Belfast Operatic Company are readying themselves for a grand return to theatre. The local theatre company are busy rehearsing for their production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ which will take to the stage in the newly refurbished Grand Opera House from 16th to 20th November 2021.
With the welcome news of the NI Executive’s announcement that social distancing will be relaxed in local theatres, a 60-strong group are navigating the challenges of rehearsing during a pandemic to ensure that the show is ready before curtain-up in November. The company have had to think outside the box over the past year to keep in contact with their membership, and are looking forward to finally being able to take to the stage again.
With theatres in darkness for the last 18 months, behind the scenes the Grand Opera House has undergone a £12.2 million refurbishment, restoring the beautiful Frank Matcham auditorium to its Grade A listed glory. Re-igniting their long-standing relationship with the Grand Opera House, Belfast Operatic Company will return to the theatre where they have performed everything from Gilbert and Sullivan favourites to more modern Broadway musicals.
Based on the Dickens’ classic, and with music by the legendary and much celebrated Disney composer Alan Menken (the man behind shows such as Disney’s Beauty and The Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Sister Act), ‘A Christmas Carol’ tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s ghostly encounters, leading him to a new festive outlook just in time for Christmas day.
Director Wilfie Pyper MBE, Musical Director Adam Darcy, and Choreographer Timmy Bell are putting the company through their paces, bringing Scrooge’s Victorian London to life. The sparkling, energetic production will include use of projected visual scenery, designed by local BAFTA winning VFX studio BlackNorth, as used in the company’s last production of ‘A Christmas Carol’
Featuring the songs ‘Link by Link’, ‘Abundance and Charity’, and, of course, ‘God Bless us Everyone’, this festive family-friendly production will be the perfect pre-Christmas treat.
Colin Boyd, Chairman of Belfast Operatic Company, said:
“The past 18 months have been hugely challenging for Belfast Operatic with trying to keep our membership together, when we couldn’t physically meet together. We are pleased to finally be able to move away from Zoom rehearsals and to bring live theatre back to the people of Northern Ireland.
“There is no better auditorium than the Frank Matcham, and we are delighted to be the first of the local theatre companies to return to the Grand Opera House stage. This production brings together everything you would want from the perfect family Christmas treat – the famous Scrooge story from miserliness to charity, alongside fantastic music, in the most beautiful setting.
Tickets for ‘A Christmas Carol’ are now available from the Grand Opera House website –https://www.goh.co.uk/whats-on/a-christmas-carol/
Performance Dates:
Tuesday 16th – Saturday 20th November 2021
Evenings: Tuesday – Thursday & Saturday 7.30pm & Friday 8.30pm
Matinees: Friday 5.15pm & Saturday 2.30pm
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I saw a Christmas carol last night. It was one of the best adaptations of the Dickens novel that I have ever seen. For an amateur company it was spectacular