Uprising has its World Premiere at Glyndebourne, Saffron Hall and with the RSNO in Scotland.
Jonathan Dove and April De Angelis' new community opera looks at the climate emergency through the eyes of those whom it will affect the most – the young.
This new full-length opera has a cast of professional singers, youth opera chorus, an adult community chorus, professional orchestra alongside young instrumentalists and a youth percussion ensemble on stage. UPRISING is the latest in Jonathan Dove’s catalogue of works for community and professional performers for the opera house and concert hall.
Connecting its opera house with the community is something which Glyndebourne is known for with their first community opera commissioned from Jonathan Dove for Hastings in 1990. Uprising is the largest mainstage community opera in Glyndebourne’s history featuring more than 140 local people on stage and in the orchestra pit.
Commissioned by Glyndebourne and Saffron Hall Trust, the project was initiated by an extraordinary philanthropist Jim Potter who had a deep commitment to sustainability and a passion for music. With his wife Hilary, Jim commissioned the opera knowing that he was unlikely to live to see the premiere. As Jonathan writes ‘It was actually as a direct reaction to being given a terminal diagnosis, that he asked me to write an opera about climate change and sustainability — the future for life in the Anthropocene era.’
Glyndebourne’s fully staged production opens on Friday February 28 directed by Sinéad O’Neill and conducted by Andrew Gourlay. There are further performances on March 1 and 2.
Find out more about the Glyndebourne production here.
Saffron Hall’s semi-staged production has performances on March 15 and 16 conducted by Ellie Slorach with the RSNO.
More info and tickets for Saffron Hall.
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra has the Scottish premiere with performances in Edinburgh and Glasgow on March 28 and 29, conducted by Ellie Slorach.
