Note
This page is dedicated to Welsh National Opera production from 2016/2017.
See this page for the Warsaw, Poland opera production of October 2014
See this Page for the Bregenz, Austria opera production of July 2013
See this Page for general information about the opera


Click Images to View


WNO Official Posters


WNO Opera Images
(Courtesy Johan Persson)
Click Here for slide show


Freud (Juliusz Kubiak)
Antonio (Martin Wölfel)


Martin Wölfel (Antonio)
Sarah Castle (Portia)


Lauren Michelle (Jessica)


Lester Lynch (Shylock)
Lauren Michelle (Jessica)


Bruce Sledge (Lorenzo)


Martin Wölfel (Antonio)
Mark-Le-Brocq (Bassiano)


Lester Lynch (Shylock)


Martin Wölfel (Antonio)
Lester Lynch (Shylock)


Martin Wölfel (Antonio)


David Stout (Gratiano)
Gary Griffiths (Solanio)
Simon Thorpe (Salerio)


Bruce Sledge (Lorenzo)
David Stout (Gratiano)
Gary Griffiths (Solanio)
Simon Thorpe (Salerio)


Lester Lynch (Shylock)


People of Venice
Lester Lynch (Shylock)


Verena Gunz (Nerissa)


Verena Gunz (Nerissa)
David Stout (Gratiano)


David Stout (Gratiano)


Juliusz Kubiak
(Prince of Aragon)

Sarah Castle (Portia)


Wade Lewin
(Prince of Morocco)


David Stout (Gratiano)
Fiona Harrison-Wolfe
(Marlene Dietrich)


Martin Wölfel (Antonio)
Lester Lynch (Shylock)


Lester Lynch (Shylock)


Martin Wölfel (Antonio)
Mark-Le-Brocq (Bassiano)


Verena Gunz (Nerissa)
Gary Griffiths (Solanio)
David Stout (Gratiano)
Miklos Sébestyén
(Duke of Venice)
Lester Lynch (Shylock)
Sarah Castle (Portia)



Lester Lynch (Shylock)


Verena Gunz (Nerissa)
Lester Lynch (Shylock)
David Stout (Gratiano)
Mark-Le-Brocq (Bassiano)
Sarah Castle (Portia)
Gary Griffiths (Solanio)
Miklos Sébestyén
(Duke of Venice)
Simon Thorpe (Salerio)


Miklos Sébestyén
(Duke of Venice)
Lester Lynch (Shylock)
Martin Wölfel (Antonio)
Sarah Castle (Portia)


Verena Gunz (Nerissa)
David Stout (Gratiano)
Mark-Le-Brocq (Bassiano)
Sarah Castle (Portia)


Freud (Juliusz Kubiak)
Antonio (Martin Wölfel)


London - Candid Photos
(Judy Arnold)
(Opera Stage)
(Percussion Section)


Opera Performances by the Welsh National Opera (2016 and 2017)
The Welsh National Opera (WNO) has announced their opera dates:

Royal Opera House, London Thursday 20 July 2017 7:30 pm
Royal Opera House, London Wednesday 19 July 2017 7:30 pm
Venue Cymru, Llandudno Tuesday 22 November 2016 7:00 pm
Birmingham Hippodrome Tuesday 8 November 2017 7:00 pm
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton Tuesday 1 November 2016 7:00 pm
The Bristol Hippodrome Tuesday 11 October 2016 7:00 pm
Wales Millennium Centre Friday 30 September 2016 7:00 pm
Wales Millennium Centre Friday 16 September 2016 7:00 pm

Reviews, Interviews, Radio Broadcasts (July 19/20, 2017)
The following reviews, interviews and radio broadcasts are from the UK opera performance at the Royal Opera House, London, on Wednesday, July 19, 2017 and Thursday, July 20, 2017.

Source
Internet Link
Image Link
Stars
Express
4/5
The Stage
4/5
Financial Times
4/5
Spectator
4/5
Classical Source
4/5
Planet Hugill
4/5
Music OMH
4/5
Seen and Heard
4/5
Opera Today
4/5
Culture PL Review [pl]
4/5
Instant Encore
3/5
Mature Times
3/5
The Standard
3/5
The Prickel
3/5
Schmopera
3/5
CEEL Opera Preview
Culture PL Interview [en]
(K. Warner)
Culture PL Interview [pl]
(K. Warner)
Polish Radio Interview [en]
(L. Friend)
Polish Radio Interview [pl]
(Laskowski)
Polish Radio News [en]
(General)

Reviews (November 22, 2016)
The following reviews are from the UK opera performance at the Venue Cymru, on Tuesday, 22 November 2016. For this performance, Shylock was sung by Quentin Hayes instead of Lester Lynch.

Source
Internet Link
Image Link
Stars
Blazing Minds
3/5
Seen and Heard
4/5


Reviews (November 8, 2016)
The following review is from the UK opera performance at the Birmingham Hippodrome on Tuesday, 8 November 2016. For this performance, Shylock was sung by Quentin Hayes instead of Lester Lynch.

Source
Internet Link
Image Link
Stars
Express and Star
3/5
Jewish Renaissance
4/5
Red Brick
4/5
Behind the Arras
5/5

Reviews (November 1, 2016)
The following review is from the UK opera performance in Southampton on Tuesday, 1 November 2016.

Source
Internet Link
Image Link
Stars
Lark
Click Here
2/5
Birmingham Post
4/5
On The Scene
4/5


Reviews (October 11, 2016)
The following reviews are from the UK opera performance in Bristol on Tuesday, 11 October 2016. Note that in this performance, Martin Wölfel (Antonio) was once again in place to sing.

Source
Internet Link
Image Link
Stars
The Reviews Hub
3/5
Bristol 24/7
3/5
Weston-Super-Mum
3/5
What's On Stage
3/5
UK Theatre Web
4/5


Reviews (September 30, 2016)
The following reviews are from the UK opera performance in Cardiff on Friday, 30 September 2016. Note that in this performance, Martin Wölfel (Antonio) was replaced at short notice by Feargal Mostyn-Williams (listen to sample).

Source
Internet Link
Image Link
Stars
WalesOnline
3/5
In The Dark Online
Click Here
3/5
Cardiff Shakes
Click Here
4/5
GloucestershireLive
Click Here
4/5


Reviews (September 16, 2016)
The following reviews are from the UK opera premiere in Cardiff on Friday, 16 September 2016.

Source
Internet Link
Image Link
Stars
The Sunday Times
1/5
Bachtrack
3/5
The Guardian
3/5
ReviewHub
3/5
Arts Scene in Wales
3/5
Seen and Heard
3/5
The Spectator
3/5
Theater in Wales
4/5
The Stage
4/5
The Telegraph
4/5
The Times
4/5
The Independent
5/5

Articles/Links of Interest (General)
The following general information relates to all the WNO UK performances. Image files are used because the original Internet links were not retained.

Opera Promotional Video by the WNO
YouTube
Brief "Trailer" posted by the WNO
YouTube
Norman Lebrecht's "Slipped Disc" opera posting
Image
André Tchaikowsky documentary Rebel of the Keys
Internet
Royal Opera House opera announcement
Image
Adam Mickiewicz Institute announcement
Image
The Opera 55 Years in the Making
Image
Directing the Merchant of Venice
Image
The Composer Who Lost His Head to the Bard
Image
From Warsaw to Belmont via a wardrobe
Image

Opera Cast for the Welsh National Opera Production (2016)
The following is a summary of the cast members for the WNO UK productions of The Merchant of Venice.


Music Director/Conductor
Lionel Friend (website)


Stage Director
Keith Warner (website)


Designer
Ashley Martin-Davis (website)


Light
Davy Cunningham (website)


Movement Director
Michael Barry (website)


Associate Director
Amy Lane (website)


Miklos Sébestyén (website)
Duke of Venice (Bass)


Martin Wölfel (website)
Antonio (Countertenor)


Mark Le Brocq (website)
Bassanio (Tenor)


Simon Thorpe (website)
Salerio (Bass-Baritone)


Gary Griffiths (website)
Solanio (Bass-Baritone)


David Stout (website)
Gratiano (Bass-Baritone)


Bruce Sledge (website)
Lorenzo (Tenor)


Lester Lynch (website)
Shylock (Baritone) [less Nov. 8 & 22]


Quentin Hayes (website)
Shylock (Baritone) [Nov. 8 & 22]


Lauren Michelle (website)
Jessica (Soprano)


Sarah Castle (website)
Portia (Mezzosoprano)


Verena Gunz (website)
Nerissa (Mezzosoprano)


Fiona Harrison-Wolfe (website)
A boy (Soprano)
(AKA Marlene Dietrich)


Juliusz M. Kubiak (website)
Freud
Duke of Arragon


Wade Lewin (website)
Duke of Morocco


WNO Chorus
(website)
People of Venice


Opera Brochure
This was the free handout for promoting the opera (click any image for a larger view).

Opera Program
The relevant pages from the season opera program are below (click any image for a larger view).