Streetwise Opera has announced its Britten-inspired 2016-18 season.

© Streetwise Opera
The charity’s first project was a production of Britten’s Canticles, and the work will play an important part in its 15th anniversary season.
Five new composers-in-residence have been commissioned to write new works inspired by the Canticles.
Each will collaborate with Streetwise Opera’s performers in one of its five regions to create a new chorus lasting three to five minutes.
All five compositions will also be performed at informal local Opera Hour events in early 2017.
The composers-in-residence are:
- Anna Appleby, Manchester – working on a chorus inspired by ‘Still falls the rain’
- Litha Efthymiou, London – My beloved is mine’
- Bushra El-Turk, Middlesbrough – ‘Abraham and Isaac’
- Ella Jarman-Pinto, Newcastle/Gateshead – ‘Journey of the Magi’
- Alex Patterson, Nottingham – ‘The death of St. Narcissus’
Streetwise Opera will also present a world premiere based on Britten’s Cabaret Songs at Sage Gateshead in spring 2018.
Artistic director Matt Peacock described Britten’s music as ‘hugely important and inspiring’ for the charity.