The barking of a dog, the buzzing of flies, a drunkard staggering home: these are just a few of the pictures ingeniously painted in Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. Published in 1725, his set of four violin concertos was staggeringly ahead of its time, a forerunner to the ‘programme music’ of Liszt, Berlioz and Richard Strauss over a century later.

Still, it is the musical backdrop to these events – the atmosphere Vivaldi creates across the length of each concerto – that sticks with the listener longest. This rich, shimmering collection is a celebration of contrasts: from spring’s freshness and summer’s heat to the mellow fruitfulness of autumn and the chill of winter.

The Four Seasons

Huddersfield Town Hall

Don Pasquale, head of the independent Studio da Corneto, is about to retire. Everyone expects him to hand the studio over to his nephew Ernesto, a screenwriter of sword‑and‑sandal epics. Pasquale objects when he learns Ernesto is involved with Norina, a struggling actress living on Rome’s outskirts. To teach the old man a lesson, the savvy agent Malatesta engineers a romantic ruse, casting Norina in a starring role. The plot whirls through the studio’s various sets and culminates on the main sound‑stage, where the lovers’ deception is performed under bright lights.

Orchestra of Opera North

Jun 14, 2026

The Four Seasons

May 29 - Jun 7, 2026

Don Pasquale at Nevill Holt

Orchestra of Opera North