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Rhondda Rips It Up!
Summer 2018 sees Welsh National Opera present their latest new commission, Rhondda Rips It Up!, which will mark the centenary of the women’s partial Suffrage Bill of 1918.
The production tells the remarkable and little known story of Margaret Haig Thomas (otherwise known as Lady Rhondda), a tireless campaigner for women’s rights who helped to transform attitudes towards women in the political and business spheres.
Lady Rhondda’s actions paved the way for women’s rights in the personal, professional and political worlds. She was involved in high profile protests, jailed for planting a bomb in a Newport postbox and then, after surviving the sinking of the RMS Lusitania, fought for the right to be allowed to take her late father’s seat in the House of Lords. Welsh National Opera will showcase Lady Rhondda’s fight for liberty, survival and equality through a fully staged music hall style performance featuring an all female cast and creative team including Composer Elena Langer and Lesley Garrett as the Emcee.
The production will premiere in Newport before touring throughout June 2018, with an Autumn tour in October and November to follow.
Composer Elena Langer
London based composer Elena Langer has written compositions in diverse genres including opera, orchestral, chamber and choral works, receiving commissions and performances from national and international ensembles and organizations including the Royal Opera House, Carnegie Hall and Zurich Opera. Rhondda Rips It Up! is Elena’s second new commission for WNO following the success of Figaro Gets a Divorce in spring 2016.