Opera Nova based in the Tees Valley in the North East of England performs opera music at a variety of venues throughout the region.
Mozart’s sparkling comedy The Marriage of Figaro (sung in English) is a fantastic opportunity to perform one of opera’s most beloved masterpieces in a supportive and creative environment.
Guided by our conductor Benjamin Noble and accompanist Lauren Gilbert, Opera Nova promises a joyful rehearsal process and a vibrant final production. All are welcome to audition, whether you’re an experienced performer or eager to take your first step on the opera stage. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Opera Nova: Amateur opera group based in the Tees Valley
Rehearsals: Every Tuesday 7.30pm – 9.30pm
Rehearsal venue: St Patrick’s Catholic Church Hall, Glenfield Road, Stockton, TS19 7PJ
Auditions:
Tuesday 23 September at 7.30pm
Tuesday 30 September at 7.30pm
Audition venue: St Patrick’s Catholic Church Hall, Glenfield Road, Stockton, TS19 7PJ
Schemes, secrets, and sparkling music - Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro is the wedding you don’t want to miss!
For details and audition sign-up contact Sue or Lauren
Past performances
Opera Nova present: On the Town
Opera Nova presented a new programme for 2025 featuring solos, ensembles and choruses from favourite operas including Faust, La Traviata, Magic Flute, Pirates of Penzance, Carmen and many more. Whether you are a seasoned opera fan or simply love music of all kinds, you are sure to enjoy an afternoon in the exhilarating world of opera.
Devised and conducted by our new Musical Director Benjamin Noble, with Opera Nova Accompanist Lauren Gilbert at the piano, the programme showcases the Opera Nova chorus and soloists.
Stokesley Methodist Church
Date: Tuesday 8 July 2025
Opera Nova Outreach Project 2025
Opera Day at Chilton Academy, Durham
Opera Day at Lingfield Education Trust, Darlington
Thanks to generous funding from Point North, Opera Nova continued the Outreach project, started in 2024. Through Opera Days at Chilton Academy, Durham and for the Lingfield Education Trust, Darlington, children and young people have been introduced to opera and the pleasures and benefits of singing and acting with all age groups have been shared. We have also given short performances in a wider range of venues, such as Darlington Library. If you are interested in hosting an Outreach event, please contact us (contact details below).
In 2024, Opera Nova in partnership with Great Aycliffe Town Council presented:
The Merry Widow by Franz Léhar
Opera Day at Woodham Burn Community Primary School
Members of Opera Nova worked with Year 5 pupils, aided by music students from Woodham Academy. All learnt to sing and act short scenes from the light-hearted operetta, The Merry Widow. The workshops followed by a performance on Saturday 29 June with both Woodham Burn and Woodham Academy pupils performing alongside Opera Nova.
The Merry Widow by Franz Léhar
Holy Trinity with St Mark Church, Upsall Grove, Stockton-on-Tees Tues 15 Oct 2024 7:30 pm
Stokesley Methodist Church, High Street, Stokesley Tues 9 Jul 2024 7:30 pm
The concert series ‘Partytime!’ was presented by Opera Nova in Winter/Spring 2024 – a selection of fun choruses and ensembles from opera and operetta, including songs from The Merry Widow which we were preparing to present as our semi-staged production for 2024.
For the spring to autumn 2023 season, Opera Nova presented a programme of Verdi opera with semi-staged extracts from La Traviata, Il Trovatore, Rigoletto, Aida, Falstaff and Otello, with Artistic Director Penny Randall-Davis, Musical Director Marco Romano and accompanist Lauren Gilbert.
audio file: opera-nova-excerpt-from-la-traviata-act-2-finale
photo by Alan Clements: Verdi: Love and Loss 2023
photo gallery: schools performance of Trial by Jury in Middlesbrough Town Hall Courtroom
photo by Alan Clements: Trial by Jury 2019
About Opera Nova
