The gold rush opera is vivid and gripping

Set in the Gold Rush of 1849, Giacomo Puccini’s The Girl of The Golden West tells tale of true love and second chances.
LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST by Puccini;
Opera North;
Grand Theatre, Leeds, UK;
18 January 2014;

ALWYN MELLOR as Minnie;
RAFAEL ROJAS as Dick Johnson;

Conductor - Richard Farnes;
Director - Aletta Collins;
Set Designer - Giles Cadle;
Costume Designer - Gabrielle Dalton;
Lighting Designer - Andreas Fuchs;
Video Designer - Andrzej Goulding;
Fight Director - Austin Spangler;

Photo credit: © CLIVE BARDA/ArenaPAL;LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST by Puccini;
Opera North;
Grand Theatre, Leeds, UK;
18 January 2014;

ALWYN MELLOR as Minnie;
RAFAEL ROJAS as Dick Johnson;

Conductor - Richard Farnes;
Director - Aletta Collins;
Set Designer - Giles Cadle;
Costume Designer - Gabrielle Dalton;
Lighting Designer - Andreas Fuchs;
Video Designer - Andrzej Goulding;
Fight Director - Austin Spangler;

Photo credit: © CLIVE BARDA/ArenaPAL;
LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST by Puccini; Opera North; Grand Theatre, Leeds, UK; 18 January 2014; ALWYN MELLOR as Minnie; RAFAEL ROJAS as Dick Johnson; Conductor - Richard Farnes; Director - Aletta Collins; Set Designer - Giles Cadle; Costume Designer - Gabrielle Dalton; Lighting Designer - Andreas Fuchs; Video Designer - Andrzej Goulding; Fight Director - Austin Spangler; Photo credit: © CLIVE BARDA/ArenaPAL;

Alwyn Mellor plays the part of Minnie – a feisty yet vulnerable saloon owner who falls in love with the dastardly Mexican bandit Ramerrez, played by Rafael Rojas.

She is spellbinding and captivates the audience from the moment she enters the stage and breaks up a fight in The Polka.

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The production by Opera North is bold, vivid and has a growing energy which whisks the story along at an exciting pace.

It is not until the final moments before the curtain falls that the audience discovers if there is such a thing as redemption for Ramerrez.

The Girl of the Golden West runs until February 21 at Leeds Grand Theatre. Visit www.operanorth.co.uk