THE Welsh National Opera returns to the Bristol Hippodrome next week with their autumn season of operas.

Marking the centenary of the Russian Revolution, WNO presents two Russian-themed operas: Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin next Wednesday, followed by Janáček’s From the House of the Dead, based on the book by Dostoevsky on Thursday. 

Then on Friday and Saturday, the company twice perform a delightful production of Johan Strauss’s Die Fledermaus.

Opening the week is Eugene Onegin. 

Evoking the elegance of early 19th century St Petersburg, alongside simple countryside settings, the opera follows the cynical protagonist as he rejects the romantic advances of the young country girl Tatyana.

Later he comes to regret his actions and feels the sting of rejection himself. 

Considered one of the greatest Russian operas, Tchaikovsky’s music reflects the high society of the time and the yearnings of the heart.

Then WNO will revive its original 1982 production with a new critical edition of From the House of the Dead. 

Telling the story of the inmates of a Siberian prison, the opera reflects oppression and injustice as each recount why they ended up in jail. Their gloom is eased as they painstakingly nurse an eagle back to health, which comes to symbolize both Russia and the notion of freedom.

Finally Die Fledermaus will transport audiences to Vienna in the early 1900s with a production that revels in humour and frivolity. The performance is full of opulence, fancy frocks and lavish detail. 

Featuring a rich score by Johan Strauss, join the characters at a masquerade ball as a plot around mistaken identity unfolds.  

Die Fledermaus will be sung in English. 

The Bristol Hippodrome hosts: 

  • Eugine Onegin on Wednesday, November 15 at 7pm.
  • From the House of the Dead on Thursday, November 16 at 7.30pm.
  • Die Fledermaus on Friday, November 17 at 7.15pm and a repeat on Saturday, November 18 at 4pm.