In support of coastal community choirs across the UK, OperaUpClose has launched a Big Give Christmas match-funding campaign.

The company’s goal is to raise crucial funds to support their work with coastal community choirs. This new project is a significant development of OperaUpClose’s long-term commitment to community engagement.

As part of a major new touring production in partnership with MAST and Mayflower Studios, OperaUpClose will collaborate with ensembles to record “The Last Bit of the Moon,” a new companion piece to Vaughan Williams’ one act opera “Riders to the Sea,” by Michael Betteridge, and Antosh Wojcik.

Artistic Director at OperaUpClose, Flora McIntosh said in a press release, “The Last Bit of the Moon” will be recorded by our growing network of community choirs in coastal and dockside locations of Blackpool, Hull, Bristol, Southampton and London. Supported by the brilliant LGTBQ+ low voiced choir ‘The Sunday Boys,’ this process will not only bring together communities with shared experience of coastal living, but also connect the burgeoning open access choral community with the male-voice choral tradition long present in the UK. ‘The Last Bit of the Moon’ will be part of a fully staged touring production, integrating live and recorded performances, projection and sound design, to create a bold aesthetic and compelling new sound world that raises and celebrates the community voice.”

Big Give runs match funding campaigns to raise millions of pounds for good causes. OperaUpClose’s fundraised is live from Nov. 28 through Dec. 5.