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Women of the Windrush

An opera by Shirley J. Thompson

A black and white photograph of a black woman in a floral dress and white hat

Abigail Kelly stars in Shirley J. Thompson’s one-woman, one-act opera which weaves together filmic documentary and song in a heart-warming love letter to the resilience of the Windrush settlers. 

Newly arrived in England from the West Indies, a student nurse, a concert pianist, a cricketer’s wife, and a new bride are faced with the challenge of starting a new life. For Thompson - who revisited her 1992 film adding a specially-composed score - Women of the Windrush is personal. Dedicated to her ‘Windrush’ mother, it’s a celebration of community, identity, and ingenuity. 

The composer of New Nation Rising: A 21st Century Symphony, commissioned for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, Shirley J. Thompson draws on deep wells of family experience for her revelatory 2019 multi-media Windrush opera.

This performance will finish at approximately 8pm. There will be no interval. 

There will be a post-show Q&A on stage with Shirley J. Thompson 

 

Produced by the Barbican

‘A gripping work…celebrating human community and resilience.‘
Opera Magazine

Milton Court Concert Hall