Conville & Walsh

Nicky Singer’s novels, which have been described as ‘fearlessly dramatic’, have often caught the eye of television and theatre producers. Her Blue Peter Award winning novel FEATHER BOY was filmed by the BBC (winning a BAFTA for Best Children’s Drama) as well as being commissioned by The National Theatre as a musical with book by Nicky, lyrics by Don Black and music by Debbie Wiseman.

Now, her new book KNIGHT CREW is about to hit the limelight.

In March, Glyndebourne will premiere a main-stage opera production of Knight Crew with a libretto by Nicky and music by Julian Philip. Knight Crew, Nicky’s re-telling of the King Arthur legend set in contemporary gangland, is the first ever teen novel to be commissioned by Glyndebourne. Part of Glyndebourne’s long running Education outreach project, Knight Crew will star 6 professional singers (including amazing bass Robert Winslade Anderson as Mordec, and I’d Do Anything Nancy finalist, Keisha Amponsa-Banson, as Elayne) and a chorus of fifty 14-18 year olds. Some of the teenagers have been drawn from Glyndebourne’s own youth groups, others have been recruited from tough schools, communities groups and the care system. The audition process and the making of opera has been filmed for a three-part BBC documentary series ‘Gareth Goes to Glyndebourne’, to be presented by Gareth Malone (he of The Choir and Boys Don’t Sing fame) and screened in June 2010.

For more information about Nicky, check out her website. For more information about the opera, go to theKnight Crew Opera site.