A book of poems by Nancy Gaffield of the School of English has premiered as a new opera.
‘Tokaido Road – a Journey after Hiroshige’ is a new 50-minute chamber opera composed by British composer Nicola LeFanu which tells the story of a journey through memories. It is set in the rich, hedonistic ‘Floating World’ of Japan’s Edo period and is a composite of music, poetry, mime, dance and visual imagery.
The opera, which is currently on a summer tour taking in a number of high profile UK venues, including its premiere at the Cheltenham Festival, has received excellent reviews in Classical Music Magazine and The Times newspaper. Its latest stop on the tour was at the Lake District Summer Music Festival on 6 August.
Tokaido Road will also be performed at The Gulbenkian in May 2015 as part of the University’s 50th Anniversary celebrations.
Commissioned by Okeanos – a professional music ensemble – the outreach project is also a collaboration between the University’s School of English and Music Department, as well as the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Maidstone Museum, Workers of Art (a local arts organisation).
For more information, visit tokaidoroad.wordpress.com or follow @TokaidoRoad on Twitter.
You can also hear Nancy Gaffield read poetry from Tokaido Road on the Poetry Station here.
Nancy Gaffield is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at the School of English. She also teaches English Language and Linguistics in the School of European Culture and Languages (SECL). Lecturer in Creative Writing
For more information contact Katie Newton.