Richard Jones News

'The Story of My Life' is a warm, funny, touching reminder of the true value that a special friendship can have, and the unfortunate ease with which we can, and so often do, allow it to fade away. It will entertain and amuse you, but you might well leave the theater as I did - reviewing the texture of half-forgotten relationships.

The 66th season of the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, under the leadership of General Manager Bernard Foccroulle, will present the world premiere productions of operas by Handel and Rossini, a multi-media version of Schubert's Winterreise with video by the award-winning South African artist William Kentridge, as well as Trauernacht, a unique staging of Bach's sacred cantatas by British director Katie Mitchell. Also on the roster is a new Festival production of Die Zauberflote, directed by Complicite's Artistic Director Simon McBurney. In celebration of the 250th anniversary of Rameau's death, a concert version of the composer's Les Boreades, featuring young singers selected by the Academie Europeenne de Musique, will round out the Festival's major vocal presentations.

The UK Daily Mail is reporting that Richard Eyre's Chichester Festival production of THE PAJAMA GAME will move to London's West End, opening at the Shaftesbury Theatre in May of 2014. No official dates or casting has yet been announced.

The West End's No1 Adult Panto is back - and this Christmas season it is Dick! Comes Again: Bigger, Longer, Harder! Legendary international DJ and celebrated nightclub diva, Miss Dusty 'O', who made her West End stage debut in last year's acclaimed, sold out Dick!, is back as S'HoHo' sex club owner Miss Sofonda Cox.

The West End's No1 Adult Panto is back - and this Christmas season it is Dick! Comes Again: Bigger, Longer, Harder! Legendary international DJ and celebrated nightclub diva, Miss Dusty 'O', who made her West End stage debut in last year's acclaimed, sold out Dick!, is back as S'HoHo' sex club owner Miss Sofonda Cox.

Based on one of the most popular and best-loved Christmas films of all time, MIRACLE ON 34th STREET will tour the UK for the first time in a dazzling new stage production, opening at the Beck Theatre, Hayes on Monday 11 November 2013 it was announced today. On sale now.

Multi award-winning recording artist Beverley Knight leads the cast of Thea Sharrock's hit West End production ofThe Bodyguard in the role of Oscar-nominated superstar Rachel Marron. Starring opposite Knight, and playing the iconic title role of Rachel's bodyguard Frank Farmer, is Tristan Gemmill.

The cult rock musical BARE will transfer to Greenwich Theatre for a limited run from tonight 9 to Saturday 27 October 2013 (press night Friday 11 October) following its sold-out European Premiere at the Union Theatre. Full listings below, tickets on sale now.

The Bayerische Staatsoper (Bavarian State Opera) in Munich, Germany presents the 2013-14 season of STAATSOPER.TV - a free live-stream of select performances online at www.staatsoper.de/tv - including seven operas, six of which are new productions, and two ballets. The Bayerische Staatsoper, known for presenting provocative, experimental productions, is the first international opera house to present a full season of operas and ballets streamed live online at no cost, offering opera enthusiasts around the world the opportunity to see these artistically conceived and adventurous productions, many of which are sold out in the opera house, sung by today's most prominent artists.

The Times reports that City Opera's board voted to start bankruptcy proceedings next week if it fails to raise $7 million by Monday. The opera will most likely not meet that goal after only raising about $1.5 million since it first made an urgent appeal for the $7 million this month.

The Times reports that City Opera's board voted to start bankruptcy proceedings next week if it fails to raise $7 million by Monday. The opera will most likely not meet that goal after only raising about $1.5 million since it first made an urgent appeal for the $7 million this month.

New York City Opera's 2013-14 season and BAM's 2013 Next Wave Festival opened Sept. 17 with the U.S. premiere of Anna Nicole, an opera by composer Mark-Anthony Turnage and librettist Richard Thomas based on the flamboyant life and tragic death of Anna Nicole Smith. This highly anticipated co-production includes seven performances at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, on September 17, 19, 21, 24, 25, 27, and 28 at 7:30pm. Click below to go behind the scenes with the opera's cast and creative team!

ANNA NICOLE tells the story of Anna Nicole Smith, a small-town Texas waitress (and later, exotic dancer) in pursuit of the American Dream. Smith wed an octogenarian billionaire and became a Playboy model and tabloid celebrity, living a life of excess and substance abuse under the constant glare of the media until her death at the age of 39.

With a story that is somehow poignant despite its scatological language, ANNA NICOLE's heroine is nicer than Berg's LULU, less lucky than TRAVIATA's Violetta and more cunning than MANON's Manon (though maybe not MANON LESCAUT's). Whatever she is, Anna Nicole Smith is definitely a full-fledged operatic heroine. As portrayed by American soprano Sarah Joy Miller in the local premiere of the Marc-Anthony Turnage-Richard Thomas work about the life and times of minor celebrity Smith, this is a wildly entertaining evening. The opera, which debuted two years ago in London, opened on September 17 at Brooklyn Academy of Music, compliments of New York City Opera and BAM's Next Wave Festival, directed by Richard Jones.

New York City Opera's 2013-14 season and BAM's 2013 Next Wave Festival opened Sept. 17 with the U.S. premiere of Anna Nicole, an opera by composer Mark-Anthony Turnage and librettist Richard Thomas based on the flamboyant life and tragic death of Anna Nicole Smith. This highly anticipated co-production includes seven performances at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, on September 17, 19, 21, 24, 25, 27, and 28 at 7:30pm. Individual tickets are on sale at BAM.org or through BAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below!

New York City Opera's 2013-14 season and BAM's 2013 Next Wave Festival begin today, Sept. 17, with the U.S. premiere of Anna Nicole, an opera by composer Mark-Anthony Turnage and librettist Richard Thomas based on the flamboyant life and tragic death of Anna Nicole Smith. This highly anticipated co-production includes seven performances at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, on September 17, 19, 21, 24, 25, 27, and 28 at 7:30pm. Individual tickets are on sale at BAM.org or through BAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100.

New York City Opera's 2013-14 season and BAM's 2013 Next Wave Festival begin with the U.S. premiere of Anna Nicole, an opera by composer Mark-Anthony Turnage and librettist Richard Thomas based on the flamboyant life and tragic death of Anna Nicole Smith. This highly anticipated co-production includes seven performances at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, tonight, September 17 and September 19, 21, 24, 25, 27, and 28 at 7:30pm.

Where does the Mark-Anthony Turnage-Richard Thomas opera, ANNA NICOLE, stand? “On the line of opera and musiktheatre,” said Elaine Padmore, former director of opera at the Royal Opera Covent Garden, speaking on a panel at the Guggenheim Museum's “Works & Process” event on September 8. This “obscene and marvelous show,” which debuted in 2011 at London's famed opera house, tells the story of tabloid queen Anna Nicole Smith not only through music and words but nonstop movement as well, choreographed by Aletta Collins. It will have its American premiere on September 17 as a co-production of New York City Opera and BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), directed by Richard Jones.