no dates in Swansea announced.
In addition to Llandudno, Bangor and Mold, there are short visits to venues in England, either two operas and a concert or an opera and a children’s show, with a return to Oxford but Liverpool still removed from the touring circuit, and no dates announced for Milton Keynes. Astonishingly the company is not going to its once core venues of Birmingham and Bristol, apart from the yet to be scheduled chamber-scale work going to the Old Vic.
Full details below.
The first show of the season is a double bill of Bluebeard’s Castle and Oedipus Rex. The former was originally an ENO production of Bartók’s opera which was Olivier nominated. The same combination of director Joe Hills-Gibbons and conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya brings the Bartók work to WNO. It is paired with a new production of Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex with Peter Hoare as Oedipus, Christine Rice as Judith and Jocasta and Nathan Berg as Bluebeard and Tireseas. The double bill has additional music from Hildegard von Bingen.
The company then brings in Glyndebourne’s dark Floris Visser production of Puccini’s La Bohème (above), conducted by Corinna Niemeyer. The production was toured by Glyndebourne in 2022. The roles are taken by Alexia Voulgaridou as Mimi and Carlos Cardoso as Rodolfo. Other cast members are Navasard Hakobyan as Marcello and Laura Lolita Perešivana as Musetta with WNO’s Associate Artists, Owain Rowlands as Schaunard and Ross Fettes as Colline. While WNO is not committed to promoting Welsh (or British) talent, all four of the key roles are filled by overseas singers.
Perhaps most interesting is the French baroque singing of Joseph Bologne’s 18th century The Anonymous Lover. Conducted by Frederick Brown from the harpsichord, and featuring the rising star Nardus Williams as Leontine. The company said it forms part of their strand of chamber-scale work will fit into venues such as Bristol’s Old Vic and Theatr Clwyd. It is directed by Omar Elerian. The date of the Old Vic performance is yet to be announced.
There is also a 45 minute family show based on Jason and the Argonauts, directed by Jac Ifan Moore and conducted from the harpsichord by Stephen Wood, with designs by Rebecca Jane Wood and the WNO Family & Schools Concert returns with a mythology-inspired programme presented by Elin Llwyd. It will be performed by a full orchestra with soloists, including Beethoven’s Creatures of Prometheus overture alongside arias by Lully, Handel, and Mozart, Offenbach’s exuberant Can-Can, and playful pieces like Ballo de Orsi (Dance of the Bears).
In the spirt of working with other arts council funded organisations and the Welsh language, Hedd Wyn: Eisteddfod Atomig (above), will be a co-production with Theatr Cymru in Welsh. Directed by Theatr Cymru’s Artistic Director, Steffan Donnelly, and conducted by Iwan Teifion Davies, it features music by Stephen McNeff and a libretto by Gruff Rhys (of Super Furry Animals). Cast to include Steffan Lloyd Owen, Rebecca Evans and Paul Carey Jones.
The company has also invested its funds in a “brand refresh”, and artwork from Welsh artists for a poster campaign.
Company joint heads Adele Thomas and Sarah Crabtree said, “As we mark 80 years of Welsh National Opera, we are not looking back. We are looking forward with ambition and excitement. This is a rebirth for WNO, and an invitation to audiences everywhere to experience opera in a way that feels urgent, contemporary and alive.”
Adele Thomas is not directing any of the season.
Images: Clementine Schneidermann Charlotte James
Main image Bluebeards Castle / Oedipus Rex
Full details wno.org.uk
Autumn 2026:
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Bluebeard’s Castle and Oedipus Rex: Sunday, September 20, 4pm, Friday, September 25, 7.30pm and Friday, October 2, 7.30pm
La Bohème: Sunday, September 27, 4pm, Thursday, October 1, 7.30pm and Saturday, October 3, 7.30pm
Family Concert: Wednesday, 30 September 30, 6.30pm
Venue Cymru, Llandudno
Bluebeard’s Castle and Oedipus Rex: Thursday, October 22, 7.30pm
Family Concert: Friday, October 23, 6.30pm
La Bohème: Saturday, October 24, 7.30pm
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
Family Concert: Wednesday, November 11, 6.30pm
Bluebeard’s Castle and Oedipus Rex: Thursday, November 12, 7.30pm
La Bohème: Friday, November 13, 7pm
New Theatre Oxford
La Bohème: Thursday, November 19, 7.30pm
Family Concert: Friday, November 20, 6.30pm
Bluebeard’s Castle and Oedipus Rex: Saturday, November 21, 7.30pm
Theatre Royal Plymouth
La Bohème: Thursday, November 26, 7pm
Family Concert: Friday, November 27, 6.30pm
Bluebeard’s Castle and Oedipus Rex: Saturday, November 28, 7.30pm
2027
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
The Anonymous Lover: Thursday, March 4, 7.30pm, Saturday, March 6, 7.30pm, Friday, March 12, 7.30pm, Friday, March 19, 7.30pm
Jason and the Argonauts: Saturday, March 13, 11.30am and 3pm, Saturday, March 20, 3pm
MAST Mayflower Studios, Southampton
The Anonymous Lover: Friday, March 19, 7.30pm
Jason and the Argonauts: Saturday, March 20, 3pm
Bristol Old Vic
The Anonymous Lover: To Be Announced
Theatr Clywd, Mold
The Anonymous Lover: Friday, April 2, 7.30pm
Jason and the Argonauts: Saturday, April 3, 3pm
Pontio, Bangor
The Anonymous Lover: Friday, April 9, 7.30pm
Jason and the Argonauts: Saturday April 10, 3pm
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Hedd Wyn: Eisteddfod Atomig: Tuesday, May 18, 7.30pm, Wednesday, May 19 7.30pm , Thursday, May 20 7.30pm and Saturday, May 22, 3pm
