Fred and Ginger, Lennon and McCartney, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terell – entertainment is full of great collaborations. When you have two great talents bringing their own to a project, the result is often greater than the sum of its parts. Now, there’s a chance to witness another great partnership. Tickets are on sale for a Fallen Angels and New Note Orchestra performance at the Royal Opera House, Linbury Theatre in Covent Garden on November 4.
Face the music…and dance
Fallen Angels (all images Natasha Bidgood)
The seeds of this collaboration were sown in 2021 when nine addiction recovery arts organizations from across the country, including Small Performance Adventures, Outside Edge, Theatre Royal Plymouth, and the Fallen Angels Dance Theatre, came together to create a video commemorating International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31, 2021. The resulting video was a poignant expression of emotions surrounding the theme of overdose, framed through movement and dance, accompanied by music recorded by the orchestra.
Fast forward to September 2022, and New Note found itself collaborating directly with Fallen Angels once again. This time, the collaboration was live at the Addiction Recovery Arts Network conference at the University of West London. Despite meeting face-to-face only a day before, they took the stage the next morning, delivering spellbinding performances of “Astral’s Journey” and “The Wood.”
Conall considers the music for Royal Opera House
The organiser of the conference Dr Cathy Sloan said of the event “In my view, recovery thrives with connection with supportive others. Likewise, I believe that the emerging field of recovery arts organisations will thrive through connection and collaboration with each other. Combining resources and sharing initiatives, such as the wonderful offerings we had at the Performing Recovery event, support all of us involved in the network to widen our reach and also learn from each other.”
A night at the opera.
Following this performance, the two groups received an invitation to perform at the Royal Opera House, Linbury Theatre in Covent Garden in November 2023. With the news that New Note are going to perform at such a prestigious venue, the orchestra immediately set to creating and practicing some of its most ambitious music to date.
As the November performance draws near, both groups continue to collaborate, sharing ideas and recordings. In early July, they met for an intense three-day workshop at South East Dance, culminating in a sold-out performance on the Friday.
New Note Dance make their debut
The Friday event also marked the debut of New Note Dance, a new project in partnership with Create Recovery, aimed at supporting individuals affected by adversities such as addiction and social isolation. Backed by the orchestra, their inaugural performance was a rousing success.
The event, which was followed by an audience question and answer session, was a massive success with attendees calling it life-affirming and joyous. The next time the New Note Orchestra and Fallen Angels meet will be in Chester, where the two groups will rehearse and perform at the Storyhouse on 1st November – the week before the ROH performance.
Come together
Collaboration in the arts offers many advantages that can elevate artistic endeavors. When artists and art organizations come together, they merge different perspectives and talents, resulting in new avenues of creativity. By uniting their skills and ideas, New New and Fallen Angels are creating powerful and thought-provoking works that resonate with audiences, leaving a lasting impact. Moreover, collaborative projects such as these open doors to exciting opportunities and recognition, These joint ventures not only enhance individual artistic careers but also foster a sense of community and support within the artistic world, leading to a network of shared knowledge and growth.
When art organizations collaborate, they pool resources and share responsibilities. This teamwork not only enhances the quality of the final product but also builds lasting relationships and of course friendships.
Crispin, guitar hero and style icon
Fallen Angels and the New Note Orchestra will be performing at the Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, on the 4th November at 7.45, with a special ticketed panel event taking place the following on Sunday afternoon. For more details and tickets you can visit here. Tickets go on sale 2 August.
Fallen Angels Dance Theatre exist to support those in recovery from addiction and those living with mental health adversity to transform their lives, and share their recovery journey, through dance, performance and creativity. Find out more about their incredible work here.
New Note Dance uses the Tamalpa Life Art Process® to explore techniques that engage the body, focus the mind and open the imagination. It is open to anyone who has been affected by adverse life experiences like trauma, addiction, and social isolation. For more details contact info@newnote.co.uk or call 07492734671.