OperaUpClose To Stage Puccini's La Fanciulla del West Jan 31-Feb 3

OperaUpClose's new version of La Fanciulla del West, updating the piece to 21st century Soho, directed by award-winning opera and theatre director Robert Chevara, will get its world premiere at the King's Head Theatre in a five week season from Tuesday 31 January - Saturday 3 February 2012.

Press Night is Friday 3 February at 7.15pm

In this, the third production of a Puccini classic from the company, Minnie runs a dilapidated internet cafe for Eastern European immigrants in the heart of London. Here she meets and falls in love with ‘Vik’ Johnson, a gang leader intent on stealing from the villains in her cafe. When his rivals catch up with him, Minnie is forced to play a hand of poker for his life.

This new intimate version with a cast of 6 characters compared to the 18 characters of the original is directed by Chevara in his own new adaptation (co-written with Kfir Yefet) and promises to be one of the most thrilling theatrical events of the new year.

La Fanciulla del West, Puccini's classic opera about a young girl in the 19th century Wild West, is one of his most complex and controversial pieces. First performed in 1910, La Fanciulla shows the influence of contemporary composers much more than his previous works, while still maintaining the soaring melodies, passion and humour which Puccini is famous for. La Fanciulla has huge popular appeal as evidenced by its influence on Andrew Lloyd Webber - he used it as the inspiration for one of the most famous melodies in The Phantom of the Opera, 'The Music of the Night'.

Robert Chevara was Director of Productions for English Touring Opera 1997 - 2001, and has directed all over the world including productions for Zurich Opera, Dublin Grand Opera, Opera Comique in Paris, Mid Wales Opera, Ystad Opera Festival in Sweden and the Barbican Centre.

Kfir Yefet is an acclaimed writer and director of television and theatre. His work includes A Doll’s House for the Donmar Warehouse in 2009, starring Gillian Anderson and Toby Stephens.

Musical Director John Gibbons has conducted over 40 acclaimed opera productions including an array of Italian operas at Opera Holland Park and has been Principal Conductor of West Sussex’s professional orchestra – Worthing Symphony Orchestra - for over a decade.

Set Design is by Nicolai Hart-Hansen.

Costume Design is by Jonathan Lipman

OperaUpClose is dedicated to presenting new, difficult and classic operas in intimate spaces with world-class trained singers and directors, bringing opera to life for diverse audiences and to offer the extraordinary opportunity to experience the dramatic and musical event of opera up close. La Bohème was the company's first production, opening at The c*ckTavern Theatre in October 2009. It became the longest continuously performed opera in the UK and won the 2011 Laurence Olivier Award "Best New Opera Production" and the 2011 Whatsonstage.com Award "Best Off-West End Production". In October 2010, OperaUpClose became the resident company at the King's Head Theatre, where the company has now produced seven new opera productions, as well as two productions (a transfer of La Boheme and a new production of Don Giovanni) at Soho Theatre.

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