Welsh National Opera to tour Middle East and Scandinavia

6 August 2013, 11:45

Welsh National Opera will be touring the Middle East and Scandinavia in 2013 and 2014, it has been announced.

The wide-ranging tour will take in the company's debut performances in Oman and Finland. They will also be the first UK opera company to perform in the Royal Opera House Muscat in December 2013.

WNO Artistic Director David Pountney commented: "Our foreign tours are a wonderful way for the company to exploit its touring expertise, and yet another way in which the arts are one the most significant generators of cultural and economic value for Britain."

They will also make their debut performance at the Savonlinna Opera Festival in August 2014.

The company will perform Donizetti's Maria Stuarda at the Royal Opera House in Oman, while they will perform Verdi's Nabucco and Puccini's Manon Lescaut at Olavinlinna Castle in Finland as part of the Savoinlinna Opera Festival.

In total, 145 members of cast, crew and backstage staff will be flown out to the Middle East, along with the full scenery, props and costumes.