The Soldier's Return world premiere

When everything has changed in your world and your family and friends feel like strangers can you ever really feel at home again or will a part of you always be at war?

Written by international award-winning composer Marcos Fernandez-Barrero and T.S. Eliot prize-winning poet Jacob Polley, The Soldier’s Return is a brand new opera based on interviews with modern-day veterans. Featuring a community chorus alongside a professional cast and musicians, this moving and thought-provoking production reflects the soldiers’ experiences of coming home after conflict and the impact on their families.

Originally planned as a live production, due to the pandemic we collaborated with award-winning North East filmmakers Meerkat Films, director Annie Rigby (Unfolding Theatre), designer Imogen Cloët and sound engineer Ian Stephenson from Simpson Street Studios to create a film of The Soldier’s Return.

The cast are baritone Ian Priestley (The Man), mezzo-soprano Katherine Aitken (The Woman), tenor Austin Gunn (Voice 1) and bass-baritone Andri Björn Róbertsson (Voice 2).

The film was available to watch here on Sunday 8 November 2020, immediately after observing the 2 minute silence at 11am GMT. It was available to watch online until the end of November. Download the digital programme, and the libretto.

This production would not be possible without the generous support of our funders and supporters. 

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