Opera North's CAROUSEL Returns to the UK, Beginning Today

A hit production of the classic American musical, Carousel, is returning to the UK stage this spring.

Voted the best musical of the 20th century by Time magazine, Carousel is one of the finest works composed by one of Broadway's most successful partnerships, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Alongside Carousel, their other much-loved hits of stage and screen include The Sound of Music, Oklahoma! and The King and I.

Studded with some of the most powerful, uplifting and moving music ever written for the stage, songs from Carousel include 'If I Loved You,' the joyous 'June is Bustin' Out All Over,' and, of course, the timeless anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone.' Featuring stunning choreography, this electrifying staging of Carousel is an unmissable theatre highlight for 2015.

Set in a tight-knit community on the New England coast, Carousel revolves around the ill-fated affair between the charismatic but troubled Billy Bigelow and a young mill-worker, Julie Jordan. When they fall in love after a chance meeting at the carnival, little do they realise that Billy's rebellious ways will soon end in tragedy. Fifteen years later, Billy is given one more chance to make things right with Julie and the daughter he never met, but is it too little too late?

Directed by Jo Davies, this charming musical is brought vividly to life, with set and costume design by Olivier Award winner Anthony Ward (The King's Speech, ENRON, Oklahoma!, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). Young Liverpool-born baritone Keith Higham plays the carousel barker Billy Bigelow, Gillene Butterfield returns as Julie Jordan, and Yvonne Howard plays Nettie.

The full Broadway score is ravishingly recreated by the musical forces of more than 40 musicians from the critically acclaimed Orchestra of Opera North, led by conductor James Holmes, with a chorus of over 30 singers from Opera North, England's national opera company in the North of England.

UK venues for the tour of Carousel in 2015 include Leeds Grand Theatre, Theatre Royal Norwich and Edinburgh Festival Theatre, before this beautifully staged production travels to the Republic of Ireland for further performances in Dublin.

For more about the show, visit www.carouseltheshow.com.

TOUR DETAILS:

LEEDS, Grand Theatre

Wednesday 13 May - Saturday 23 May 2015

7.00pm plus matinees

13, 14 (2.00pm and 7.00pm), 15, 16 (2.00pm and 7.00pm), 17 (4.00pm), 19, 20, 21 (2.00pm and 7.00pm), 22, 23 May

Booking via 0844 848 2700 or www.leedsgrandtheatre.com

NORWICH, Theatre Royal

Thursday 28 May - Saturday 30 May 2015

7.30pm plus matinees

28 (2.30pm and 7.30pm), 29, 30 (2.30pm and 7.30pm) May

Booking via 0160 363 0000 or www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

EDINBURGH, Festival Theatre

Tuesday 2 June - Saturday 6 June 2015

7.30pm plus matinees

2, 3, 4 (2.30pm and 7.30pm), 5, 6 (2.30pm and 7.30pm) June

Booking via 0131 529 6000 or www.edtheatres.com

DUBLIN, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre

Wednesday 10 June - Saturday 13 June 2015

7.30pm plus matinees

10, 11 (2.30pm and 7.30pm), 12, 13 (2.30pm and 7.30pm) June

Booking via 0844 847 2455 or www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

Photo Credit: Alasdair Muir