The California Gold Rush provides the setting for the tense story, sweeping music and lavish Royal Opera staging of Puccini’s ‘Wild West’ opera – with whisky and bar-room brawling, a suspicious sheriff and even the fateful turn of a hand of poker.

At the centre is the romance between an outlaw in hiding, Dick Johnson, and the tough woman who saves his life, Minnie – presented with Puccini’s much-loved lyricism by star tenor José Cura as Dick Johnson opposite Eva-Maria Westbroek as his feisty, gun-toting heroine Minnie.

The detailed stage picture in Pierro Faggioni’s realistic production has been created by Kenneth Adam, known for his work on James Bond films, to draw audiences right into that Gold Rush world. Antonio Pappano again conducts in the Italian repertory for which he is so acclaimed.

Sung in Italian with English surtitles. 

Learn more about London operas within the West End.