Reimagining the Classics Composers

Streetwise Opera is excited to launch Reimagining the Classics (April 2025 – March 2026), a bold and innovative project celebrating the rich heritage of opera by exploring its relevance to today’s world. This initiative will bridge the gap between the historic and the contemporary, creating an inspiring dialogue between the past and the present.

Through this project, Streetwise Opera performers, including participants in frontline homelessness settings, will uncover the histories and cultural significance of iconic operatic works from the repertoire. They will explore the contexts in which these pieces were written, examining their production histories and the social, political and artistic climates that shaped them.

Working alongside professional directors, composers and music directors, participants will reinterpret these classics through their own unique perspectives. By addressing themes and narratives that may feel outdated or problematic today, they will reimagine the works, breathing fresh life into these timeless stories. The result will be newly created performances, reflecting the insights of performers whose voices are too often unheard.

Inspired by participants’ research, each reimagined piece will culminate in performances presented alongside major opera company productions, in some of the most prestigious theatres in the UK in spring 2026, giving audiences the chance to experience these masterpieces through a contemporary lens. Alongside these productions, Streetwise Opera performers will present an interactive multimedia exhibition, providing insights into the work and diversity of opera and theatre makers from the past.

Fee

Each composer will receive a total fee of £1,200 for the finished composition.

An additional fee of £150 per session is offered for delivering co-creation sessions with participants (inclusive of planning).