Performance
28 July 2023
Start time: 7.00pm
Dawn to Dusk: The Moon is Listening is a contemporary myth, weaving together families from across the globe. The tale follows a young boy named Hamido, whose voice is taken by the hands of the Breeze across seas and continents. Hamido's voice gathers folksongs and sings to strangers who are in need of comfort, nostalgia and possibility. His travelling voice transcends borders - as music does - bringing siblings, grandmothers, bakers and young people closer to whatever they felt they had lost. Though the wayward Breeze carries Hamido’s voice under the watchful eyes of Moon, chaos soon ensues, ultimately leading to the reconnection of two-long lost friends separated by migration.
The 2023 Youth Company Production has been developed through the Dawn to Dusk project which supports intercultural dialogue using new digital technology. More than 200 young people aged 9-18 have connected via shared virtual space - exchanging ideas, developing new skills, performing and learning from each other - to devise words and music for the opera. This project is being led by Garsington Opera in partnership with The Grange Festival (England), L’Albero Youth Theatre (Italy), Amwaj Choir (Palestine), Al Farah Choir (Syria) and Alsama Project (Lebanon, supported by Mascarade Opera). Each partner will perform their own version of the opera between July 2023 and August 2024.