Who we are

Streetwise Opera is an award-winning charity that runs opera programmes for people who have experienced homelessness. We’ve created an incredible opera film with 100 homeless performers entitled The Answer to Everything and we have the chance to premiere this film with a unique series of live events at BFI Southbank in London. We’ve raised most of the money we need to make these events happen. Now we need your help to ensure that we can bring our performers from across the country to London to star in the show.

Taking part in this show will help give our performers the confidence and skills they need to make positive and lasting changes in their lives, such as starting a training course, reuniting with family or getting a job.

Where and when?

The lovely folks at BFI Southbank in London, the home of British cinema, have given us a space to present our show six times over three days from 23 – 25 April 2013.

What we need

We’ve already raised most of the money we need to make this project happen from Arts Council England, Macquarie Group Foundation and other trusts and foundations. We’re aiming to raise £4,965 from the public to help with the final costs of bringing 77 performers from Newcastle, Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Manchester, Nottingham and Cardiff to London to star in the show.

Every penny we raise will help to bring our performers to London. If we don’t reach our target, we’ll still put on the show but we might not be able to bring all our performers. If we exceed it, the extra funds will make sure we can provide great food and all the cups of tea we’ll need for 6 shows over 3 days with over 100 performers (as well as the 77 performers from across the country, there will be 30 performers from London too!).

What you get

In return for your support, you won’t just get a warm glow, you’ll get some fabulous perks! A card from the director, tickets to the premiere shows, invites to rehearsals or even your name in the onscreen film credits – you can really get involved with the show.

What will the show be like?

The Answer to Everything will be an interactive film and live opera event.

Taking place in a conference run by the fictional housing corporation, Locateco Solutions, corporate confidence appears sky high, but as music engulfs the conference centres, the delegates on and off screen begin to question whether their radical re-homing solution really is the ‘answer to everything’. As business rhetoric is swept away delegates begin to connect with what really matters - each other and the world around them.

Rupert Jones and Emma Bernard have skilfully mixed performances from Streetwise Opera’s homeless and ex-homeless performers with a handful of professionals including renowned soprano Elizabeth Watts to create a rich and characterful 40-minute film. Screened as part of an integrated live event, the performers will take you on a parallel journey of discovery as both they and the audience participate as conference delegates.

The film weaves together pieces by Benjamin Britten (a section of Peter Grimes), Handel and Vivaldi, and includes new commissions by composers Emily Hall, Orlando Gough and the world-renowned Gavin Bryars. The live show features pieces by Gounod and Schumann alongside the world premiere of new commissions by up-and-coming composers Anna Meredith and Duncan Ward.

Why get involved?

Contributing to this campaign will give you the chance to get involved in (and maybe see behind the scenes of) a unique production that features film, live opera and audience interaction as well as new music by some of the UK’s most cutting-edge composers. You’ll also be helping to give our talented performers who have experienced homelessness an amazing opportunity: to star in a professional show at BFI Southbank.

This production will help to promote more positive public attitudes towards homeless people and show our performers that whatever life throws at them, they can achieve great things. We’ve found in our previous productions that an experience like this can be transformational, giving people the confidence and skills they need to make positive and lasting changes in their lives.

Other ways you can help

Please share this campaign far and wide with all your email contacts, on social media and good old face-to-face talking to people! For this campaign to succeed we need all our friends and supporters, old and new to help us by spreading the news and encouraging people to contribute generously to the campaign.