A Cultural Odyssey: Exploring The Courtyard's Diverse Artistic Offerings
Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of The Courtyard's unique events, designed to captivate audiences with their rich cultural tapestry. From the heartening tones of a dementia-friendly tea party to the resounding notes of world-class operas and ballets, The Courtyard Hereford presents a dynamic array of performances. This season, join us as we celebrate the power of art to connect, heal, and inspire, featuring renowned artists and thrilling productions that promise to leave an indelible mark on every attendee.
Hosted by Rachel Freeman from Everybody Dance, this fun and nostalgic dementia friendly event will brighten up anyone’s day. Filled with music, tea, cakes and dancing, plus students from HCA to dance with!
On April 26, Mozart’s timeless comedy returns to cinemas worldwide with a live broadcast from the MET" class="css-u850" data-mark-multiple="true">Metropolitan Opera. Conductor Joana Mallwitz, in her Met debut, takes the podium to conduct a stellar ensemble cast including American bass-baritone Michael Sumuel as the clever valet Figaro, Ukrainian soprano Olga Kulchynska as the wily maid Susanna, Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins as the skirt-chasing Count, Italian soprano Federica Lombardi as his anguished wife, and French mezzo-soprano Marianne Crebassa as the adolescent page Cherubino.
On a stormy night, fate brings two strangers together, unleashing a love with the power to end worlds. Meanwhile, in the realm of the gods, an epic battle ensues between their ruler Wotan and his rebellious daughter, Brünnhilde.
Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium on May 17 to conduct Strauss’s one-act tragedy, which will be broadcast live from the Metropolitan Opera stage to cinemas worldwide. Leading the company’s first new production of the work in 20 years, Claus Guth, one of Europe’s leading opera directors, gives the biblical story a psychologically perceptive Victorian-era setting. South African soprano Elza van den Heever leads a celebrated cast as the abused and unhinged antiheroine, with Swedish baritone Peter Mattei as the imprisoned prophet Jochanaan; German tenor Gerhard Siegel as Salome’s lecherous stepfather, King Herod; American mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung as his wife, Herodias; and Polish tenor Piotr Buszewski as Narraboth.
Luminescent and shimmering, Fool’s Paradise marked the first of Wheeldon’s many collaborations with composer Joby Talbot. It was created in 2007 for Wheeldon’s own company, Morphoses, and first performed in 2012 by The Royal Ballet.
THE TWO OF US
The wistful songs of Joni Mitchell set the scene for the UK premiere of The Two of Us, a duet of deep intimacy and yearning. It was created in 2020 for the Fall for Dance Festival in New York, and had American ballet dancers Sarah Mearns and David Hallberg in its original cast.
The MET" class="css-u850" data-mark-multiple="true">Metropolitan Opera’s 2024–25 Live in HD season comes to a close with a live broadcast of Rossini’s effervescent comedy on May 31. Russian mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina headlines a winning ensemble as the feisty heroine, Rosina, alongside American tenor Jack Swanson, in his Met debut, as her secret beloved, Count Almaviva. Moldovan baritone Andrey Zhilikhovsky stars as Figaro, the ingenious barber of Seville, with Hungarian bass-baritone Peter Kálmán as Dr. Bartolo and Russian bass Alexander Vinogradov as Don Basilio rounding out the principal cast. Giacomo Sagripanti conducts Bartlett Sher’s madcap production.
The Courtyard Hereford has curated an exceptional array of performances that celebrate the richness and diversity of the arts. Each event is a testament to the power of storytelling through music, opera, dance, and community gatherings. As audiences leave with memories of laughter, tears, and awe, The Courtyard reaffirms its role as a cornerstone of cultural enrichment, fostering connections and inspiring imaginations through each carefully crafted performance.