Opera North’s acclaimed production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s comic opera Ruddigore makes its Edinburgh debut

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THREE SHOWS ONLY AT FESTIVAL THEATRE, EDINBURGH
Thursday 7 – Saturday 9 June, Evenings 7.30pm; Matinee: Sat 2.15pm


Ruddigore, Opera North’s hugely successful operetta, will come to Edinburgh Festival Theatre as part of a one-off tour this Summer as well as visiting new venues in Sheffield, Belfast and Dublin. Audiences in Edinburgh will now be able to revel in this witty Victorian melodrama, which is considered one of Gilbert & Sullivan’s most inventive works.

Building on the spirit of collaboration established between Opera North and The Sage Gateshead, the Northern Sinfonia has been invited to perform alongside the Opera North chorus throughout the tour, whilst the Orchestra of Opera North performs the second installment of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, Die Walküre, also across the country.

First performed by Opera North in 2010 and then again last year and directed by Jo Davies, Ruddigore received widespread critical acclaim and was declared a ‘gem of a discovery’. The tale centres around Sir Despard Murgatroyd, a man under pressure. He has inherited a witch’s curse forcing him to commit a crime every day or die in agony. So it’s a huge relief when shy Robin Oakapple is revealed as his long-lost elder brother – true inheritor of the curse. But what will Rose Maybud, Robin’s fiancée, make of this dastardly revelation?

The role of Robin Oakapple and Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd will alternate between the original cast member, Australian baritone, Grant Doyle and David Stout. Richard Burkhard remains in his role of Sir Despard Murgatroyd, Richard Angas again sings Old Adam Goodheart and Heather Shipp returns as Mad Margaret.

The Ruddigore tour comes just as Opera North has opened its new production of Carousel, also directed by Jo Davies. Carousel opens on 2 May at Leeds Grand Theatre and will then tour to Salford Quays and London.

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