Radical new production blends Mozart, Yorkshire poetry and Indian classical music.
What happens when Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro meets 1970s Britain, Yorkshire poetry and Indian classical music?
Mashallah! It’s Mozart – but not as you’ve heard it before.
Bradford Opera Festival is bringing the vibe of a ‘70s Bollywood comedy to Mozart’s madcap farce, with a very Yorkshire twist
Tickets go on sale on 1st July 2026 for the London run of this bold new reimagining of one of the world’s most celebrated operas.
Kauser Mukhtar pictured with Ben Crick and Ian McMillan, photo credit Lorne Campbell/Guzelian
Adapted by acclaimed poet and broadcaster Ian McMillan, this ambitious new production relocates Mozart’s comic masterpiece to ‘70s Bradford, transforming a classic tale of class, power and desire into a story that speaks directly to contemporary Britain.
Performed in a distinctive Yorkshire dialect and featuring a richly textured score that blends Western and Indian classical traditions, The Marriage of Figaro offers audiences a fresh perspective on a work whose themes remain as relevant today as when it first challenged social conventions more than 200 years ago.
Ian McMillan said: “Opera was conceived to challenge the artistic and social boundaries of its day. Setting Figaro in Bradford and giving it a Yorkshire voice allows audiences to hear the wit, warmth and humanity of Mozart’s characters in a completely fresh and accessible way. Their concerns about love, power and social change remain as alive today as they were in Mozart’s time. Onward to world domination for Yorkshire Opera adaptations! The sky’s the limit, tha knows!”
The final act is set in an allotment, infusing the story with Yorkshire humour, local character and contemporary resonance.
The production builds on the success of Bradford Opera Festival’s acclaimed 2023 adaptation of The Barber of Seville, which was praised by critics as “an hilarious operatic treat.”
Under the baton of the leading Yorkshire composer and conductor Ben Crick, Mozart’s music remains, but has been reorchestrated by Crick for an ensemble of Western and Indian Classical musicians.
Ben Crick said: “The Marriage of Figaro began life as a controversial play that challenged class privilege. Mozart turned it into an opera to get past the censors. Opera isn’t conservative, or exclusive. It should be topical. This production reclaims that original spirit, creating a new work that is socially relevant. We’re reclaiming the radical spirit at the heart of Figaro and presenting it for a new generation.”
The creative team includes singer, poet and lyricist Kauser Mukhtar, whose work celebrates and preserves South Asian cultural heritage within British communities. Mukhtar has translated small sections of the arias into Urdu and Punjabi.
Kauser Mukhtar said: “I am so excited about the fusion of Western and Indian classical music. Translating sections of the Opera to Punjabi and Urdu will make it accessible to more of Bradford’s diverse communities. Being multilingual offers a richness of expression that is a perfect match for Opera.”
Three South Asian opera singers, Oscar Castellino, Natasha Agarwal, and Kanchana Jaishakar, play key characters.
The production is directed by Bradford Opera Festival Artistic Director Alex Chisholm, who also directed the company’s acclaimed Barber of Seville adaptation.
Alex Chisholm said: “The diverse mix of the cast is authentic to Bradford in the 1970s and today. This production reflects the realities of modern Britain, while remaining true to the spirit of Mozart’s original. Britain’s cultural identity has always been shaped by the meeting of different traditions, stories and communities. We’ve created something that feels both rooted in a specific place and relevant to audiences everywhere.”
Following performances in Bradford, Leeds and Skipton, the production comes to London’s historic Wilton’s Music Hall for a limited run from 23–25 November.
Tickets for Wilton’s Music Hall go on sale on 1 July 2026. Box Office :https://wiltons.org.uk/whats-on/the-marriage-of-figaro/
For further information, interviews and press tickets, please contact:
Clair – clair@causeuk.com | 07531 948014
Ann – ann@causeuk.com | 07534 892715
2026 Performance Dates
• Bradford Arts Centre – 17 & 18 November
• Slung Low, Leeds – 20 November
• Skipton Town Hall – 21 November
• Wilton’s Music Hall, London – 23–25 November
The Marriage of Figaro
A new Yorkshire version by Ian McMillan
Figaro’s getting wed to Suzanna. But his boss, the Count, has designs on her, neglecting his young Countess, Rosina. Can Figaro and Suzanna conspire to thwart the Count? And who is kissing the Countess down t’allotment!
Set in 1970s Bradford, with a new translation by BBC3 star, Yorkshire’s own Ian McMillan, this orchestral reimagining seamlessly blends Western and Indian Classical instruments. Performed by an ensemble that combines expert musicians and singers from both traditions, this is a fresh twist on a beloved classic, authentic and true to Mozart and Indian Classical music.
Following The Barber of Seville, praised as “an hilarious operatic treat” ★★★★ (The Telegraph), conductor Ben Crick and director Alex Chisholm continue to bring fresh life to familiar stories, with confidence, detail, and a real sense of play.
About Bradford Opera Festival
Founded in 2017 by Ben Crick and Alex Chisholm, Bradford Opera Festival creates bold new interpretations of classic works alongside original productions inspired by the people, stories and culture of Bradford.
About Wilton’s Music Hall
Wilton’s is a Grade II* building of international significance as it is the only surviving Grand Music Hall in the world, the foremost arts venue in the East End, Wilton’s welcomes world-class artistic talent all year-round. Wilton’s programmes and produces extraordinary music and theatre, which speak to the magical space of Wilton’s and are enhanced by it. It is home to over 300 performances and over 80 productions each year.
Wilton’s has been home to the first East End BBC Prom, hosted the London International Mime Festival and championed innovative writing including plays by James Graham, Patterson Joseph, Chris Thorpe, and Joy Wilkinson. It has hosted international work from Hong Kong to Canada, and the team of artistic associates have kept diversity at the heart of all they do.
Recently named the 5th most iconic building in London by Time Out, Wilton’s has a unique spirit that has captured the imagination of generations of artists for over 160 years. Wilton’s invest in the next generation of actors, directors and musicians through its Heritage and Artistic Engagement programmes