A Little Night Music and West Side Story dance piece feature in Opera North's 2021 plans

Opera North has unveiled its 2021 autumn and winter plans.

Before the autumn season commences, the company will present its eagerly anticipated production of A Little Night Music, which will run at Leeds Playhouse this summer, with dates to be revealed. There will also be a tour of Fidelio.

The company will originally present Bizet's Carmen at Leeds Grand Theatre, conducted by Garry Walker and directed by Edward Dick. It will star Chrystal E Williams in the title role alongside Antoine Bélanger as Don José.

There will also be a double-bill of Bernstein works played in one evening – a production of one-act opera Trouble in Tahiti as well as a staging of a brand-new dance piece West Side Story Symphonic Dances choreographed by Dane Hurst, with the company working in collaboration with Phoenix Dance Theatre to reinterpret the classic piece in a new light. Antony Hermus will conduct the majority of performances.

Across the winter, Carmen will be joined by a new production of Verdi's Rigoletto, directed by the award-winning Femi Elufowoju Jr in his operatic debut, with Garry Walker conducting the piece and Eric Greene in the title role, joined by Willard White and Roman Arndt.

Opera North's first environmentally sustainable production, a revival of Handel's Alcina, conducted by Laurence Cummings and directed by Tim Albery, with Máire Flavin as Alcina and Patrick Terry as Ruggiero.

The final production is a rescheduled tour of Wagner's Parsifal, which will open at Leeds Grand Theatre before touring to concert halls across the country. A London venue is to be revealed.

Carmen, the Bernstein double bill, Rigoletto and Alcina will also visit venues including The Lowry, Theatre Royal Nottingham, Theatre Royal Newcastle, Hull New Theatre

The venue will finally reopen the 300-seat Howard Assembly Room, a performance venue set to host international talent featuring the likes of award-winning pianist Zoe Rahman, Cuban pianist Omar Sosa with Senegalese kora master Seckou Keita, Leveret, and Richard Dawson. The company's Howard Opera Centre home will also enter its final stages of redevelopment.