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The Singing Circle

Rehearsal shots from The Singing Circle, a surround sound choral experience commissioned by the Royal Opera House in 2008.

The event celebrates difference and commonality in the rich diversity of singers and people in London. It received standing ovations as audience members stood and wept.

It runs at twenty five minutes and took place three times on one day using thee balconies and six raised wooded blocks. The choir and soloists moved between and through and above and around the audience to create a powerful ever changing vibrational and textual experience.

Audience feedback:
“The combination of the voices and movement was almost hypnotic and very powerful. I didn’t want it to end”
“It was so inventive and varied.”

Cast
London Sevdah, The Circle Choir and soloists Helen Chadwick, Matthew Coombes, Sian Croose, Barbara Gellhorn, Lucy Gibson, Sabika Gurda, Michael Harper, London Sevda, Soraya Mahdaoui, Roshi Nasehi, Nawros Oramari and Dessislava Stefanova.

Production Team
Composed and directed by Helen, it was created with the collaboration of with Sally Pomme Clayton (dramaturgy) and choreographer by Liam Steel (choreography) as well at the production team at ROH.

Explore
We ended this show with Michael Harper doing a joyous improv over the whole team singing My Mouth Is Everyone’s Mouth later recorded on the House of Light album

Photographs: Simon Annand