Robert Hugill and Joanna Wyld’s “The Gardeners” will get a performance at Conway Hall on June 18, 2019.

The work will be presented in concert form with baritone Peter Brathwaite, countertenor Magic El-Bushra, mezzo-soprano Flora McIntosh, mezzo-soprano Georgia Mae Bishop, and bass-baritone Julian Debreuill.

Per a press release, the chamber opera was inspired by a newspaper article about a family of gardeners who took care of war graves in the Middle East. The work deals with issues of tolerance, brotherhood, and remembrance and highlights the current tensions in the Middle East.

“I am delighted to be conducting the first performance of Robert Hugill’s new opera ‘The Gardeners’ on 18th June 2019 at Conway Hall. It is a tightly written, dramatic new chamber opera that will be performed with a top ranking, young cast of singers from a variety of backgrounds,” noted conductor William Vann. “The subject matter of the piece is particularly contemporary, relevant and hard-hitting, with a superb libretto by Joanna Wyld. The scoring is innovative, dynamic and flexible. This is an excellent new work that I hope will enter the modern opera repertory and receive many more performances.”

A fundraising campaign was employed to raise the funds necessary to perform the work as intended.

Check out more information on the opera and its campaign below.