ROH LIVE OPERA: TOSCA

(Wem Town Hall, Feb 11)

Opera sung in Italian with English Subtitles.

Tosca is one of the great evenings of opera, and from its strident opening chords conjures up a world of political instability and menace.

Jonathan Kent’s production for The Royal Opera captures the dangerous political turbulence of Rome in 1800. The Chief of Police, Scarpia – one of the most malevolent villains in opera – ruthlessly pursues and tortures enemies of the state.

His dark, demonic music contrasts with the expansive melodies of the idealistic lovers, Tosca and Cavaradossi, who express their passion in sublime arias, including ‘Vissi d’arte’ and ‘E lucevan le stelle’.

Tickets cost £13 for adults and £8.50 for 19 and under – call 01939 238 279 for more details.

EUGENE ONEGIN

(Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Feb 8)

Olivier Award-winning OperaUpClose return to Theatre Severn with their new English version of Tchaikovsky’s sweeping Eugene Onegin.

With a narrative that is both romantic and thought-provoking, the central character is the fiercely intelligent but naïve Tatyana, whose entanglement with Onegin results in a wiser, sadder but ultimately self-reliant heroine.

This new chamber version will transpose the story of Tatyana’s sexual awakening to the early 1960s, a world on the cusp of the women’s liberation movement when new thinking fought against the old ways.

Tickets cost between £19.50-22.50 – call 01743 281 281 for more.

BIRDSONG

(Crewe Lyceum, Feb 6-10)

In PRE-WAR France, a young Englishman Stephen Wraysford embarks on a passionate and dangerous affair with the beautiful Isabelle Azaire that turns their world upside down.

As the war breaks out over the idyll of his former life, Stephen must lead his men through the carnage of the Battle of the Somme and through the sprawling tunnels that lie deep underground. Faced with the unprecedented horror of the war Stephen clings to the memory of Isabelle as his world explodes around him.

Tickets are from £26 and ring 01270 368 242 for more.

COCO

(Theatr Clywd , Mold, Feb 9-16)

Animated feature as an aspiring musician ,Miguel, enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer.

Tickets cost £5 for all - ring 01352 701 521 for more details.