Reinventing a Russian folk opera for modern Britain
The director of Opera North’s reworking of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s classic tale, The Snow Maiden, explains how a once nationalist art form can retain its power in our global age.

How to be good? Getting to grips with Billy Budd
Baritone Roderick Williams is rehearsing the role of Billy Budd in Britten’s opera. He’s more used to playing villains – so how is he breathing life into ‘an angel’?

Ring the changes: my austerity Wagner with Opera North
The Ring cycle may be the pinnacle of operatic ambition, but, as Opera North’s critically acclaimed production shows, it needn’t cost the earth to perform or watch. Conductor Richard Farnes reflects on an affor

Opera North's Richard Farnes departs with The Ring
There can be few more challenging tasks as a conductor than taking on the whole of Wagner's The Ring Cycle - but that is the one that has been handed to Richard Farnes for his final assignment at Opera North.

Why Opera North decided to stage an opera which lasts 16 hours
After seven years in the planning stage, Opera North next week embark on the ambitious project of six complete cycles of Richard Wagner’s epic drama, Der Ring des Nibelungen.