The chance to fail better

Second Movement, the people who performed Emily Howard's Zatopek and who specialise in rarely performed and risk taking opera, are hosting rough for opera, a scratch night for new opera at the Cockpit Theatre, Gateforth Street, Marylebone, NW8 8EH on 14 October at 8pm. The idea is to allow young composers to try out ideas and afterwards there is a chance for audience feedback.

Composers Kate Whitely and Benjamin Lunn will both present brand new work. And an ongoing work by Kim Ashton completes the bill.

Kate Whitely, a 23 year old graduate from Kings College, Cambridge, presents O520 a dramatic monologue about the confusion and contradictory nature of desire.

Benjamin Lunn, currently studying composition at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, uses Lewis Carroll's The Walrus and The Carpenter and aims to portray the surreal, the comedic and the dark elements of the poem - quite a challenge!

Kim Ashton is working with saltpeter on an adaptaion of Erik Patterson's play Toneisha and will be presenting work in progress.

Perhaps the most important part of the evening is the Q&A which will happen afterwards, with the composers led by Professor Paul Barker of the Central School of Speech and Drama.

Your chance to hear and influence opera of the future. More information at the rough for opera blog.