OPERA-TIC

The Your Story, Your Stage, Your Voice Company

• Abby Phillips
• Andy Harmer
• Ashley Bowles
• Ash Curry
• Charlotte McGregor-Graham
• Charlotte Rushton
• Clare O’Donnell
• Deborah Turnbull
• Felix Peckitt
• Giovanni Arsciwals
• Grace Myers
• Luke Montague
• Paul Stevenson
• Will Dowland

with

• music by Michael Betteridge
• film by Alisdair Kitchen
• sound and motion graphics by Sam Gee
• texts by Michael Betteridge, devised with the Your Story, Your Voice, Your Stage Company

additional material

• 6.  ‘Thoughts’ – words by Giovanni Arsciwals
• 10. ‘Tactics’ – words by Felix Peckitt, performed by Felix Peckitt
• 14. ‘ A Perfect Day’ – words by Paul Stevenson

• producer Abigail Toland
• for Tourettes Action:
• Suzanne Dobson
• Michele Evans
• Emma Myers

Performed by the Opera-tic Company

and

• Charlotte Trepess soprano
• Jenny Carson soprano
• Rachel Gilmore mezzo-soprano
• Aaron O’Hare baritone
• Christopher Pulleyn piano
• Katie Foster violin
• Rhiannon James viola
• Polly Virr cello
• Adam Fenton actor
• Michael Betteridge musical director

Michael Betteridge Described as ‘inventive’ (The Financial Times) and ‘bold’ and ‘colourful’ (The Times) Michael is a composer with an eclectic output creating work that challenges and inspires audiences and performers alike. Predominantly working with voice, theatre and with nonprofessional/young performers he has created work for the likes of Alþýðuóperan (Folk Opera Iceland), Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Cheltenham Music Festival, Den Jyske Opera, London Symphony Orchestra, Nicola Benedetti, Opera North and Welsh National Opera. His music has featured on BBC Radio 3 and 4 and he has received accolades for his work in the UK and abroad including nominations for an RPS Award (Across the Sky) and an Icelandic Music Award (#echochamber). He is artistic director of the open access low voiced LGBTQ+ choir The Sunday Boys based in the city of Manchester, UK.

Alisdair Kitchen is a London-based filmmaker with a specialism in the arts and culture. His work has featured on Classic FM, OperaVision, The Arts Channel, and has been supported by Arts Council England. He was recently selected as a recipient of a Genesis Foundation Kickstart Fund grant. He is Director of Digital Programmes at the Rye Arts Festival in East Sussex, and regularly produces film content for leading London art galleries, including Waddington Custot. His first feature film is currently in development. Prior to becoming a full-time filmmaker, Alisdair enjoyed a career as a professional classical pianist and conductor. He holds first class Bachelor and Masters degrees from the Royal College of Music and has worked on the music staff in the RCM vocal faculty for several years. He studied conducting with David Syrus and Sir Colin Davis. Between 2011 and 2018, Alisdair was the founder director of a small theatre and opera company – Euphonia Studio – and was privileged to enjoy the mentorship of Jonathan Miller. 

Second Movement is an opera company which supports new opera and people making opera for the first time. Current and recent projects include Your Story, Your Voice, Your Stage, a co-creative project in collaboration with the charity Tourettes Action and as co-producer for 12:42, a documentary film exploring creative processes, isolation and digital connections (National Opera Studio, 2020). In 2023 Second Movement is in partnership with Oedipa and in collaboration with the UCL Communications Clinic for the Aphasia New Music Group a six month co-creative music making project with adults with aphasia and their loved ones . Second Movement produces and curates rough for opera, a regular performance platform for new opera and work in development which has supported more than 50 composers since 2011. Rough for Opera #18 – Relaxed will be at the Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadler’s Wells in May.

Production highlights include Martinů’s The Knife’s Tears (UK premiere 2007, Brno and Prague 2010) Rothschild’s Violin by Fleischmann and Shostakovich (UK staged premiere 2007), Menotti’s The Medium (2006, NI Tour 2011) and Zátopek! by Emily Howard, part of PRS for Music Foundation’s New Music 20×12, supported by Jerwood Charitable Foundation, in partnership with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic (2012, Liverpool and London).  Second Movement was co-producer for 12:40 – Twelve new opera arias for the National Opera Studio’s 40th Anniversary (2018).

Tourettes Action is the UK’s leading support charity for people with Tourette Syndrome. We help ensure they receive the practical support and social acceptance they need to help live their lives to the full.  Tourette Syndrome is a neurological condition that causes verbal and motor tics plus a wide range of co-occurring conditions. Whilst it does not affect intellect, it can get in the way of being able to concentrate. It makes a person “different”, sometimes isolating them from their peers and can often make it difficult for them to form friendships.

We offer information, advice and support via our Helpdesk, Live Chat, Befriending service plus a variety of on-line Webinars and Chat Rooms. We also host Family residential weekends and weekends for Adults with TS. We give people the opportunity to form friendships and engage in new activities in a safe, friendly and accepting environment.

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is an inherited neurological condition. It affects one school child in every hundred. Over 300,000 children and adults are living with TS in the UK. The key features are tics – involuntary sounds and movements, which must be present for at least 12 months to meet the diagnostic criteria. Up to 85% of people with TS will also experience co-occurring conditions and features which might include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Anxiety.