This season, Theatr Brycheiniog is the place to go for home-grown opera, ballet and drama. Through November and December, the theatre welcomes both emerging and established companies, offering new perspectives on significant Welsh historical and cultural stories alongside fresh interpretations of classic ballet and opera.
On Friday 6th November, Ballet Cymru arrives with Sleeping Beauty as part of the company’s 40th birthday celebrations. Set to Tchaikovsky’s score, this contemporary retelling of the fairy tale explores love, acceptance and what it means to be different. Inventive choreography, distinctive costumes and projections reflect Ballet Cymru’s style, resulting in a visually striking performance.
On Thursday 12th November, Mid Wales Opera brings an evening of Italian opera, performed by a company of 15 singers and musicians. The first half is Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, a one-act comedy about a greedy family, a missing will and a man with a clever plan, which features the famous aria “O mio babbino caro”. With a second half dedicated to a selection of popular Italian favourites, this is a night for the opera curious and the aficionado alike.
The following week, on Tuesday 24th November, the theatre presents CYN, a bittersweet drama that recently drew great critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe. Set in South Wales in 1995, a decade after the closure of the mines, we meet Emyr, a collier’s son, as he reflects on the impact of the closures on families and communities, with the help of Max Boyce songs.
On Saturday 28th November, Opera Cymru brings its new Welsh-language opera, Fflamau Penyberth, to the theatre. Commissioned by the company, composer Gareth Glyn turns political history into opera, telling the true story of three men who, in 1936, set fire to an RAF bombing school on the Llŷn Peninsula before turning themselves in to the police. It’s an event that, 90 years on, is seen as a turning point in Welsh history. The opera is sung in Welsh, and learners and non-Welsh speakers can follow along with audio or text translation via the Sibrwd app which can be downloaded onto mobiles.
Swansea-based Volcano Theatre Company arrives on Thursday 10th December with Silent Night Raging Eve, a Christmas-themed production that is funny, poignant and darkly comic. With music, humour and drama, the show invites the audience to join Eve at a Christmas party she is throwing for her family, and explores the pressures around youth, beauty and expectations over the festive season.
For a festive family treat, Brecon Festival Ballet returns to the theatre from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th December with its annual performance of The Nutcracker. The story follows Clara and her Nutcracker as they battle the Rat King, sleigh through the Snowflakes and visit the Kingdom of Sweets, where the Sugar Plum Fairy welcomes them with dances from around the world. Professional dancers and musicians perform alongside local dance students making this a favourite Christmas outing.
For full listings at Theatr Brycheiniog and to book tickets, visit brycheiniog.co.uk.
Image: Silent Night, Raging Eve
