In what might be seen as a brave move in an ever shrinking operatic climate, this week, Papadopoulos and OPO announced the formation of Oxford International Opera, a new opera company aimed at drawing on operatic talent from home and abroad.
The company was launched at an event this week with introductions from conductor Marios Papadopoulos, who founded OPO, Sir Bryn Terfel who plays Scarpia in Tosca and who is artistic director of the opera company, and P Burton-Morgan who directs the production of Tosca.
Papadopoulos explained that he had been wanting to put the orchestra in the pit for a long time, and he felt that it was important for an orchestra to have its own voice. Plans for the opera company include concert performances as well as stagings, and Terfel is keen to include lieder in the plans too. The company's principal donor is the Laidlaw Opera Trust, whose newest Trustee is baritone Julien Van Mellaerts.
Terfel commented that had has sung in Oxford on tour with Welsh National Opera but now the company rarely, if ever visits the city whilst Glyndebourne has stopped touring entirely. With OPO he has performed the title role in Mendelssohn's Elijah as well as singing Wotan in Act Three of Wagner's Die Walkure. His appearance as Scarpia in Tosca later this year will be his final staged Tosca.
The first project is a staging of Puccini's Tosca at the New Theatre in Oxford on 24 and 26 September 2026, and to emphasise that this is not a one-off venture, the company has already announced its second production will be Beethoven's Fidelio in November 2027.
In addition to Terfel, the Tosca cast features Carmen Giannattasio in the title role, Saimir Pirgu as Cavaradossi, Fabio Previati as the Sacristan, Colin Judson as Spoleta and two young artists, Jamie Woolard as Angelotti and Steffan Lloyd Owen as Sciarrone. The production will be designed by Anthony Lamble.
Further details from OPO's website.
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