An interview with conductor, Harry Bicket

No conductor is more expert in the field of Baroque opera than Harry Bicket, and he observes that 'the piece comes from the Venetian tradition of opera; big contrasts of mood from tragedy to parody to slapstick, whilst always keeping the beauty of the music intact. There's no hierarchy of characters; the person with one aria needs to be as captivating as the person with ten.'

So why does Bicket think Keiser is still so neglected? 'Because he lived at a time of musical giants. But just as CPE Bach, Telemann and Gluck are being rediscovered by a new generation, so will Keiser. And I hope this production will help that process. Anyone who has not heard of Keiser or Croesus (and that is probably quite a lot of people!) should come and see the opera that was one of the most popular of its day, written by the man that helped turn Handel into a theatrical genius, and who was acclaimed in his own day for his originality.'

The production

Going hand in hand with the musical fecundity is a Shakespearian prodigality of dramatic styles, mixing the serious and the comic, the high and the low, all adding up to great entertainment. The closest point of reference for a contemporary audience coming to King Croesus is likely to be the operas of Handel, but Keiser's style is less formal, more natural, even cinematic with its swift changes of scene and rapid cutting between large public events and intimate moments.

The historical Croesus, King of Lydia, lived during the sixth century BC. But in this production the action takes place in the mid-twentieth century, around the time of the second world war. Tim Albery, together with the designer Leslie Travers, settled on this period in order to create a recognisable, believable environment and credible characters in this epic story of love and war. Golden fighter aircraft become a potent visual symbol of Croesus’ wealth and power and provide a remarkable coup de théâtre at the beginning of the second half when the wreckage of a near life-size golden plane is strewn across the stage. Tim's top priority is clarity in the story-telling, a virtue of his approach well-known to Opera North audiences in his recent productions of works as diverse as Così Fan Tutte, One Touch of Venus and Katya Kabanova.

With an opera of such quality yet such unfamiliarity there was a real imperative to find a conductor and cast capable of doing it full justice. In the title role is the great British tenor Paul Nilon, and he is joined by the Canadian soprano Gillian Keith, who has a burgeoning international career, in the role of Elmira. Causing a real stir is the British debut of the extraordinary American male soprano Michael Maniaci, one of very few in the world as Atis. Maniaci appeared in the BBC Television documentary Castrato, first broadcast last year, where he gave an utterly beautiful rendition of Mozart's Exultate Jubilate. Also in the cast is some of the brightest and best of British singing talent, including Eric Roberts, William Dazeley, John Graham Hall, Henry Waddington and Sarah Pring.

You can hear more from conductor Harry Bicket in the pre-show talk that accompanies each performance (exception of 17 October). Please check with the Box Office for further details. For more information on the show, including a sample of the music, or for links to online booking, visit www.operanorth.co.uk.

Grand Theatre, Leeds 17, 20 Oct; 7, 10 Nov 0844 848 2718

Theatre Royal, Nottingham 27 Oct 0115 989 5555

The Lowry, Salford Quays 17 Nov 0870 787 5790