Music Theatre Wales are thrilled to announce that Violet has been nominated for the Opera award in the 2023 Southbank Sky Arts Awards.
Praised as “The Best New British Opera in Years” with 5* reviews, this follows previous nominations for Violet in UK Theatre Awards - Outstanding Achievement in Opera, and the International Opera Awards - World Premiere (the only UK company to be nominated), and Tom Coult being awarded Critics’ Circle Young Talent - Composer award (citing Violet). Anna Dennis’s performance as the protagonist was also praised by the judges when she was awarded the Singer Award at the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards.
VIOLET was composed by Tom Coult with a text by Alice Birch, and the production was conducted by Andrew Gourlay, directed by Jude Christian and designed by Rosie Elnile. It was a co-commission and co-production by Music Theatre Wales and Britten Pears Arts. The production was staged in association with the London Sinfonietta.
Michael McCarthy, Director of Music Theatre Wales said “It is so thrilling to see the impact of this beautiful and powerful piece, stunningly imagined and crafted by Tom Coult and Alice Birch and performed in the perfect MTW style by an outstanding cast and played with such skill and dedication by the London Sinfonietta. To see the work come to life on stage in such a heartfelt production, coming after the struggles of 2020 when it was originally intended to be performed, gave us the ideal opportunity to celebrate the company’s 40th Anniversary at the Sherman Theatre where our journey began, having opened one of the most important music festivals of Europe - The Aldeburgh Festival, in the footsteps of Benjamin Britten. The recognition this work is now receiving is richly deserved by everyone involved.”
And on 23rd June, the third production of VIOLET will be performed in Paris, following the European premiere in Ulm last autumn.
Meanwhile MTW’s journey into new territories continues with our Street Art Operas in Cardiff this week - a magical night last night.
Music Theatre Wales and co-producers Britten Pears Arts share nominations with English National Opera for The Rhinegold and Welsh National Opera for The Makropulos Affair.
The Southbank Sky Arts Awards are the only awards ceremony that celebrate every genre of the arts - Dance, Theatre, Pop, TV Drama, Film, Classical Music, Literature, Opera, Comedy and Visual Arts - and will shown on Sky Arts on 5th July.
The full press Release from Sky Arts is here: