A specially commissioned new opera, which features a musical instrument made from balti curry bowls, is premiering in Digbeth.
Four Notes to the City will be performed at Eastside Projects in Heath Mill Lane on Thursday 28 March.
The new show is commissioned by the Birmingham Opera Company (BOC) and consists of four short form operas, each 15mins in duration but performed consecutively, which were all produced by Birmingham creatives.
The first piece, entitled [shut], is inspired by the real-life testimonies of independent business owners in Digbeth who have suffered from the economic and emotional impact of the cost of living crisis.
The piece was created by two Royal Birmingham Conservatoire researchers, Daniel Blanco Albert and Roxanne Korda.
The short opera will feature the debut of an exotic new percussive instrument dubbed the ‘baltiphone’ which was ingenuously crafted from the famous balti curry bowls which have become part of Birmingham's social and cultural life over the years as South Indian immigrants brought their tasty cuisine to Britain.
The baltiphone promises to spice up the Birmingham opera night with some delicious melodies.
The idea for the baltiphone was from composer Albert, and it was made by students from Birmingham City University’s School of Art.
The percussive gamelan is made from tuned balti bowls, and will be played by the percussionists and some of the volunteers from the talented Birmingham Opera Company Chorus.
The second short opera in the special show is by Cassie Kinoshi and Lydia Luke and is called the heart must weather what the heart was made to take.
The piece invites the listener into the rich inner world of Black women who yearn to grasp life with both hands.
The third opera is composed by Ryan Morgan and is called Conflict in Numbers. The delicate threads of education and violence are woven to explore the metaphysical struggle of navigating an educational landscape marred by domestic turmoil, and where the pursuit of learning transforms into a daily battle where the quest for peace seems ever elusive on the journey of self-discovery.
The final opera in the quartet is by Michael Taplin and Gareth Mattey and is called From Tulip, to Orchid (With Love).
This short opera explores and celebrates the coded ways in which LGBTQIA+ people celebrated and expressed their love in print and private during the Victorian era where certain topics and lifestyles were considered absolute taboo and were punishable by jail, or worse.
Diandra McCalla, BOC Creative Producer, shared her thoughts about the new show: “All our work explores the epic power of opera here and now, with the people of Birmingham.
"We’re dedicated to pushing boundaries and nurturing new talent and these Four Notes to the City, although very different, all explore the inner lives of a diverse group of people and will appeal to everyone.
"They’re a great introduction to opera, in an informal environment at Eastside Projects and, at £8 a ticket (£6 concessions) we’ve made it as accessible as possible."
Four Notes to the City will be performed on Thursday 28th March at Eastside Projects.
There are two performances at 6.30pm and 8.30pm. Tickets for the show can be booked here.
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