The new staging will weave together western and Indian classical music, creating a groundbreaking musical and dramatic tapestry.
Orpheus will be a groundbreaking reimagining of one of the earliest surviving operas, Monteverdi’s 1607 work L’Orfeo.
The production will open at the Leeds Grand Theatre this October before touring other northern theatres alongside Verdi’s La traviata, and concerts of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice.
Image: Opera North
The opera takes place on the day of the wedding of the protagonist Orpheus, a musician of mythical power, to Eurydice. But their joy is shattered when Eurydice dies suddenly, and Orpheus, heartbroken, vows to travel to the Underworld to find his new wife and return her to life.
The exciting new production will feature additional composition and arrangements by Jasdeep Singh Degun, working as co-Music Director with early music expert Laurence Cummings.
Image: Opera North
The cross-cultural opera will be sung in Italian and Urdu, with some sections sung in Hindi, Tamil, Malayam, Punjabi, Bengali and there will be also be English titles at all performances.
The breathtaking onstage orchestra will consist of 19 players and will include an ensemble of violin, viola, cello, bass, trumpet, percussion, harp, harpsichord, lirone and theorbo, as well as Indian classical instruments including sitar, tabla, santoor, esraj and bansuri.
The incredible inclusion of Indian instruments has grown out of Opera North’s longstanding collaborative relationship with South Asian Arts-uk, a Leeds based centre of excellence in Indian classical music.
Image: Opera North
Jasdeep Singh Degun, Music Director, comments “I'm very happy to be beginning my tenure as artist-in-residence at Opera North with the new and exciting production of Orpheus. As well as acting as joint Music Director on the opera with the brilliant Laurence Cummings, I have been fortunate to compose new music alongside Monteverdi's masterpiece."
"I'm very excited to be bringing such a stellar cast of Indian classical musicians and vocalists to Leeds - these are, quite literally, the best of the best Indian classical musicians in the UK!"
This highly anticipated masterpiece opens it's doors on Friday 14th October 2022 at the Leeds Grand Theatre.
To book your ticket and to find any further information, take a look at their website.
A new crafting paradise has opened in Leeds city centre, right in time for the summer holidays.
Happy Hour Workshop has already been a smash hit over in Greater Manchester, and now owner Lili has brought her playful and creative business over to Queens Arcade.
The brand-new, sunny yellow crafting destination has walls absolutely crammed with colourful supplies, with a big focus on the current trend of cream gel DIY.
The level of customisation here will send an indecisive person into a tailspin.
First you can choose the item you want to customise, whether it’s a mirror, a claw clip, a pencil case, a handheld fan, a phone case, a water bottle, a notepad, or just about any other useful item you can think of.
Then you’re let loose with a bowl and dream, to peruse the many, many drawers of colourful charms you can add to your chosen product.
There are literally thousands of charms - food items like hot dogs and ice cream cones; characters like Labubus and Minions; and adorable motifs like bows and rainbows.
The wall of craft suppliesThousands of charms to choose fromYou can customise a glass tumblerOr make a notepadOwner Lili outside Happy Hour Workshop Leeds
You could spell out your name with bubble letters, make a whole buffet’s worth of fake food items, design yourself a beautiful garden, or create a new world for the K-Pop Demon Hunters.
Your final step before heading to your craft station is to choose a colour cream gel, which you can pipe onto your item like icing a cake before wedging your charms into place.
As well as the charms, Happy Hour Workshop is offering other crafting experiences like bracelet making, money box painting, paint by numbers, slime making, and loads more to come.
You’ll find it at 9 Queens Arcade and it’s open now.
Pints of Knowledge, Callum Campbell’s fastest-growing event, is coming to Leeds city centre this summer
Clementine Hall
The pub night that's packing out venues across the UK is coming to Leeds.
Let us introduce you to Pints of Knowledge, a phenomenon founded by Callum Campbell that has built a social media following of more than 160,000 people.
This is different to your average night out, it's a chance to meet new people and spark interesting conversation all in the relaxing surroundings of a pub.
The event has attracted thousands to its unique mix of expert talks, conversation and community in pubs across the UK.
Image: Supplied
And if you're looking to get in on the action then you're in luck, because Pints of Knowledge is arriving at The Wardrobe on Sunday 9 August.
So, what can you expect? From landmark legal history and the hidden pressures behind big systems to the evolving language of gaslighting and radical cinema, Sunday's Leeds programme will demonstrate exactly why Pints of Knowledge has struck such a chord with audiences across the UK.
Founder Callum Campbell, who has spent more than a decade producing live events across Britain, said bringing the concept to Leeds was the natural next step - and we're so happy he thought so.
Image: Supplied
He said: "I've always wanted to bring Pints of Knowledge to more cities across England, and Leeds has such a strong appetite for ideas and conversation. Watching this grow has been amazing, and I can't wait to bring it here.
"As more people look for experiences beyond a traditional night out, Pints of Knowledge offers something different: expert speakers, thought-provoking conversations and the chance to meet new people, all in the relaxed surroundings of a pub.
"People still love going to the pub, but they're looking for more from the experience. Pints of Knowledge is about hearing incredible stories, asking questions, meeting interesting people and leaving having learned something new."
Image: Supplied
The Pints of Knowledge programme at The Wardrobe will look like this:
12pm - Human rights lawyer Mahnoor Omer presents '10 Legal Cases that Changed History'.
2pm - Georgina Shute asks 'Why billion-pound systems are built by people who can't finish their to-do lists'.
4pm - Isobel Logan explores 'Gaslighting: The Evolution of a Concept Across Art, Relationships and Politics'.
6pm - Angelos Koutsourakis will examine 'Third Cinema, The Global South & Climate Change'.
Campbell added: "One hour you can be unpacking landmark legal cases, the next you're hearing about the psychology behind gaslighting, before finishing the day exploring cinema and climate change. That's what makes Pints of Knowledge different.
"This is just the beginning. We've seen an incredible response across the UK, and we're excited to build on that by bringing Pints of Knowledge to more cities across the country.”
Pints of Knowledge takes place at The Wardrobe in Leeds on Sunday 9 August, and you can get your tickets here.
Clementine Hall -
27th July 2022 
