Newham community opera comes to the Royal Festival Hall at the South Bank Centre

Newham's community opera tells the story of a Newham resident and former child refugee. Picture: Newham Music (Image: Archant)

Newham's community opera will hit the stage at the Southbank Centre on Sunday June 23.

The modern-day opera took its inspiration from the life of a Newham resident and former child refugee who spent time in prison before earning a first-class degree in Education from the University of East London.

Newham Music worked in partnership with Lister Community School to create an original opera with the help of students, parents and musicians from the community. Joined by pupils from Sarah Bonnell School, Rokeby, and five local primaries, they created a meaningful piece of art that connects with people today.

Full Circle will feature as part of the Refugee Week programme coordinated by Counterpoints Arts. Newham Music and Counterpoints also ran a series of spoken-word workshops during the Newham Word Festival in February and March.

Rapper and spoken-word artist Mohammed Yahya and poet Laila Sumpton worked with children across Newham to explore themes of refugee journeys, gang violence and place-making to create original narrations for the opera.

Full Circle also recently received the Outstanding Musical Initiative Award at the prestigious Music Teacher Awards for Excellence and will feature at the Music for Youth Proms at the Royal Albert Hall this November.

The Refugee Week performance of Full Circle will feature more than 200 children and young people from Lister, Sarah Bonnell and Rokeby schools.

Newham's Community Opera: Full Circle

Presented at Southbank Centre as part of Refugee Week 2019

The Clore Ballroom at Royal Festival Hall

June 23; 1pm; Free admission. For more information, please contact Newham Music at info@newham-music.org.uk.