A new opera, featuring a script entirely derived from interviews with a young HIV positive man who contracted the virus aged just eighteen, premiered at the International Anthony Burgess Centre on 24th August. Using a radical new style of music, and verbatim theatre, local composer Michael Betteridge set the words of the Mancunian interviewee to music in which his story, of being diagnosed and living with the virus, was told.
Verbatim theatre involves interviewing individuals and then having actors perform their words as precisely as possible in order to present interesting stories to audiences which they may not otherwise hear. It is one of the first times this has been attempted with opera. As well as undertaking over five hours of interviews with his subject, who was born and grew up in Greater Manchester, Betteridge has also spoken with various other people in Manchester living with HIV, as well as the wider LGBT community, through support from George House Trust.
Michael Betteridge, composer, said:
“Despite being an out gay man with many HIV positive friends, I was so clueless to so many of the facts surrounding living with the virus. I’m hoping this work will enlighten the audience about what it’s like to live with HIV in Manchester in 2016.
I have been fascinated with verbatim theatre for years and always wanted to see how I could merge it with my output as a composer. I also believe this young man’s story is such a fascinating one to tell, and, as he does not want to out himself as HIV positive due to possible discrimination, this medium is a fantastic way of sharing his experiences.”
Nick Blackburn who is a long-time collaborator of performance artist David Hoyle directs the project, entitled In Their Own Words, which also features work by composer Anna Braithwaite who explores living with dementia. The project is supported with funds from Arts Council England, Sound and Music’s Composer-Curator programme as well as support from Manchester Pride’s ‘Superbia’ fund that supports local arts events with LGBT and/or HIV themes.
The production will be at Quarterhouse in Folkestone on 16th September and Hackney Showroom, London on 1st October. For more information please visit www.intheirownwords.uk