NEWS / Into the Woods, Northern Ireland Opera

Northern Ireland Opera (NI Opera) announces its return to Belfast’s Lyric theatre next February
2022 to stage Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into The Woods, one of the most iconic
and popular shows in the musical theatre canon, richly laden with symbolism, magic and
metaphor.

This new epic production will be directed by NI Opera’s Artistic Director Cameron Menzies whose critically-acclaimed career spans the world of opera, theatre, musical theatre, film and cabaret.
Musicals performed at the Lyric by this award-winning national opera company have become a
cultural highlight of the season and Into The Woods follows on from three previous sell out NI
Opera shows staged there – The Threepenny Opera in 2018, Sweeney Todd in 2019 and Kiss Me Kate in 2020.

Cameron will draw on his expansive skills and influences across the performing arts to create a
showstopper, spotlighting the best of Northern Irish music and creative talent including Enniskillen-born designer Niall McKeever, who will be leading on a spectacular set and costume design.
Cameron describes Into the Woods as the ultimate ‘quest’ musical and says: “It’s a wonderfully intriguing story that brings together and intertwines some of the beloved Brother’s Grimm fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel to ask what might have happened before ‘Once upon a time’ and after ‘Happily ever after’.

The opera house is thrilled to be introducing Belfast to some wonderful local talent, while also showcasing some of the West End’s finest performers, some originally from Northern Ireland making their long- awaited debut performances back home.

The company and creatives from Northern Ireland will endeavour to create a wonderful tribute to one of the greatest musical theatre composers/lyricists of all time. There is truly now a Giant in the Sky.“

Author: Paul HegartyPaul is a reviewer and an experienced actor who has performed extensively in the West End (Olivier nominated) and has worked in TV, radio and a range of provincial theatres. He is also a speech, drama and communications examiner for Trinity College London, having directed productions for both students and professionals and if not busy with all that he is then a teacher of English.