Opera in the Park
Encyclopedia
Opera in the Park is an annual large-scale open-air concert in Leeds
, West Yorkshire
, England. It is held in the grounds of the Jacobean mansion Temple Newsam
, and is followed the next day by Party in the Park
, a pop concert, thus making double use of the work and expense involved in setting up the venue. It was said to be the largest free classical concert in the UK, but a charge for tickets was introduced in 2011 as a result of "extreme budget pressures" on the council. The programme comprises solos, chorus works and orchestral pieces from opera
, and the concert usually ends with an encore of "Nessun Dorma
", the aria popularised by its use as theme tune for the 1990 FIFA World Cup
.
The event is presented by Leeds City Council, in partnership with Magic 828
radio station and the Yorkshire Post
newspaper.
The 2009 event drew an audience of 50,000, and featured soprano Natasha Marsh
, tenor Alfie Boe
, The Hallé
and Leeds Festival Chorus
.
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England. It is held in the grounds of the Jacobean mansion Temple Newsam
Temple Newsam
Temple Newsam is a Tudor-Jacobean house with grounds landscaped by Capability Brown, in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, and is followed the next day by Party in the Park
Party in the Park
Party in the Park is the generic name given to music concerts organised by various radio stations and local authorities in England and Wales, typically in large parks during the summer.-Leeds' Party in the Park:...
, a pop concert, thus making double use of the work and expense involved in setting up the venue. It was said to be the largest free classical concert in the UK, but a charge for tickets was introduced in 2011 as a result of "extreme budget pressures" on the council. The programme comprises solos, chorus works and orchestral pieces from opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, and the concert usually ends with an encore of "Nessun Dorma
Nessun dorma
Nessun dorma is an aria from the final act of Giacomo Puccini's opera Turandot, and is one of the best-known tenor arias in all opera. It is sung by Calaf, il principe ignoto , who falls in love at first sight with the beautiful but cold Princess Turandot...
", the aria popularised by its use as theme tune for the 1990 FIFA World Cup
1990 FIFA World Cup
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
.
The event is presented by Leeds City Council, in partnership with Magic 828
Magic 828
Magic 828 is the AM sister service of Radio Aire and broadcasts to West Yorkshire on 828 kHz.-History:Magic 828 began when Radio Aire split its AM & FM frequencies to form two different stations...
radio station and the Yorkshire Post
Yorkshire Post
The Yorkshire Post is a daily broadsheet newspaper, published in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England by Yorkshire Post Newspapers, a company owned by Johnston Press...
newspaper.
The 2009 event drew an audience of 50,000, and featured soprano Natasha Marsh
Natasha Marsh
Natasha Jane Marsh is a Welsh operatic soprano. A highly-regarded performer in both opera and oratorio, her debut album, Amour, topped the classical album charts in 2007. She has toured with artists such as G4, Russell Watson, Il Divo and Paul Potts...
, tenor Alfie Boe
Alfie Boe
Alfred Giovanni Roncalli Boe, known professionally initially as Alf or Alfred Boe and now as Alfie Boe, , is an English tenor.-Background:...
, The Hallé
The Hallé
The Hallé is a symphony orchestra based in Manchester, England. It is the UK's oldest extant symphony orchestra , supports a choir, youth choir and a youth orchestra, and releases its recordings on its own record label, though it has occasionally released recordings on Angel Records and EMI...
and Leeds Festival Chorus
Leeds Festival Chorus
The Leeds Festival Chorus is based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has 170 singing members in soprano, alto, tenor and bass sections. Presenting classical choral music of a professional standard in Yorkshire and elsewhere in Britain, including at the BBC Proms and Manchester Arena, the Chorus...
.