Monday 14th – Friday 25th November 2016
Following the successes of Formations 2015 where three new operas were worked on over a two-week period by Kasper Holten (Director of Opera, Royal Opera House), Robert Saxton (composer), Stephen Unwin (Dean of BADA), Stephen Barlow (Artistic Director, Buxton Festival), Bettina Bartz (dramaturg) and David Parry (conductor), Helios Collective return with their Formations Masterclass series this November.
The 2016 masterclasses feature the likes of Mark Wigglesworth, Janis Kelly, Judith Weir, David Pountney, James Clutton, Stephen Medcalf, Jonathan Moore and Brian Dickie. The Formations series allow participants to engage with the development of three new operas with the aid of leading industry professionals.
The three pieces selected for this year’s masterclasses are:
Dead Equal: In 2016, a barrage of criticism met the introduction of British Servicewomen into army combat roles. But in 1916, one British woman was already there, embedded in the Allied frontline. Dead Equal celebrates the courage and sacrifice of women in theatres of war, probing the cost and meaning of service; the force of class in shaping opportunity, and the disruptive power of a female identity forged in blood and sweat.
FOR the LOVE of THORSTEIN SHIVER: FOR the LOVE of THORSTEIN SHIVER is the Albran breakfast cereal of fecal epiphanies. It is loosely based on the medieval Iclandic þættir “The Tale of Thorstein Shiver”.
Yellow Wallpaper: The Yellow Wallpaper is a short, chamber opera based on the story of the same name by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935). The story is based on a nameless young woman’s descent into psychosis as her mental health issues are left misunderstood.
This project is supported by Arts Council England, the International Opera Awards, the Hinrischen Foundation and The Fenton Trust.
The Formations series will conclude with a final performance and feedback session at Lilian Baylis House on Friday 25th November.
For more details: www.helioscollective.co.uk
@helioscollectiv, #Formations
Tickets are available priced £10 (£5 concessions) from
www.ticketsource.co.uk/helioscollective