First English Opera berths in West Africa

From July 25, 2014, FilmHouse cinemas, in all its locations will exclusively screen one of Britain’s most significant operas; Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes, as performed by the English National Opera in stunning cinematic high definition.

This laudable feat, according to a press release from British Council Nigeria, is the first of its kind in West Africa and is possible thanks to the support of the United Kingdom’s cultural relations organisation the British Council and Altive Media.

 “We are very pleased about the partnership with FilmOne Distribution and FilmHouse Cinemas and look forward to sharing high quality performances from the UK with new audiences in their cinemas across Nigeria,” said Ojoma Ochai, Director Arts, British Council Nigeria.

Brought to Nigeria in partnership with Altive Media and proudly supported by the British Council,

Peter Grimes, a ‘must see’ opera in Nigeria, is an opera in a prologue and three acts and is the first revival of director David Alden’s 2009 five-star, sell-out production.

Daily Newswatch gathered that the English National Opera is one of the world’s most innovative and accessible opera companies with an International reputation for distinctive, contemporary and highly theatrical productions.

The release further revealed that Peter Grimes paints a vivid picture of a small community’s descent into suspicion, gossip and mob mentality in the face of a tragedy. What really happened to fisherman Peter Grimes’s missing apprentice, and was he involved? As the townspeople’s mistrust grows, Grimes spirals into a downfall with devastating consequences!

Stuart Skelton, described as the ‘definitive’ Peter Grimes, takes the lead role, with Elza Van den Heever playing Ellen, Iain Paterson does justice to Balstrode’s role, while Rebecca de Pont Davies gives a spectacular performance as Auntie.

Directed by David Alden and conducted by Edward Gardner, Peter Grimes features some of the most powerful and evocative music ever written and was a massive hit in the UK.

International critics have given rave reviews about Peter Grimes. The London Evening Standard hails it as “a shattering evening of music theatre”, The Observer calls it “unmissable”, The Times states “Stuart Skelton's Grimes is both ravishingly sung and fully dramatically realised,” while the Daily Telegraph praises “Edward Gardner’s masterly conducting … the orchestra plays for him as if possessed, and the result is an evening of scorching intensity.”