IT’S HERE PRESENTS IT’S NOW! ON LONDONE8 FIELDS Music by Matthew King Words by Alasdair Middleton A COMMUNITY OPERA FOR HACKNEY 19 and 20 November 2004 I am very pleased to welcome you all to The history of Hackney is one of vision and what is undoubtedly both a great musical transformation.Three years ago, our vision of achievement for Hackney and also the largest Operaction Hackney; an adult literacy project project ever undertaken by Hackney Music which would result in a new opera to be Development Trust (HMDT). performed by the Hackney community was in its infancy.Today, in the newly-restored As we approach our 10th birthday we can Hackney Empire Theatre, Hannah Trapnel’s look back on many excellent programmes, vision of a community coming together courses and musical collaborations which becomes reality.The spirit of partnership and have been the hallmark of the Trust’s work. collaboration which were so essential to the We have come a long way since our early entire project over the past three years are beginnings as a means of helping to support at the heart of On London Fields. the Centre for Young Musicians Hackney with a staff of one.Today, HMDT is a thriving arts We are proud of what we have achieved, but organisation in its own right, working with none of it would have been possible without over eighty different contracted artists of all the commitment and vision of all those kinds, developing twenty-five different music involved.The inspired leadership of Project projects with many musical groups and Director Tertia Sefton-Green, the dedication communities. Our ever widening range of and expertise of all the artists, tutors, programmes takes the creative teaching skills production team, HMDT staff, the of all our artists to schools, community cooperation of all the project partners, and centres, housing estates, museums, hospitals, the hard work and enthusiasm of each of the youth clubs, care homes for the elderly and, participants have all contributed to getting us weather permitting, some of Hackney’s many here today. green spaces. We are particularly grateful for the support Partnerships are key to HMDT’s work we have received from The Learning and and have been a fundamental element of Skills Council, Arts Council England,The On London Fields. We are excited that this Learning Trust and the Performing Rights project marks the beginning of a relationship Society Foundation, and we are quietly with the renowned orchestra of the confident that they will find their trust and Academy of St Martin in the Fields and that support well rewarded with an outstanding the work has attracted the interest, support musical production performed by and for the and commitment of so many organisations, people of Hackney. groups and individuals. On London Fields is not just about these So much has changed in Hackney since we performances. It is about a process, during started out, and we are delighted to be a which people have discovered amazing part of Hackney’s vibrant cultural creativity within themselves. Congratulations developments, playing a key role in its revival to everyone on all their achievements. It is a by commissioning On London Fields and tribute both to Hackney’s diversity, and to inviting so many people to participate in its what can be achieved through partnership. realisation. We are proud to be a part of It will remain a lasting inspiration for HMDT, quality musical initiatives that allow talent to and I hope for all those who had a part in it. flourish in the Borough, and we hope to It has been a remarkable experience we will continue doing so for a long time to come. all remember. Patrick Maddams Adam S. Eisenberg CHAIRMAN, HMDT DIRECTOR, HMDT DIRECTOR Adam Eisenberg PROJECT DIRECTOR Tertia Sefton-Green PRESENTS ON LONDON FIELDS AN OPERA IN TWO ACTS MUSIC MATTHEW KING WORDS ALASDAIR MIDDLETON Commissioned by Hackney Music Development Trust with funds from the Performing Rights Society Foundation WORLD PREMIERE 19 NOVEMBER 2004 MADE POSSIBLE WITH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF: CAST HANNAH TRAPNEL Sally Burgess A Prophetess, resident of Hackney DEBORAH Alison Buchanan An Ordinary Woman, resident of Hackney, mother-to-be ABEL Simon Thorpe An enthusiastic supporter of change, married to Deborah SIR BAWNAGAYNE SURLY Jonathan Gunthorpe An M.P. with Puritanical leanings RESIDENTS OF HACKNEY PEOPLE The People of Hackney Who want to build a better world CHILDREN I Can Sing Youth Choir Keen on personal liberty ELDER PEOPLE The Sharp Hoxtoners Somewhat ribald LEVELLERS The Robinson Singers Who believe all men to be equal and all property common RANTERS William Bourdillon, Kathy Briscoe, Who believe they are possessed Wendy Haslam, Nigel Knapp, by a higher power Shanola Linton,Tammy Loughran, Gini Mags FIFTH-MONARCHISTS The Wing-It Singers Who believe a better world is on its way QUAKERS Emashi Who believe that heaven has no formal doctrine HANNAH’S WOMEN Clare Comely, Nicola Gabriel, Who believe in Hannah Kathleen Greene, Sam Hellmuth, Fran Isherwood, Bola Kadara, Gina Long, Marta Naranjo, Eleanor Walker-Jung NON-RESIDENTS OF HACKNEY THE COUSINS OF THE COMMONWEALTH Ciara Burrows, Lina Johnsson, Sour-faced Censors Joanne McGahon, Martina Messing, Mary Wurie SOLDIERS Michael May, Jerry Howell, Unfortunate agents of an oppressive regime Deryl Walsh, Bertie Wyer COURTIERS The Wing-It Singers Sycophantic perpetuators of a superfluous regime KING CHARLES I Farquhar McKay A Saint ARTISTIC PRODUCTION TEAM TEAM MUSIC DIRECTOR PRODUCTION MANAGER COSTUME MAKERS Jonathan Gill Sam Paterson Niccoline Bailey Jane Barker DIRECTOR STAGE MANAGER Stephen Buss Martin Lloyd-Evans Charlotte Warner Sydney Florence DESIGNER DEPUTY STAGE MANAGER Jane Freer Andrea Carr Wendy Griffin-Reid Melpa Griffith LIGHTING DESIGNER ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS Becci Hill Simon Corder Stephanie Hernandez Petra Huber Jim Mansel Della Kobic MOVEMENT CO-ORDINATOR Sue Longbridge Steve Elias COMPANY MANAGER Mariam Phillips Stephanie Gill PROJECTION DESIGN Kate Vince Patrick Watkinson COSTUME SUPERVISOR Jude Ward Helen Johnson ASSISTANT DIRECTOR HAIR AND MAKEUP Dylan Lowthian ASSISTANT COSTUME SUPERVISOR Christina Martin Menna Beynon ASSISTANT MUSIC DIRECTOR PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN Liz Rowe WARDROBE MISTRESS Jono Kenyon Clare Pegg MUSIC STAFF SET BUILT BY Frances Hills WARDROBE ASSISTANT Rocket Scenery Lindy Tennent-Brown Esra Gungor ORCHESTRAS Academy of St Martin in the Fields Cambridge Heath Brass Centre for Young Musicians Hackney RazzamaSaz Young Jazz Hackney Approximate running time 2 hours including 20 minute interval. Please ensure all mobile phones, pagers and digital watches are turned off. Photography and the use of all audio or visual recordings is forbidden ‘Hannah’s gift is also her ‘‘Bawnagayne, the puritanical agent of Cromwell’s oppressive burden. Should she follow regime, is a familiar figure throughout history. He is the the path laid out for her if authoritarian ruler, maintaining power through rigid social control it means, ultimately, her and the systematic erosion of civil liberties.’ own death?’ ‘The rigidity of society in seventeenth- century Britain spawned many voices of dissent, as we see in the various political and religious movements depicted in the piece. Many of these groups have parallels in our own time. The Levellers, for example, are like early Marxists, while the Ranters’ celebration and enjoyment of the body is reminiscent of the “free love” movement of the 1960s.’ ‘The story shows us that the world is what we make it. Paradise has no postcode.’ ‘When she speaks to the people, Hannah is no longer human; for them, she has become a symbol, a conduit through which they can express their hopes for a better world.’ SET AND PROJECTION DESIGN ANDREA CARR QUOTES DIRECTOR MARTIN LLOYD-EVANS IN REHEARSAL SYNOPSIS PROLOGUE when they hear of the restrictive INTERVAL 1649 new laws that Cromwell and his parliament have passed and even more ACT TWO Charles I is praised by his courtiers. horrified when Hannah is brought in Later that night, on London Fields. Hannah Trapnel, a prophetess, under arrest. contradicts their praise and urges the Sir Bawnagayne has heard about the ordinary people to revolt.The people While Deborah and the people distract gathering and has surrounded London pull down the palace and the King is Sir Bawnagayne and his soldiers, Abel Fields with hidden soldiers. executed. Hannah and the people helps Hannah escape. Swearing anticipate a glorious future. vengeance, Sir Bawnagayne leaves, Hannah Trapnel prays that her gift of followed by a jeering crowd. prophecy be taken away from her, and ACT ONE Deborah, worried by the trouble she A few years later, in Hackney Left alone with Deborah, Abel fears the meeting will cause, tries to reassures her of his love.Their baby dissuade Hannah from prophesying. Led by Abel and his pregnant wife, moves.The crowd return with the news Hannah herself is reluctant to speak as Deborah, the people of Hackney are that Hannah will prophesy later that she has dark forebodings about what finishing a building.They are watched night to the assembled populace on will follow. disapprovingly by Sir Bawnagayne Surly, London Fields. Deborah is disturbed; an M.P., who has come to arrest Abel jubilant and the people defiant. The people arrive, excited, and with Hannah Trapnel, another local resident, increasing urgency beg Hannah to for sedition.The people are appalled speak. Haltingly at first, Hannah describes her vision of the future. The people take up Hannah’s vision. Enraptured, they have a vision of perfect peace. At the height of their rapture, Sir Bawnagayne and his soldiers break up the meeting... SALLY BURGESS (HANNAH) AND THE PEOPLE SIMON THORPE (ABEL) MARTIN LLOYD-EVANS (DIRECTOR) AND FARQUHAR MCKAY (CHARLES 1) THE CREATION OF ON LONDON FIELDS n September 2002,The Learning collaborate on the new work.