The world premiere of a dramatic new chamber opera fusing original scenes by composer Luke Styles with a complete performance of Benjamin Britten’s revered five Canticles.

Themes of light and darkness emerge in the music as it illuminates the highly dramatic subject matter – religious faith, sacrifice, birth, death and humanity itself. Brought to the stage by director Richard Williams and with an outstanding young cast, Styles’ use of texts by, Byron and Shelley extend Britten’s themes still further, bringing a sense of ritual and providing a pathway towards a humanist outlook on the world.

Awakening Shadow is a co-commission from the Cheltenham and Presteigne festivals and a co-production between the Nova Music Trust and the Cheltenham and Presteigne festivals.

Cast

Donna Lennard soprano
Ralph Thomas Williams countertenor
Christopher Bowen and Bradley Smith tenor
Felix Kemp baritone

Nova Music Ensemble
Sophie Mather violin
Richard Bayliss horn
Rachel Wick harp
Timothy End piano

For Nova Music Opera
George Vass artistic director/conductor
Richard Williams director
Timothy End repetiteur