Details

May Day is looming, and the small town of Loxford is in chaos. All the potential May Queens are morally unsuitable. Desperate, the locals decide a May King will have to do instead. They choose the blameless Albert Herring, from the greengrocers. He isn't keen, but stuck firmly under his mother's thumb, he'll do what he is told. However, after one rum-laced lemonade at the May Day ceremony, Albert disappears, and even greater chaos ensues. Britten's sharply satiric take on village life makes for a glorious and very English comedy. Sung in English. New Production - Supported by The Friends of Opera North. Sponsored by Manchester Airport. Running time 2 hours 30 minutes.

Cast/Performers

Iain Paton (Albert Herring), Josephine Barstow (Lady Billows), Ethna Robinson (Mrs Herring), Susan Bickley (Florence Pike), Eric Roberts (Vicar), John Graham-Hall (The Mayor), Elena Ferrari (Miss Wordsworth), Jeremy White (Superintendent Budd), Richard Whitehouse (Sid), Heather Shipp (Nancy), Claire Wild (Emmie)

Creatives/Company

Music: Britten
Company: Opera North
Conductor: James Holmes
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Design: Scott Pask
Lighting: Howard Harrison