Opera in and near Torquay

New Devon Opera

New Devon Opera is a professional opera company based in Devon. During the year, NDO also runs educational workshops, a concert programme and will be introducing a second opera. ... more

England has a rich tradition of producing quality operas, stretching back over centuries, and opera lovers will find many wonderful performances to enjoy in the top class opera houses and theatres across the country.

Influenced by the popularity of Italian opera, English composers followed suit with their own original productions. The first true English language opera was composed by John Blow as far back as 1683, and Blow was followed by the renowned composer Henry Purcell, whose operas, like the masterwork Dido and Aeneas, composed in 1689, are still performed in England today.

European operas became an extremely popular artform in England, with operas by Italian composers and famous composers such as Mozart and Beethoven being performed to great acclaim in the 18th and 19th centuries. The 18th century also gave English opera audiences John Gay's ballad opera, The Beggar's Opera, which is also still a well-loved English work. English opera composers continued to produce innovative and beautiful works in the 20th century, with Benjamin Britten's masterpieces quickly becoming some of the most celebrated modern operas.

England's opera tradition continues today, with opera companies and houses striving to perform some of the most captivating productions in the world, including both English and European works and well-loved classics as well as cutting-edge modern productions. If you're an opera fan, you'll definitely be able to find a production that will delight and entertain you.

Unsurprisingly, the best place to catch some excellent opera is in London. The capital city boasts several dedicated opera houses, and its countless theatres also regularly host some wonderful operas on their stages.

The English National Opera is based at the ornate and newly refurbished London Coliseum, with its distinctive globe standing out against the skyline. The National Opera started off as a branch of the famous Sadler's Wells ballet and theatre company, and is now one of the world's leading opera company. Many spectacular opera performances are put on every year in its magnificent home of the Coliseum, with recent popular productions including the Leonard Bernstein masterpiece, Candide.

London is also home to the Royal Opera House, situated in a historic site in Covent Garden, which has been a theatre since the 18th century. The theatre was in fact established after John Rich, an important actor and theatre manager, commissioned The Beggar's Opera from John Gay. The success of that work enabled Rich to build a new theatre in Covent Garden. The operatic origins of the theatre were put aside for a few hundred years, however, as the building became mainly a playhouse for spoken drama. Opera was re-introduced to the theatre in the works of Handel in the 18th century, and in the 1800's it was redesigned as an opera house. Unfortunately the building burnt down in 1856, but it was later re-opened as the Royal Opera House.

During World War II it was used as a dance hall, but after the war it was decided that this would become the home of the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet companies. The world-renowned opera company perform acclaimed productions every year, including well-loved classics such as Bizet's Carmen. If you're an opera enthusiast, you can also visit the Royal Opera House during the day to admire its lovely architecture and explore its collections, which include thousands of historic opera-related items, including a sumptuous range of costumes.

Another fantastic venue for opera in London is the Holland Park Theatre, situated in the heart of the lovely green space of Holland Park. The theatre, with its state-of-the-art high-tensile fabric canopy, is a unique place to watch some high quality classical music and opera productions - recently, audiences have enjoyed operas such as Mozart's The Magic Flute at the theatre.

There are many opera companies that tour the country, taking their brilliant productions to various venues in all England's major cities and towns. It's worth checking schedules in advance, because you may be able to catch some excellent opera in many parts of the country. The New Devon Opera, for example, tours throughout the South West in the summer, bringing its annual production to indoor and outdoor venues across the region.

To watch some great operas in a unique venue, visit the Grange Park Opera at The Grange near Winchester, and Nevill Holt in Leicestershire. Both venues are historic stately houses, providing a magnificent backdrop for some beautiful singing. The Grange is an early 19th century Greek revival house, and Nevill Holt is medieval house dating back to the 13th century. In both venues, the audience's enjoyment of the opera is augmented by the fact that the interval is 100 minutes long, providing plenty of time for fine dining or an enjoyable picnic at these special venues.