Road Rage: A Community Opera, 2013

Garsington Opera's first community opera, Road Rage, took place in 2013 and involved over 180 people on the stage, ranging from school children to senior citizens drawn from the local community working alongside professional opera singers, musicians, directors, designers, choreographers, stage managers and technicians. 

A new commission by Richard Stilgoe and Orlando Gough, it involved people from surrounding communities, aged 5-85, participating as performers or as members of the production team. Over 2,400 people benefitted directly from the Community Opera and many more from the following three-year programme of education work. 

The story moves from a Roman setting where a huge stone is left blocking a new road, to the present day and plans for a new toll road dividing a community. The witty, fast-paced music matches the text and involves every aspect of the community cast. 

For a look behind the scenes at preparations for the performance watch the Road Rage video.