Northern Ireland Opera will return to Belfast’s Lyric Theatre early next year with a major new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s magical musical Into the Woods.
NI Opera’s artistic director Cameron Menzies will take charge of the epic production which will shine a spotlight on the best of Northern Irish music and creative talent including Enniskillen-born designer Niall McKeever who will oversee the creation of a spectacular set and costume designs.
Describing the classic fairy tale-inspired musical, as the ‘ultimate quest musical’, Menzies said: “It’s a wonderfully intriguing story that brings together and intertwines some of the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel to ask what might have happened before ‘Once upon a time’ and after ‘Happily ever after’.
“We are thrilled to be introducing Belfast to some wonderful local talent, while also showcasing some of the West End’s finest performers, some originally from Northern Ireland making their long-awaited debut performances back home. We will endeavour to create a wonderful tribute to one of the greatest musical theatre composers/lyricists of all time. There is truly now a Giant in the Sky.”
Running from 3-27 February 2022, the award-winning company’s Into the Woods follows on from three previous sell-out NI Opera productions staged at the Lyric – The Threepenny Opera in 2018, Sweeney Todd in 2019 and Kiss Me, Kate in 2020.
With music and lyrics by Sondheim and a book by Lapine, Into the Woods debuted on Broadway in 1987 with a production that went on to win three Tony Awards including a Leading Actress in a Musical Award for Joanna Gleason for her performance as the Baker’s Wife.
Into the Woods will be Menzies’ second live production after taking charge of the prestigious NI Opera mid-pandemic in November 2020. His first show was a critically-acclaimed staging of Puccini’s La Bohéme in Belfast’s Carlisle Memorial Church in September this year.
Ciaran Scullion, head of Music and Opera at the Arts Council Northern Ireland, commented: “Despite the many challenges presented by the pandemic, Northern Ireland Opera has offered audiences world-class performances and opportunities for our talented singers to perform and gain employment. This company has delivered really exciting and impressive work and The Arts Council is hugely proud to support them. What a fantastic start for opera in NI for 2022!”
Angela Thomas
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