Following the enormous success of Irish National Opera’s Olivier Award-winning Bajazet (2022) and last season’s dynamic UK premiere of Brian Irvine and Netia Jones’ Least Like The Other, INO and The Royal Opera present their third collaboration: a brand-new staging of Vivaldi’s L’Olimpiade which opens in the Linbury Theatre on Monday 13 May.
A baroque rarity, Peter Whelan conducts the Irish Baroque Orchestra, with leading roles performed by mezzo-sopranos Gemma Ní Bhriain, Alexandra Urquiola, and Sarah Richmond; countertenor Meili Li; soprano Rachel Redmond; and baritones Chuma Sijeqa and Seán Boylan. Daisy Evans directs L’Olimpiade, making her Royal Opera House stage debut.
Sarah Crabtree, Creative Producer for The Royal Opera, said:
‘We are thrilled to be collaborating with Irish National Opera once more as we continue our exploration of lesser-known baroque works; working together to extend The Royal Opera’s reach beyond our Covent Garden home. A dynamic team, led by Daisy Evans, bring us a playful and theatrical production, the first ever on the Royal Opera House stages.’
Fergus Sheil, Artistic Director of Irish National Opera, said:
‘We are delighted to present our third collaboration with the Royal Opera House on the stage of the Linbury Theatre, with our longest run to date of eight performances. Vivaldi’s operas provide extraordinary musical richness as well as remarkable vocal gymnastics. We have assembled a cast of elite musical athletes who relish Vivaldi’s challenges and who give us a thrilling take on this lesser-known opera. We are very happy to renew our partnership with the Irish Baroque Orchestra and conductor Peter Whelan and we cannot wait to share this production with audiences in London.’
L’Olimpiade is a co-production between Irish National Opera, The Royal Opera, and Nouvel Opéra Fribourg. Performances run from Monday 13 to Saturday 25 May 2024.
