Susanna – Reviews are in
7 Oct 2025
We’re delighted to share some of our top reviews from the premiere of our latest collaboration with Opera North, Susanna.
Following our World Premiere in our home city of Leeds, we continue our run at Leeds Grand Theatre over the next two weeks, before taking the production on tour across the North with performances at Newcastle Theatre Royal, The Lowry in Salford, and Theatre Royal, Nottingham.
Read some of the top reviews from the tour so far:
5 ★★★★★- “Opera North and Phoenix Dance Theatre join forces in a new touring production of Handel’s oratorio, a five-star staging that gives potent modern relevance to the harrowing biblical tale.” – The Times
4.5 ★★★★⯪ “Opera isn’t often known for its gentle physicality, but the inclusion of contemporary dance allowed the audience to experience an emotional range that transcended the usual constraints of the form.” – Northern Arts Review
4 ★★★★ “Marcus Jarrell Willis creates some arresting moments for his nine dancers… the choreography digs beneath the music’s surface, illuminating the singers’ inner feelings.” – The Guardian
4 ★★★★ – “The nine dancers lifted each other, sprinted, twisted, posed and gestured with extraordinary skill and ingenuity, honouring Handel’s dance rhythms. ” – Bachtrack
4 ★★★★ – “ Marcus Jarrell Willis’ choreography meshed perfectly with Olivia Fuchs’ direction” – Reviews Hub
4 ★★★★ – “a successful collaboration by both Opera North and Phoenix Dance Theatre” – Fairy Powered Productions
4 ★★★★ – Theatre Reviews North
“Marcus Jarrell Willis’s choreography is graceful and beautifully executed…” – The Telegraph
“Fascinating staging of Handel’s rare oratorio” – The Stage
“Handel’s oratorio, reimagined through opera and dance, became a mirror for society’s treatment of women, power, and truth.” – North West End
“Willis has devised a varied dance language to illustrate the story.” – The Arts Desk