The return of Opera Project this Autumn

It’s almost here, the much anticipated return of Opera Project is imminent………..

This October TFT & Opera Project will be again co-producing bringing one of Mozart’s masterpieces back to the boards of the Factory Theatre.

Jonathan Lyness and Richard Studer, the Directorial genius’ behind Opera Project, reveal their passion for bringing opera into the unique space that the Factory Theatre provides.

We asked Jonathan to tell us about why they felt bringing back Così Fan Tutte to TFT was so timely, what the relationship between TFT and Opera Project means to him, and what is in-store for audiences this Autumn.

“Così fan tutte seemed an obvious choice when Richard and I started Opera Project in 1993. It involves a cast of only six singers, and as a small touring company, a small cast was a bonus. And, it contains a wealth of some of Mozart’s greatest music, written at the height of his powers in the penultimate year of his life.

What Richard and I perhaps didn’t appreciate back then was both the intensity and the comedy of the opera. Six singers in a rehearsal room and on stage for so much of the time as they explore and untwine their relationships is a quite a thing. And in opera, with musical ensembles, different singers can express contrasting emotions simultaneously – that is, we can have intensity and comedy at the same time. Mozart and his librettist Lorenzo da Ponte exploit this ruthlessly, and the result is a turbulent emotional roller-coaster, packed with hilarious situations at the same time as the most transcendent beauty imaginable.

Our performances at TFT are quite unique. This is a word branded about a lot, but in this case it’s justified. At TFT, audiences hear and witness the inner workings of opera, at very close range. They see singers as one might on a film set – there is no proscenium, no ‘looking out front’! And they will see the almost miraculous connection between singers and orchestral musicians, working together in a way that simply doesn’t exist in the traditional opera house. No one seat in the auditorium is quite the same as another, but every seat offers this unique experience, together with its own audio and visual experience of the opera.

In 2003, when Opera Project was ten years old, we first performed at TFT, with Così fan tutte. Both us and the theatre have come a long way since then, and performing in this space is still a continual journey of discovery. For this new production we’ve assembled a very special cast including both familiar and unfamiliar faces, together with a host of trusted musicians, many of whom were there at the beginning and who have come to know and love this opera and the amazing TFT.”

For the first time opera goer, the wary, the curious, and anyone looking for an unforgettable night of music and drama, come and see Così fan tutte at Tobacco Factory Theatres. You will not regret it!”  Click Here to find out more about the production and how to book.