Opera North: The Voice of Verdi. The Lowry

TO mark the centenary of Verdi's death, our regional opera company on Tuesday staged a feast of music by Italy's greatest opera composer.

Forsaking costumes and stage sets, the soloists and chorus put on their dinner jackets and evening gowns for a concert of his most stirring music, largely from his "Risorgimento" works when Italy was fighting for her independence in the middle of the 19th century.

Before the interval there were excerpts from some of the lesser known operas -- La battaglia di Legnano, I Lombardi and Attila, culminating in the opening chorus from Nabucco and an impressive scene from Macbeth.

The second half kicked off with the wonderful duet from the end of Act 2 of Rigoletto, followed by two impressive scenes from Act 4 of Don Carlos, and ended with a superb rendering of the Council Chamber scene from Act 1 of Simon Boccanegra.

Soprano Majella Cullagh produced some fine singing, especially as Gilda in Rigoletto, where she was admirably partnered by baritone Peter Sidhom as her tragic jester father.

Tenor Harrie van der Plas was equally impressive, especially in the second Don Carlos scene, and the basses, Michael Druiett and Leigh-born Michael John Pearson, brought plenty of gravitas to the Don Carlos excerpts.

The Chorus of Opera North were on top form -- they were given their encore with the Slaves Chorus from Nabucco at the end -- and the orchestra, conducted by Dietfried Bernet, showed once again what a fine ensemble they are.

Tonight and Friday is Janacek's The Cunning Little Vixen, and tomorrow and Saturday is Puccini's ever popular La Boheme. John Griffiths