Inspired by the artistry and spirit of Black classical composers, from Ignatius Sancho to Shirley J. Thompson, Re:Discover Festival was a series of two-day events celebrating and honouring the impact of African and Caribbean heritage on contemporary British culture. Following the events at St John’s Waterloo between Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th May, the Festival travelled to Nottingham and Manchester.
The festival featured the world premiere of one of three short operas co-created by over 100 people with lived experience of homelessness, participating in Streetwise Opera’s workshops across London, Manchester and Nottingham, working with a team of world-class artists. These pieces, including the work premiered at St John’s Waterloo, explored modern themes, whilst taking inspiration from the music of composers Ignatius Sancho, George Bridgetower, Joseph Bologne, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Florence Price, Margaret Bonds and Shirley J. Thompson.
Alongside the new opera, the London programme included Sancho & Me – For One Night Only, written and performed by Paterson Joseph, about the life of British abolitionist, writer and composer Charles Ignatius Sancho. Another highlight was Shirley J. Thompson’s celebratory opera Women of the Windrush, performed by soprano Abigail Kelly and portraying inspirational narratives from the lives of women who travelled to the UK from the West Indies between the 1940s and the 1960s.
The festival also included pop-up recitals, opera and percussion workshops, discussions about Britain’s African and Caribbean heritage and an exhibition that explored the impact of Black artists in the UK.
For Re:Discover, Streetwise Opera won the 2025 Royal Philharmonic Society Award in the Impact category. The citation is “for an outstanding initiative, individual or organisation that practically engaged and set out to have a lasting impact on the lives of people who may not otherwise experience classical music, demonstrating the positive, empowering role it can play in society”.
Re:Discover Festival is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
About Streetwise Opera
Streetwise Opera (SO) is an opera company that enables people who’ve experienced homelessness to find inspiration and empowerment while they rebuild their lives and identities. It supports participants to develop as creative people and, as it amplifies their voices, change how society views homelessness. SO engages world-class artists, both established and emerging, to co-create bold new work and reimagine traditional repertoire. It creates opera that is for everyone and, by bringing together diverse voices, change how society views opera.
About St John’s Waterloo
St John’s, the church on the IMAX roundabout at Waterloo, is a historic Grade II* church that reopened in October 2022 after a major restoration by Eric Parry Architects. It is one of the most inclusive churches in London and provides the best new performance, event and meeting spaces on the South Bank, fulfilling its commitment to be here for everyone. St John’s produces a year-round programme of arts and culture, including the annual Waterloo Festival, and is home to the academy-orchestra Southbank Sinfonia. It also runs the award-winning churchyard garden and a variety of community projects.
