Aethelflaed is a bold 90 minute opera that tells the story of the Battle of Tettenhall (910) in which Queen Aethelflaed led her army to victory against the Vikings. At the heart of the opera is the importance of legacy. The opera seeks to restore Aethelflaed to her place in the historical narrative, as well as honouring a leader without whom England, the English language and much of the modern world might not exist as it does today.
The opera is sung in Old English and follows the life of King Alfred's daughter, a Queen who is all but forgotten today. The opera fuses the grandeur of traditional opera with a modern sonic edge, drawing inspiration from Puccini to Pink Floyd!
This was an amazing evening's entertainment. When I spotted this performance at St Andrew's Church in Penrith, I didn't expect it to be as wonderful as it was. To listen to an opera sung in Old English is absolutely fantastic.
The performance was semi-staged, with a wonderful soprano and Andre Fratto as the narrator. The other parts of the opera were recorded and relayed on a large screen. The group of American performers and composer are supported by the Tettenhall District CIC, as well as an Old English academic from Oxford providing the translation.
We absolutely loved Aethelflaed and hope that the group successful realises its dream of creating a fully staged opera.