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Building Bridges: Trinity Laban students perform with English Touring Opera

Wed 12 October 2016

This autumn, Trinity Laban and English Touring Opera (ETO) are teaming up to create a dramatic performance of a great masterpiece, and an outstanding learning opportunity for talented students.

On 6 November, Trinity Laban’s Early Music Vocal Ensemble will perform in association with English Touring Opera in a new translation of Bach’s St John Passion.

For this performance, ETO have commissioned new English translations of the chorales from writers of different faiths and of no professed faith, including former archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Nigerian novelist Chibundu Onuzo, mindfulness guru Maitreyabandhu and John McCarthy, a hostage in Lebanon for five years.

In addition to this performance, Trinity Laban’s collaboration with ETO will give several students and alumni the chance to cover operatic roles for ETO’s autumn tours. The Trinity Laban singers will attend rehearsals and learn solo roles in the operas La Calisto and Ulysses’ Homecoming, ready to step in to perform if ETO soloists are indisposed. This outstanding learning opportunity will help these brilliant young performers make the leap from study to the professional world.

Principal of Trinity Laban, Professor Anthony Bowne, commented:

“Here at Trinity Laban, we pride ourselves on our numerous collaborations with prestigious organisations such as English Touring Opera. I’m thrilled that our outstandingly talented students and alumni will get to experience life inside one of the UK’s leading opera companies, and to perform the St John Passion in what promises to be a truly magnificent concert.”

The performance at Blackheath Halls will be ‘Pay What You Decide’ – ticket booking is essential, but payment is decided after the show, based on how much you enjoyed it.

For more information, please visit the Trinity Laban ‘What’s On’ pages

Image: English Touring Opera