Puccini's La Fanciulla Del West Comes to Thanet

On Wednesday, 4 November 2026, the Vue Cinema Thanet - Westwood Cross, in Cross, will host a new staging of Puccini's La Fanciulla Del West, directed by Richard Jones. This production marks the Met's first new staging of the work in over 30 years and features soprano Vida Miknevičiūt�te as Minnie, tenor SeokJong Baek as the dashing bandit, and baritone Christopher Maltman as the lawman.

Richard Jones, a London-born theatre and opera director, has had a distinguished career, with productions at the Royal Opera House, English National Opera, and Glyndebourne, among others. He began his career as a jazz musician before transitioning to opera and theatre direction, and has won numerous awards, including several Olivier Awards and a Tony Award.

Jones' experience with La Fanciulla Del West is not new, having directed an earlier English National Opera production of the work in 2014. His new staging, conducted by Maestro Keri-Lynn Wilson, promises to bring a fresh perspective to Puccini's exhilarating drama of the Wild West. Tickets are with the button beside the article.