Premiering in July 2023 as part of the cultural festival LEEDS 2023, get ready for the show that promises to be as adventurous as its protagonists…

“Stranded on the ice in the middle of the Southern Ocean for over a year with no way to get a message home, Shackleton and his crew set out on their epic tale of survival against the odds. After the sinking of their ship, the Endurance, their mission becomes to find a way home before they succumb to the fate of many Antarctic explorers before them.

With supplies running low, and the ice melting around them, they have nothing but three small boats, their good spirits and Shackleton to turn their fate around. This extraordinary journey uses the power of theatre to bring you into the lives, loves and spirit of these men as they endure the ultimate test of the human spirit.”

We are NOW AUDITIONING for Shackleton the Musical! All audition info is here.

We can’t wait to see old and new faces at auditions on the 21st January! See you there…

ARC23

We are delighted to announce a new one-act opera commission to celebrate our 50th anniversary – postposned by Covid-19 to July 2022!

The celebrated creative team of Lewis Murphy (composer) and Laura Attridge (librettist) – working under the partnership Murphy & Attridge – have now completed work on ‘ARC23’ – a pertinent and gripping tale for our time, exploring our changing climate, the nature of isolation, and the intractable nature of human behaviour:

“An expeditionary space force sets forth to establish a new colony for humanity, who are escaping a dying home planet. When communications with Earth fail, however, and all hope seems lost, how will the crew navigate their way out of the unknown …”

Laura Attridge (librettist) – “I am honoured to be a part of the celebration of Leeds Youth Opera’s 50th anniversary, particularly as a Yorkshire lass, myself! This commission for the performers of LYO offers a fantastic opportunity to write a piece which not only showcases their talents but also speaks to their concerns as young people in the world today”

Lewis Murphy (composer) – “I am thrilled to be writing a new opera for the 50th anniversary of Leeds Youth Opera, a company whose ambition and commitment to youth music making are simply inspirational.”

THE MAGIC FLUTE

Leeds Youth Opera are building a create-your-own-adventure-book style digital experience for audiences online. This new and ambitious experience will be part-opera, part-fairytale, part-game where the audience decide which path to choose next! 

Our digital adaptation of Mozart’s story of darkness and light, good and evil is set in a futuristic and technological world. Think of the worlds of Black Mirror, Dr Who and The Handmaid’s Tale! Using these near-future, dystopian worlds as starting points we will work with the cast to create our own world for The Magic Flute.

The company is directed by immersive theatre director Alex Palmer, Alex has directed plays and operas but has also designed video games, created apps and built escape rooms! “This is a completely new way of experiencing opera – I don’t think it has ever been done before like this!” – Alex Palmer

The world isn’t the same as it was – so it’s fitting that LYO’s next musical offering is one where the world isn’t quite as it seems, Mozart’s The Magic Flute.  Strange characters and monsters lead the main characters through a maze of different adventures on their way to finding their goals.  

The world isn’t the same as it was – so it’s fitting that LYO’s next musical offering is one where the world isn’t quite as it seems, Mozart’s The Magic Flute.  Strange characters and monsters lead the main characters through a maze of different adventures on their way to finding their goals.  

Coming soon to a screen near you!