Constella's Connecting Stars Christmas Gala

Earlier this year opera-ballet company Constella, artistic director Leo Geyer, launched its Connecting Stars scheme to provide free one-to-one virtual performances to isolated care home residents. To help raise money to continue their series and meet growing demand, the company is creating an on-line Christmas Gala which launches on 8 December 2020.

Filmed in Studio Wayne McGregor, the first half is based around Leo Geyer's critically acclaimed Sideshows [see my review of the work at 2014 Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival], along with performances ranges from Piazzolla to Bizet's Carmen. The second half will be a Christmas wonderland using music from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker choreographed by Jaered Glavin.

Since the launch of Connecting Stars, over 50 care homes have taken part with nearly 150 performances reaching over 2,000 residents. Loneliness amongst the elderly has long been a shocking crisis in the UK and it’s only exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic this year. By fundraising through this beautiful gala, Constella hope to be able to reach more care homes in future months, as well as provide care homes with this digital gala free of charge for their residents to enjoy this Christmas.

Full details from the Constella website.