NWIMF - Gresford: Up From Underground
Thu, 12 Sept
|St Asaph Cathedral
Robert and NEW Sinfonia return to the North Wales International Music Festival to perform the world premiere of Jon Guy's new community opera 'Gresford: Up From Underground'.


Time & Location
12 Sept 2024, 17:30 – 21:00
St Asaph Cathedral , 25 High St, St Asaph, LL17 0RD, UK
About the event
Join NEW Sinfonia for what will be their most ambitious project yet – a brand new community opera with music by Jon Guy and libretto by Grahame Davies, based on the story of the Gresford Mining Disaster highlighting Wrexham’s strong sense of community both past and present.
On Sunday 22nd September 2024, 90 years will have passed since the fateful disaster at the Gresford Colliery, one of the worst mining disasters in British history. The disaster holds a resonance and significance to this day, not just for the people of Wrexham, but for former mining communities across Wales and throughout the UK. However, in its 90th anniversary year, living memory of the disaster will soon be committed to history.
The themes of loss, social injustice, and powerlessness, as well as those of triumph over adversity and celebration of cultural identity are all central to the Gresford story. We’re bringing this emotional story to life, in a way which stimulates conversation, brings people together, and helps audiences (from all corners of our community) connect the Gresford story with their own contemporary experiences.
The libretto by Grahame Davies from Coedpoeth has been set to music by Wrexham born composer Jon Guy and will be sung and performed by a cast of professional opera singers, community opera chorus NEW Voices, and chamber orchestra NEW Sinfonia conducted by Robert Guy.
The Gresford opera will form part of a city-wide festival of remembrance with organisations and artists across Wrexham to mark 90 years since the Gresford mining disaster.
Cast & Creatives
Alan – Rhys Meilyr
Doreen – Kathy Macaulay
Gwyneth – Khrystyna Makar
John – Sam Snowdon
Margaret – Morgana Warren-Jones
Composer – Jon Guy
Librettist – Graham Davies
Musical Director – Robert Guy
Director – Ruth Evans
Chorus Director – Jenny Pearson
Designer – Bridget Wallbank
Wardrobe Assistant – Greta Baxter
Audio Visual Designer – Ant Dickinson
Répétiteur - Bethan Conway & Ben Attfield
Chorus & Project Coordinator - Kathy Macaulay
Tech/Sound Engineer - Olli Bentley
Stage Manager - Sioned Foulkes
Stagehand - Millie Whittle
Two performances at 17:30 - 18:30 and 20:00 - 21:00
Tickets on sale from Friday 19th July