research
We aim to be the world leaders in:- Research into opera
- Research through opera
- Research for opera
The University of Leeds and Opera North bring a wealth of expertise in the theory and practice of opera and theatre and their cultural context.
Our research programme combines traditional research and scholarship in the arts, sciences and technology, and practice-based or practice-led research.
Operatic Encounters: Common Voices
Research into the impact of legislation
New collaborative PhDs
Other doctoral research
Operatic Encounters: Common Voices
This project grew from the DARE partnership. The University of Leeds, Opera North, the Sibelius Academy Finland, the Bregenzer Festspiele Austria, and the Shanghai Theatre Academy, China are working together to explore the EU and Chinese traditions of opera within their cultural context.
The two year project aims to form long lasting partnerships and promote cultural understanding between Europe and China . It will enhance the skills and knowledge of participants and the wider community through a programme of research, education and exchange. Joint activities, including creative workshops and educational events involving young people in China , Austria and the UK are being facilitated by artistic and academic specialists from all partners.
There are two interlocked groups of participants drawn from the four partners:
- CAT - the core artistic team of UK and Chinese artists who are working to deconstruct and reconstruct their art forms to explore common languages.
- CCG - the cultural context group of academics and professionals undertaking a parallel exploration of the context of opera within Europe and China - history, development, education, business, management, politics, transmission. There is a documentation group drawn from the CCG.
The first planning meeting with the core project team took place in Shanghai in September 2008, followed by full project team work in the city in January 2009. The full project team visited Leeds in April 2009 for further work including invitation workshops for young people. In August 2009, the team worked in Austria as part of Bregenz Festival. A symposium will take place in Leeds in winter 09/10. The final week will take place in Shanghai in spring/summer 2010, when public performances and presentations will engage the wider community and the results will be shared with the global audience online.
Research into
the impact of legislation on musicians and academics
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations (2005) will come into
force for the music and entertainment sectors from April 2008. A research project
currently underway is exploring the likely impact of this legislation on professional
musicians and academics. The project aims to develop a more detailed understanding
of the sound levels that musicians are exposed to during the working day in
various environments including the Opera North pit in The Grand Theatre and
Opera House Leeds and various concert halls. It is hoped that the
outcomes of the research will
be of positive benefit to musicians and to organisations involved in the performance
of live music.
Two collaborative PhDs
Funding from Arts and Humanities Research Council has been awarded for two collaborative PhDs exploring opera as
adaptation. The first, entitled 'Adaptation and the libretto', began in the autumn of 2007 and is held by Adam
Strickson. It is supervised by Dr Kara McKechnie in the School of Performance and Cultural Industries.
A second studentship started in 2008. Jenny Daniel is exploring 'Compositional responses to source and libretto' and is
supervised by Richard Farnes, Music Director, Opera North and Dr Kara McKechnie from the University.
Other doctoral research
Doctoral research in the School of Music is currently being undertaken by Opera North's head of Music Martin Pickard
on J. N. von Poissl and the early 19th-Century quest for a typical German Opera, and has been completed by former
Opera North cellist George Kennaway on Nineteenth-century cello performance practice.