I was one of a band of Manchester bloggers invited by Opera North to see behind the scenes, talk to some of the Opera North company and then guzzle free wine and afterwards watch Opera North’s version of Carmen at the Lowry in Salford on Friday.

As someone who takes part in amateur productions of Gilbert and Sullivan I was itching to see how the Opera North stage crew and Carmen cast operate behind the scenes.

I wasn’t disappointed, Kate the stage manager very kindly walked us through the set and the dock (where what seemed like a lot of Opera North’s technical equipment was being held). She showed us how they were holding up around 15 trees above the stage  ready to set down on the stage later on in Carmen. It was really quite exciting to see how it’s all done backstage and we also got to talk to two of the main performers who were very pleasant and gave their time without stint, despite the fact they were almost about to go on!

We then retired to the seats we’d been allocated and sat down to watch…

I can report that Opera North has produced the best Carmen I’ve ever seen. Set in the Deep South, I imagine some place where pidgeon French is spoken.  The first act was set against the backdrop of a factory where the girls chorus work and according to the programme tended to work half-undressed, because of the heat! And as we were told by one of the Julias, who were looking after us, boobs had been exposed during the performances last year but after a public outcry, they were reined in!

The male chorus members were at their swaggering and bullying best as local home boy law enforcement officers. The whole first act simply sweated and oozed with heat, sex and restrained passion bubbling below the surface and then bursting out!

The great thing about all this is that the singing was great, some of it truly excellent and even better, although everything was sung in French we had English subtitles on two unobtrusive screens. That meant we all understood the plot – not just those who had pored over the programme before we started.

Act two sets itself in a trailer park with debris and human flotsam and jetsam distributed around the stage to give that “too hot to do anything” ambience.

The third act with the pine trees (in the Catskill mountains?) was very well done and really made you feel like it was cold and unforgiving.  I congratulate Opera North for having the bravery to invite a bunch of bloggers and to allow them to experience the show and to write whatever we like about it, or not.  My take on this show was that if you like to see opera performed well, but not in the normal “opera by numbers way”, you should see this version of the show. The singing by Opera North’s chorus was an excellent backdrop to the hired talent who come and sing the parts. And the hired talent gave of their all and I felt that this production really encapsulates how performances can be made new and exciting by changing the way we look at them on stage and in production.

The one thing that let it down very, very slightly was the subtitle screens went blank at a couple of inopportune moments. Maybe it was deliberate. However, the result was that during one song I was completely in the dark about what was being sung and what it meant for the plot. I was also baffled by the appearance of the women in their lovely white underclothes, until I read the programme which pointed out that the factory girls would have been half-undressed in the factory. Personally I suspect it was just to give the wardrobe mistress a headache!

Unfortunately Carmen has now finished so that’s it for this show. But given the excellence of Opera North’s interpretation I would suggest it would be worth seeing other operas they bring to the Lowry. I for one will be angling for an invite to go back stage and see what’s going on when they do Ruddigore later this year.

Finally, listen to my excited take on the whole thing that was recorded during an interval at Carmen:

Traditionally Manchester has always sat slightly behind London as the capital of cool in Britain. Sure we’ve consistently produced some of the countries most popular and exciting bands and musicians that will forever be etched in musical history.

It is also home to one of the biggest football clubs in the world, but in terms of glamour and prowess London has always seemed one step ahead of the game. However, this is all starting to change.

During 2009, the centre of the economic crisis and the issues surrounding MPs expenses (arguably the two most depressing news stories of the last decade) have ostensibly emanated from London. Combine this with the ridiculous house prices, a slow public transport system and the constant threat of the terrorism and it’s easy to see how the capital is losing its crown of cool to its northern cousins.

In stark contrast to London’s problems, Manchester has been gobbling up opportunities left, right and centre. Where old, corrupt, slow moving organisations have become synonymous with London, Manchester has come to represent young, exciting dynamic businesses which are aiming to have a positive impact on where they are based.

Getting Right With the BBC

The BBC is planning to move 1,000 jobs from London to Manchester in 2011, as well as investing £250m a year in the city. The move is intended to bring more young emerging talent to the corporation that would have been previously put off moving to London due to the huge living costs. The BBC isn’t the only employer taking advantage of Manchester’s cheaper living and excellent executive office space. The new media area, Media City, is attracting many young media savvy graduates hoping to make a name for themselves at some of the exciting new businesses that have opened up shop at the Salford Quays. Companies like TSL and Toasted Productions are taking advantage of the great meeting venues in Manchester and the wealth of talent that the city provides.

Manchester City Investment

It’s not just in the UK where Manchester is creating a name for itself. Since the takeover of Manchester City by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2008, the “second club of Manchester” has become a firm favourite with football fans in Abu Dhabi – a fact that just three years ago would have seemed highly improbable and equally comical.

Manchester’s future is certainly looking bright; the BBC move and the huge Abu Dhabi investment into Manchester City can be pointed out as the flag bearers for this change but there is also a lot more to it as well. Developments like the NV buildings at Salford Quays have provided sophisticated metropolitan living at a fraction of the cost compared to their counterparts in London. The Ropeworks development in the city centre provides stylish modern living to many of Manchester’s young professionals at a close distance to many of the cities excellent serviced business centres.

The city is gaining so much attention from international investors, as well as national media and employers that it truly has shaken off the perception of gray oppressive skies and horrible mouldy cagoules. Manchester has now truly become the capital of rock and goals!

This article was kindly contributed by Simon Eastlake, Manager of the Serviced Office Company which has a number of serviced offices in Manchester.

Yes, Manchester may not be quite as old as London, or as enormous as New York. But what we lack in size or age we make up for in easy to get to quick sights to see for the seasoned tourist.

And to help us on our way Google have invented a snazzy way for getting the recommended Manchester tourist sights. They’ve set up a way for the locals to add interesting places, it’s called Google City Tours. The sights are shown on a Google Map.

If you click on the Google City Tours link it currently shows a variety of different places to visit, including:

• Greater Manchester Museum of Transport
• Manchester Museum
• Museum of Greater Manchester Police
• Manchester Jewish Museum
• Salford Museum and Art Gallery
• Ordsall Hall
• The Gallery of Costumes
• Heaton Park Tramway Trasport Museum
• Museum of Science and Industry

and many others…

Try it, you may find something you’ve never heard of and yet is worth a visit.

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I went to see Dad’s Army, The Lost Episodes, at the Lowry Theatre in Salford yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

A few of the cast look similar to the original BBC TV characters, for example Pike and Corporal Jones.

In all there are 4 episodes presented, using scripts adapted from the original TV scripts.

Being of that certain age where I’d seen episodes as originally broadcast I’d seen them all. That said I was completely immersed in the experience and as I said found it most enjoyable.

Captain Mainwaring sounded just right, although when he said “stupid boy” to Pike it lacked the conviction of the original. That said, Captain Mainwaring acted exactly how Jimmy Perry and David Croft had written the script so many years before.

Captain Mainwaring and Corporal Jones were a delight, as was the U boat commander who lovingly recreated the role of a superior who had no doubt he would win out over the humble British Home Guard.

Private Fraser was slightly cartoon like to look at but sounded exactly right and delivered his lines with real impact, particularly Fraser’s catch phrase of “We’re Doomed!”

If you love the original Dad’s Army you’ll also love this this well adapted staged version.

The set is minimalist and flown in from the wings and from the top of the stage. But in some ways that helps you to fill in the details yourself. The real power of the play is in the exact characterisations and staying close to the scripts without trying to re-invent a winning formula.

So if you want to see it you need to get your skates on as the production finishes its run at the Lowry Theatre on the 5th January 2008.