Warwick's Director of Music Paul McGrath in BBC show

From Wed 9 – Sat 12 May, the English Touring Opera visits Warwick Arts Centre with two much-loved operas: Rossini’s The Barber of Seville and Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. Both operas will be performed in English with a live orchestra and in lavish period costume.

This is a particularly special event for Warwick Arts Centre, as conducting The Barber of Seville is Director of Music at Warwick Arts Centre’s Music Centre, Paul McGrath. McGrath is well known as an opera conductor, having previously worked with opera companies across Europe as well as Opera North and at the BBC Proms. We’re delighted to welcome him to the Arts Centre for a show on home soil!

And in further exciting news, Paul will also be making an appearance in the upcoming BBC series Maestro at the Opera . The first episode will be aired this Fri 4 May on BBC2, and will feature four well-known personalities competing to take on the prestigious task of conducting a full act of a legendary opera at the Royal Opera House. Paul will be appearing as a mentor on the show, using his expertise and know-how to guide one of the clueless contestants to operatic success.

Paul says: “I am thrilled to be part of a tv programme that shows what it is that opera conductors actually do and hopefully some of that will be revealed during the three part series. The big bonus for me is that my ‘celeb’ student is a fabulous person, and we get on like a house on fire!”

Check out the trailer for the show here.

Click to book tickets for The Barber of Seville and Eugene Onegin