Operas & Events

Past Event

8 November 2020

The Soldier's Return world premiere

Written by international award-winning composer Marcos Fernandez-Barrero and T.S. Eliot prize-winning poet Jacob Polley, The Soldier’s Return is a brand new opera based on interviews with modern-day veterans.

Past Event

8 March 2020

Experience Opera Taster Day

Join us for a full day opera singing experience

Past Event

8 February 2020

Singing Roadshows

Are you a secret singer? Do you enjoy belting out a tune? Find your voice with Opera Sunderland's exciting new singing project.

Past Event

20 May 2016

Songs of the Somme

Songs of the Somme was delivered by Opera Sunderland (then known as Music in the Minster) and Sunderland Library Services in May – July 2016, as part of Asunder, a Sunderland-wide programme commemorating the battle.

Past Event

19 November 2015

Miracle! An Opera of Two Halves

Composed by Marcos Fernandez and written by award-winning writer David Almond, MIRACLE! An Opera of Two Halves was performed by 36 local singers alongside professional soloists and instrumentalists.

Past Event

6 June 2015

Opera for Sunderland Singing Roadshow

In the summer of 2015 we set out to prove that opera really is for everyone, with a Singing Roadshow visiting community venues in Red House, Hylton Castle, Whitburn, and Roker.

Past Event

5 June 2015

Opera for Sunderland - Schools Workshops

In June and July of 2015 we delivered workshops in 5 secondary schools across the City of Sunderland; Castle View Enterprise Academy, Thornhill School, Grindon Hall Christian School, Red House Academy, and Sand Hill View Academy.

Past Event

23 January 2015

Black Cats' Stories

Black Cats’ Stories was a ground-breaking project creating a snapshot of what football means to the people of Wearside, through digital storytelling. The project was delivered between January and November 2015 in partnership between Opera Sunderland (then called Music in the Minster), Foundation of Light, Curiosity Creative and Sunderland City Council Library Services, supported by funding from The Cultural Spring and The Joicey Trust.

Past Event

9 October 2014

Whitburn Singers

After delivering successful singing taster sessions for The Cultural Spring, we were asked to deliver regular singing sessions in Whitburn, Sunderland.

Past Event

19 July 2014

Carmen in an Hour - Summer Streets 2014

We are delighted to have been involved in Summer Streets - a free music festival held in Thompson Park, Southwick on Saturday 19 July 2014.

Past Event

1 March 2013

Youth Chorus

After the success of Whistle Down The Wind in 2012, during which we met lots of talented young people from across Sunderland, we ran a series of Youth Chorus workshops in the Spring and Summer of 2013.

Past Event

2 November 2012

Whistle Down The Wind

Whistle Down The Wind was our third major production, staged in Sunderland Minster in November 2012

Past Event

25 February 2012

Diva in a Day

We kicked off our 2012 programme with Diva in a Day giving participants a chance to feel the exhilaration of unleashing the natural power of their voice.

Past Event

1 July 2011

Whistle Down the Wind Schools Workshop

In July 2011 we delivered two half-day workshops with twenty pupils aged 12 – 15 years at Thornhill School, Sunderland.

Past Event

1 April 2009

Making Opera

Our first ever "pageant" was a mixed show of solos, songs and acting. We performed scenes from Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas – a tragic love story ending in Dido's death from a broken heart; Bob Chilcott's sports themed A Sporting Chance for brass quintet and singers ("cool and groovy" in the words of one of the singers!) and The Lambton Worm – a legendary beast, rooted in County Durham on the banks of the Wear.

Past Event

4 February 2007

Noye's Fludde

Noye's Fludde is a one act Opera written by Benjamin Britten in 1957, adapted from an early 15th Century Chester Mystery Play. It tells the story of Noah building his 'shippe' and filling it with animals. Following God's instructions, Noah, his family and the animals survive the storm to find dry land again.