A Buxton International Festival Production

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Step into the future of opera with Shorts, where four brand new compositions come to life in one evening.

Created from scratch, BIF has commissioned seven award-winning writers and composers to create four 20-minute operas. Expect an evening of engaging, original story-telling from artists whose credentials include the BBC, Opera North, Channel 4, Netflix and whose achievements include Ivor Novello and Sunday Times Playwright Awards.  Each performance offers a new perspective on opera, bringing together compelling narratives and a diverse range of musical styles, which blend the traditional with the modern.

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TEARS ARE NOT MEANT TO STAY INSIDE is a ritual of healing and release.

 

Nomvula is a black woman who feels lost and displaced in her world. Living in survival mode has hoarded pain in her body. She feels numb, unloved, unsafe and invisible in her life. She wants to feel the softness and joy of her existence. But to do so, she must break open. Cry. Cleanse the anger, the grief, the exhaustion and the disappointment from inside. But Nomvula is afraid to be vulnerable.  She seeks out a Traditional Healer for help.

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Spiritual healing in African traditions is based on the belief that illnesses are caused by supernatural imbalances between a person and the spiritual world or their social environment. Traditional healers use a variety of methods to diagnose and treat illnesses, including incantations, divination, herbs, communication with ancestors and rituals.

Nomvula’s tears are not meant to stay inside. To feel free and to find herself again, she must be brave enough to offer herself to the healer.

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Composed by Thanda Gumede (whose appearances include Opera North and the BBC Proms), with libretto by Zodwa Nyoni (writer for BBC, Channel 4, Netflix).

 

Director Marcus Desando makes his Buxton International Festival debut having worked extensively in South Africa (directing credits include Dido and Aeneas, Carmen, La Bohème, and Rigoletto). Rebecca Meltzer returns to the Festival following her success with Mansfield Park in 2022, and with an impressive set of directing credits under her belt (Royal Opera House, Scottish Opera, Garsington Opera, Opera Holland Park, English Touring Opera, Welsh National Opera, amongst others).  With designs by Elliot Squire (BIF’s La Canterina and The Boatswain’s Mate, 2024), these productions promise an evening of fresh creativity and inventive performances.​​​​​​​