Music Theatre Wales production

Jerwood-Music Theatre Wales New Opera Plan

Now in it’s second two-year phase, the Jerwood-MTW New Opera Plan is a critically important element of MTW’s work.

With significant support from the Jerwood Charitable Foundation we have been able to invest in the creation of new works for public performance from top calibre artists, and in new artists who themselves may one day create important new operas.

MTW believes that it is only possible to build audiences and increase interest and activity in new opera if we deliver a consistent programme based on excellence in writing as well as performance.  Exciting and excellent new work will stimulate audiences and inspire new artists and these are the two strands of the New Opera Plan – to support commissions and enable composer development.

Over the first two years we were able to commission and produce new operas from Nigel Osborne – The Piano Tuner and Lynne Plowman and Martin Riley – House of the Gods.  We also appointed two Associate Composers:  Suzanne Parry (who has since been awarded full funding for a PhD to study with Nigel Osborne with a clear intention of writing dramatic work) and Huw Watkins who is continuing into this second phase to create a treatment for a new opera through consultation and support from MTW’s Artistic Directors.

In the current phase we are performing House of the Gods and working with Michael Berkeley and Ian McEwan on a new opera for 2008 and the eminent German opera composer Aribert Reimann on The Public for 2009.  We are also delighted to announce the participation of Morgan Hayes as our new Associate Composer whose work under the scheme includes the creation of a site-specific work for the inspirational new Welsh Assembly Building designed by Richard Rogers – The Senedd.

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