This lecture will look at the important part art and design has played in the staging of Opera over the last 400 years and how staging and settings have become key elements in productions of this unique fusion of words, music and design.

Simon Rees began his career as a lecturer at Kyoto University and for 23 years gave pre-performance talks for the Welsh National Opera.  He is a novelist, poet, lyricist and librettist.  He works as a dramaturg in theatres and opera houses, providing dramaturgy - translations, subtitles, programme articles, lectures and historical research.  He currently lectures on opera, song, orchestral and chamber music, fiction, poetry and art and has lectured on opera tours, taking groups of opera lovers to festivals all over Europe.