Sadler's Wells Theatre

Selected show

Welsh National Opera - The Sacrifice

The extraordinary story behind The Sacrifice, James MacMillan's new opera, is being captured in a 50 minute BBC documentary, scheduled to go out on Sunday 7 October, 7pm BBC 2 Wales/2W (Sky Channel 991 - Outside Wales, Channel 102 - Inside Wales)

Retracing the steps of the creative team behind the opera, the documentary crew has been back to the farmhouse in Llanfrynach where the story began ten years ago. In the depths of the Brecon countryside, a set of characters was decided upon, inspired by the mythic figures in the ancient Welsh story of Branwen, but also influenced by protagonists in the Balkans War, then dominating the news headlines. Mapping out the drama and the passion that underpins a story of our times, the documentary being made by Indus Films for the BBC, will reflect on the unique writing partnership of composer James MacMillan and librettist Michael Symmons Roberts. Film, poetry, philosophy, religion - even football - have all played their part in the development of a three act opera, set in the Britain, around 2080, the near future.

"The near future is a strange and fascinating place to be," explains Michael Symmons Roberts. "In the case of this opera, we had to believe that a society like ours could dissolve into civil war in a matter of decades. Recent history in Europe and beyond has shown how easy, and how costly, that can be. Even at home, lit tapers like the short-lived fuel strikes show how quickly public anger and anxiety can turn to panic and enmity."