Hilton Birmingham Matropole

Do you know the Woman of the Year?

The Vitalise Women of the Year Awards launch this March, with nominations now open for these prestigious awards which recognise the achievements of women in business.

Last year’s ceremony saw Central News presenter Arti Halai host the event and celebrated fashion entrepreneur Karen Millen appear as a special guest speaker. The renowned Woman of Achievement Award went to 7/7 bombings survivor and London 2012 Paralympic athlete, Martine Wright. The 2012 Business Woman of the Year prize went to UK Container Maintenance co-founder Emma Elston, who has grown her business into one of the...

English Touring Opera presents The Siege of Calais by Donizetti

Event Date: 
22/03/2013 - 7:30pm
Venue: 
Northcott Theatre, Exeter

What does it mean to be a citizen? What is it that a citizen owes to his city, or country? This is the question posed by Donizetti’s rarely performed epic The Siege of Calais (L’assedio di Calais) – a ‘serious’ opera, sung in Italian, constructed of bel canto arias and ensembles of extraordinary quality.

It is the story of the burghers of Calais (depicted by Rodin in his famous sculpture outside the Houses of Parliament), citizens who offer up their lives to save their city from a besieging army. Their sacrifice is quiet, ordinary, sublime – and it culminates in one of the most...