Join Mid Wales Opera this autumn for an evening of family friendly music and magical storytelling this autumn.

The company bring their brand-new arrangement of Catalan composer Xavier Montsalvatge’s short opera Puss in Boots to Theatr Brycheiniog on Thursday, November 10.

Complete with a cast of five fabulous professional singers and featuring a cunning cat and his luckless young master, a practically perfect princess and a King enthralled to a wicked ogre, Puss in Boots brings the familiar fairy story to life with a sophisticated score performed by five magnificent musicians and filled with Spanish flavours and feline effects.

Montsalvtage died in 2002 and while he is regarded as one of Spain’s foremost twentieth century composers, his work is rarely performed. MWO are thrilled to have permission from the composer’s family to bring the work to new audiences. The production is touring across Wales and the borders this October and November, with tickets from as little as £12 – and it is a purrfect way to introduce children and young people to opera.

The launch of their Fairy Tales season also includes a touring production of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel opening at Hafren, Newtown on March 4 2023.

MWO’s Executive Director Lydia Bassett said: “Lots of people are struggling at the moment, and there’s something magical about letting someone sing you a story. We want these magical Fairy Tales to transport you to another world for the evening, full of witches and ogres, a princess and the mischievous Puss in Boots. They’re familiar stories with an operatic twist and we’re excited to be sharing them with audiences across Wales and the borders.”

Music Director Jonathan Lyness’ new chamber arrangement of Puss in Boots will enable MWO to take professional live opera to small and mid-scale venues at the heart of communities across Wales and the borders. Both productions will be sung in English.

Jonathan Lyness said: “For MWO’s Fairy Tales season we’ve chosen two amazing operas - Humperdinck’s outright masterpiece Hansel and Gretel and Montsalvatge’s brilliantly energetic short opera El Gato con Botas. Who hasn’t heard of Puss in Boots? But who can remember the story? This is a chance for audiences of all ages to get reacquainted with this devious cat and bask in this Catalan composer’s beautiful but rarely heard music.”

From its opening, Montsalvatge’s music is energetic, tuneful and full of catchy rhythms, lush melodies and feline musical effects. The opera lasts around an hour and after the interval the singers and musicians will come together again in a cabaret-style second half bursting with popular music.

MWO’s SmallStages tour of Puss in Boots begins at Gregynog Hall (tickets from Hafren, Newtown) on Friday, October 14 2022. It then tours to Bishop’s Castle, Swansea, Criccieth, Colwyn Bay, Mold, Presteigne, Fishguard, Ystrad Aeron, Ludlow and Barmouth before its final performance in Aberdyfi on Saturday, November 12.