Welcome to Welsh National Opera

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WNO's Story

Today, Welsh National Opera is a multi award-winning touring opera company performing to over 140,000 people a year across England and Wales.

In recent years, WNO has won numerous awards including a Barclays Theatre Award for Achievement in Opera in 2006 for Mazepa (part of WNO's groundbreaking Russian Series) and an RPS Education Award earlier this year for the Land, Sea, Sky Trilogy project.

Following its launch in 2003, WNO's innovative MAX department has sought to maximise the potential of opera to electrify and enrapture through participation in, and preparation for, live opera experiences. Many hugely successful projects include the award-winning Katerina Chorus project which worked with children in Merthyr Tydfil, and the Land, Sea, Sky Trilogy.

In Autumn 2007 Welsh National Opera performed the world-premiere performances of James MacMillan's The Sacrifice. The opera was performed across the UK to hugely enthusiastic audiences. James MacMillan won an RPS award for The Sacrifice earlier this year.

Welsh National Opera has a long and fascinating history. Travel through time from the Company's first performance in 1946, with this interactive timeline, celebrating significant performances, dates and people from the 60 years of first company's history.

This interactive timeline is taken from Welsh National Opera Celebrating the first 60 years edited by Caroline Leech and published by Graffeg. This lavishly illustrated publication is available in hardback, 256 x 205mm, 192 pages in full colour, containing more than 100 photographs.

Order your copy directly from WNO and contribute towards WNO's fundraising. To order your book (£19.99) simply call Siobhan Neil on 029 2063 5030 / siobhan.neil@wno.org.uk

  • WNO celebrates 60


  • 15
    April 2006

  • WNO's 60th birthday marked with a performance of The Flying Dutchman at the Grand Theatre, Swansea.

  • A home for WNO


  • 17
    February 2005

  • WNO's opening season in its first home - Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay

  • Stablisation awarded


  • 01
    February 2002

  • The Arts Councils of England and Wales announced a £4.25 million Stabilisation Award to WNO to give it a firmer financial base from which to work.

  • WNO MAX


  • 01
    January 2001

  • WNO MAX’s first project premièred

  • WNO at 40


  • 01
    September 1986

  • WNO celebrated its 40th birthday with Wagner’s Ring Cycle

  • Cardiff Theatrical Services


  • 01
    January 1984

  • Cardiff Theatrical Services was created from WNO’s workshops to build sets for WNO as well as for many other opera companies.

  • A fire in the scenery dock


  • 01
    January 1976

  • Shortly after Brian McMaster is appointed as General Administrator’s appointment, the scenery dock in Cardiff caught fire.

  • Peggy Moreland


  • 14
    December 1973

  • Margaret Moreland, WNO’s company secretary, appears on stage

  • WNO’s first foreign tour


  • 01
    June 1973

  • WNO’s first foreign tour – performing Billy Budd in Lausanne and Zurich, in Switzerland.

  • An Orchestra for WNO


  • 01
    October 1969

  • James Levine made his British operatic debut conducting Aida in Llandudno with WNO.

  • The new professional Chorus


  • 01
    January 1968

  • The first rehearsal of the 30 members of the new professional Chorus, The WNO Chorale, becoming The Chorus of WNO in 1979.

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