Page 71 - FINAL_Theatre of Sound Coverage Book

Whilst working with my colleague and friend, baritone Gerald Finley, on a production
of Bluebeard’s Castle that he was singing at the Met, in between rehearsals I was also spending
time with my ageing grandmother at her dementia care home, experiencing first-hand the
devastation of this condition on her previously acute mind [Stephen and his
grandmother pictured below].

Two worlds started to collide and I started to wonder: what if Bartók’s opera could be completely
reframed? What if it is actually a love story of a couple with a long and happy marriage (like my
beloved grandparents), and each of these locked doors symbolised a locked memory in Judith’s
mind? The original horror story transported to that most modern of horror stories, that of the
rapidly growing number of people living with dementia?

The more I thought about it, the more interested I became in trying this idea out. I was also
further inspired when seeing my old music teacher from secondary school, Paul Harvey, create
his ‘4 notes’ piece with the BBC Philharmonic. Paul is one of the main reasons I ended up in the
music world, and to see him again after almost 30 years still making music and laughing despite
living with dementia, was incredibly moving. He has always been an inspiration to me and
continues to be to this day.

I’m delighted that through my new opera company Theatre of Sound founded by myself and
Daisy Evans, we will be performing the opera through this unique lens at the beautifully intimate
and evocative Stone Nest venue in Soho, London. Directed by Daisy in a new translation, it will
be a co-production with our newly formed company and Opera Ventures, with the most wonderful