A “dark, powerful” new opera, Pleasure, by Liverpool-born composer Mark Simpson comes to the city’s Playhouse with Opera North.
It’s a family tragedy played out against the backdrop of a gay nightclub which will be staged for one night only on May 4. It will be performed by a cast of four singers including soprano Lesley Garrett.
The soprano said: “I was thrilled to hear Mark had an idea for a new piece with a powerfully emotional older central character. The fact that she’s a toilet attendant came as a bit of a shock, but now I’ve got to know her the role of Val is a real gift. There’s so much depth of feeling in her—she’s experienced great suffering, but she’s a source of immense comfort and joy.”
One of the UK’s most exciting young musical talents, Simpson was born in Liverpool in 1988. He is the only person to have won both BBC Young Musician of the Year and BBC Young Composer of the Year in the same year (2006).