| Stuart Hancock and Donald Sturrock’s The Cutlass Crew with W11 Opera (now London Youth Opera) in 2017 |
It is all go on the planet of opera for youngsters. After two on-line productions, W11 Opera is again with a brand new fee and a brand new title, London Youth Opera, while their former creative director, Sue Moore, has shaped her personal firm, Ignite,
W11 Opera is now referred to as London Youth Opera, which provides a far clearer concept of the corporate’s goals, they usually stay the one opera firm solely staging unique commissions written for, and carried out solely by, youngsters. For 2023, they’ve commissioned a brand new opera, Pandora’s Field to be premiered in December 2023 on the Susie Sainsbury Theatre within the Royal Academy of Music. Pandora’s Field is being written by Stuart Hancock (composer) and Donald Sturrock (librettist), the duo accountable for the favored W11 Opera productions, Raindance (2010) and Cutlass Crew (2017), while Stuart Hancock is probably greatest identified for his scores to BBC’s Atlantis and the animated film adaptation of We’re Going On A Bear Hunt [see my 2020 interview with Stuart]. Pandora’s Field can be directed by Valentina Ceschi.
It is going to be a contemporary tackle the Greek fantasy, exploring and satirising themes round Twenty first-century household life with fabulous characters – from gods to mortals and the three sins Greed, Envy and Vainness – driving the drama’s turmoil. Pandora’s Field is being carried out by London Youth Opera on 16 & 17 December 2023, additional element from their web site.
Sue Moore’s new firm, Ignite, makes use of skilled performers to create opera, theatrical narrated concert events and music theatre for younger individuals and household audiences. For his or her 2023 manufacturing, they’re performing Borra by Russell Hepplewhite (composer) and Tim Yealland (librettist), primarily based on the e-book Borka: The Adventures of a Goose with no Feathers by John Burningham which celebrates its sixtieth anniversary this 12 months.
Borka was premiered by English Touring Opera in 2014 [see my review], in actual fact with Sue Moore as one of many singers. Ignite’s manufacturing, directed by Sue Moore, previews at The Cockpit on 20 & 21 Might 2023, and it premieres on 29 Might 2023 on the Hay Pageant and additional tour dates can be introduced, see Ignite’s web site.
