A NIGHT AT THE OPERA

A GLORIOUS evening featuring one of the world’s best loved operas comes to Dumfries on May 16.

For the 35th Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival, Opera a la Carte will present Puccini’s heart-breaking masterpiece Madama Butterfly at the Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries, and this is a rare chance to experience a glittering night at the opera with all its colourful grandeur and magnificent splendour.

For those who have never been to an opera, Madama Butterfly is the perfect introduction to this beautiful performing artform.

And the under 25s have two good reasons to attend. First, the exciting chance to see a quality, real-life opera without having to travel to the city; and second, to take advantage of this year’s half price ticket concession.

Madama Butterfly is a heart-rending tale of passion, honour and the tragedy of love. Set in 1890 Japan, this is the story of a naive teenage geisha whose lover, an American naval lieutenant, marries her for convenience and then cruelly abandons her with tragic results.

Luxuriant and exotic, Giacomo Puccini’s glorious and majestic tour de force portrays sorrow and betrayal in a powerful musical score that has enthralled the world’s audiences for over a century.

Madama Butterfly was the inspiration for Miss Saigon and Memoirs of a Geisha. It is the seventh most performed opera in the world and its famous moving arias have been heard in venues across the continents since it was first performed at La Scala, Milan in 1904.

Opera a la Carte presents Madama Butterfly at the Easterbrook Hall at 8pm on Friday, 16 May, and heralds the start of this year’s exciting Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival programme. Tickets from the Midsteeple Box Office, Dumfries, tel: 01387 253383. Full colour festival brochures are available from www.dgartsfestival.org.uk or from outlets across the region.

For a chance to win a pair of tickets and a £50 voucher towards an Italian pre-theatre meal for two on the night, visit www.dgwgo.com and fill out the simple competition entry form.

 

VIVA ITALIA: WIN A NIGHT AT THE OPERA PLUS A MEAL FOR TWO

CLASSIC Italian is on the menu on the evening of Friday, 16 May, as Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival kicks off its 10-day celebrations with Opera a la Carte’s stunning performance of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly in the grand setting of the Easterbrook Hall.

And the festival has teamed up with those wonderful people at Dumfries and Galloway What’s Going On and Little Italy Restaurant in Dumfries to offer a splendid night of Italian food and music, which includes a meal for two to the value of £50 and a pair of tickets to this timeless opera, to one lucky winner.

For a chance to win, simply visit http://www.dgwgo.com and fill out the entry form.

Hailed as one of the world’s best-loved operas, Madama Butterfly, is a heart-breaking tale of passion, honour and the tragedy of love. Set in 1890 Japan, this is the story of a naive teenage geisha whose lover, an American naval lieutenant, marries her for convenience and then cruelly abandons her. Luxuriant and exotic, Giacomo Puccini’s glorious and majestic masterpiece portrays sorrow and betrayal in a powerful musical score that has enthralled audiences across the world for over a century.

For diners who enjoy the whole experience of eating excellent Italian food in a relaxed and intimate setting with echoes of the Tuscan Hills, then Little Italy in Moffat Road, Dumfries, is the only place to be. One of Dumfries’ favourite eateries, the talented chefs of this popular restaurant produce the kind of food that leaves a lasting impression. The extensive lunch and dinner menus include pasta and pizza favourites as well as a mouth-watering variety of fish, chicken and meat dishes cooked in the traditional Italian way but made with some of the best local produce Dumfries and Galloway has to offer.

 

For further information on Little Italy, visit their website at http://www.littleitaly.co.uk

 

Opera a la Carte presents Madama Butterfly at the Easterbrook Hall at 8pm on Friday, 16 May. Tickets from the Midsteeple Box Office, Dumfries, tel: 01387 253383. Full colour festival brochures are available from http://www.dgartsfestival.org.uk or from outlets across the region.