Is it really possible to create an OPERA IN A DAY?! The Everyman Project found out when they led these workshops in singing, making, circus and dance which was then presented in a sharing celebration at Stage @TheDock.
The Everyman Project, led by director/choral leader Em Whitfield Brooks and composer/MD Tim Brooks, brought together a fantastic creative team comprising York Dance Space, Earthbound Misfits, designer/maker Naomi Parker and opera singers Sandeep Gurrapadi, Emily Smith and David Pisaro. All artists led workshops and performed alongside participants in this special day-long culmination of the project which offered workshops across three regions of Yorkshire to groups including East Marsh Peace Choir, Act to Ours, Castaway, Withernsea Ladies Choir, Hull Visual Voices, Withernsea Youth Dance, One Voice Immingham, Gigbuddies, Welcome to English and NE Lincs and Hull Music Hubs. Many groups took part in the final performance. All workshops linked to themes explored in Tim’s opera Everyman, adapted by Em from the medieval morality play.
Em and Tim have been creating large-scale performances with communities for over 20 years and Em is well-known to followers and singers of Hull Freedom Chorus, having led their performances at Freedom Festival since 2011. Em has also directed 15 community operas for Ryedale Festival, co-directed Back to Bransholme for Back to Ours and led choruses in Calderland (RPS Award 2017) and The Batley Variations for 509 Arts. Tim has composed 6 operas for Ryedale Festival, wrote and produced the music for Back to Bransholme, a new work Warriors of the Rainbow for Skipton Camerata and recently pieces for York Late Music and contemporary music ensemble Spelk, of which he is a member.
