News Archive

Bay Women Singing

Preview - 7 June at 10.30am, Tesco Stage, WMC
Final Performances - 12 July at 1pm & 3pm, Tesco Stage, WMC

Funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, The Welsh National Opera has created the chance for women in Cardiff Bay to write and perform a mini-opera. Writer Clare Potter and composer Stacey Blythe have been working with a group of women since February weaving their stories into song cycles and the spoken word.

Initially, many of the women involved said they couldn’t sing or didn’t have a poetic bone in their bodies; however, unpicking their experiences and playing with them vocally, musically, poetically, has resulted in a rich piece of work. Mitra, a participant originally from Iran, said ‘I love this project because it’s more than singing. We share our lives and make new experiences and new friendships.’ Garaldine Martin has come to see that ‘listening to these stories has been a kind of therapy.’

There have indeed been tears when memories have been dusted off or the right chord has been sung, but overall, the power of these song-poem cycles rests in celebrating who we are as women and how we have come to be that.

For more details contact Asa Malmsten 02920 635 063