Tickets are selling well for our next performance at 7pm on Wednesday 29 January 2020 in the stunning Wren church of St Stephen Walbrook. All ticket proceeds go to Crosslight Advice, a community-focused charity which works to combat poverty and hardship caused by the burden of unmanageable debt and lack of financial capability, and to St Stephen Walbrook itself.
‘Perpetua’ was premièred in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, in 2012, and was Cantata Dramatica's first commission. It tells the moving story of Perpetua, a young widow and mother living in Carthage (now Tunisia) in 203 AD; an exceptional witness to a spirit of independence, who found herself standing up for personal beliefs and freedom against the might of the Roman Empire. We follow her as she takes this terrifying path and is inspired by four extraordinary dreams to meet the challenges set before her.
The production draws on contemporary sources, including Perpetua's own diary - an astonishing survival from the ancient world, which brings her personal journey to life with startling immediacy. Dramatised by Nick Pitts-Tucker, in a mix of original Greek and Latin together with modern English, the story is set to music composed by Nick Bicât, whose imaginative response to the text ranges from lyrical and transcendant to dramatic and confrontational.
The role of Perpetua herself is sung by Helen Charlston, with Lucinda Cox as Felicitas, Perpetua’s slave and fellow martyr. In addition to the soloists, the musicians include an 8-piece band, featuring some unusual instruments, a small professional chorus, and the St Stephen Walbrook Community Choir. Dancers from Middlesex University provide a visual dimension to Perpetua’s dreams. The performance is conducted by Peter Wright and the Director is Tony Bicât.
