Smooth Sailing at Riders to the Sea Singing Workshop
The Last Bit of the Moon
a new prologue to Vaughan Williams'
Riders to the Sea by Michael Betteridge
In September 2023 OperaUpClose, in partnership with ArtfulScribe, collaborated with Manchester based open access choir The Sunday Boys in an inspiring day of music making. An ensemble of baritone, accordion, clarinet and oboe joined a fantastic group of community singers at Halle, St Michael's to explore this powerful and evocative writing (see photos above). It was genuinely a joy to facilitate and wonderful to hear the participants felt the same. Here’s some of their feedback from the workshop:
Modern but also old, like RVW in his day
Contemporary sound but still melodic 🙂
Amazing to hear the pros at this stage
Great pace, even given non-readers
It fits, it works! Well done!
Very well structured session
Lovely to be part of this work!
Wonderful experience. Count me in for the long haul. Phill Campbell
Wonderfully moving. The story is powerful. Ashley
Better biscuits would be the only improvement.
You can find out more and get a sneak preview of the new work in this short film …
RIDERS TO THE SEA / THE LAST BIT OF THE MOON with MICHAEL BETTERIDGE
For those not in the know, this new choral work has been created as a musical response and prologue to Vaughan William’s Riders to the Sea…
“Less an opera than a spoken drama raised in emotional power and expressiveness”.
Developed through a series of workshops led by composer and vocal leader Michael Betteridge and Southampton- based writer development agency ArtfulScribe, this is a piece about community, caring as a contemporary reflection on what we mean by family and home in today’s society.
“They’re all gone now, and there isn’t anything more the sea can do to me…”
The final version of this new piece, currently titled The Last Bit of the Moon, will be recorded and filmed with groups from around the UK in Spring 2024. As well as being presented on digital platforms this film will feature as the prologue in a full touring production of Riders to the Sea opening at MAST, Southampton in Summer 2024.
Who we are
The Sunday Boys was formed by Michael Betteridge in January 2016 to give Manchester an inclusive LGBTQ+ choir for low voiced singers in the city to learn to sing great music, perform and make friends.
The choir prides itself in commissioning a wide range of work by LGBTQ+ artists and has performed across the UK and abroad.
OperaUpClose is a national touring opera company, rooted in theatre with partnership and innovation at our heart. Based at the dynamic cultural hub MAST, Southampton, we make opera of the highest quality with and for everyone. We are committed to breaking down barriers between pit, stage and audience by giving all performers equal agency as storytellers, extending the reach and relevance of the artform with cross-disciplinary and co-creative commissions performed alongside bold re-inventions of established material.
ArtfulScribe is a writer development agency based in Southampton, serving writers and writing in Hampshire, Dorset, and further afield through residencies, workshops, festivals, showcases, publication, and career and professional development opportunities. Working with people from primary years through to life’s later stages, ArtfulScribe offers young writing schools, writing for wellbeing groups, women’s writing sessions and a broader offer for the general public, with a client-base including the BBC, B.F.I, The National Trust, local councils, cultural organisations and educational settings.
Together, we will workshop new choral work by composer, Michael Betteridge:
Described as ‘inventive’ (Financial Times) and ‘bold’ and ‘colourful’ (The Times)
Michael Betteridge creates musical work for the voice and stage that engages and inspires both audiences and performers. His work has been performed by the likes of BBC Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Nicola Benedetti, Opera North Youth Chorus, and Psappha.
He is currently a Royal Philharmonic Society Young Composer 2022-23 and is writing a new work for RLPO’s Ensemble 10:10.
JOIN OUR BIG GIVE CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN
To raise funds for our Riders to the Sea community initiative, we’ll be running a Big Give fundraising campaign later this month. Keep an eye on our social channels for updates, or subscribe to our BIG GIVE mailing list now to ensure you get an update once it’s launched.