Kommilitonen! 2011

By Sir Peter Maxwell Davies

and David Pountney
Choreography Carolyn Chao

Puppetry by Blind Summit Theatre

at RAM and Julliard

"Why were we silent? Why? Why?"

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Three true stories of student activism: James Meredith, the first black university student in America, Die Weisse Rose and the one from the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

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We made some life sized Bunraku puppets, oversized hands and feet and glasses to make a giant mother character, and a trio of human marionette red guards. The singing students learnt to operate them. This is the first time we have got singers to do all the puppetry and they were brilliant. Great fun.

"A glorious heartwarming pageant of humanity" 

The Evening Standard ★★★★★

"This year's best new opera" 

Musical America

"immaculate staging, with designs by Robert Innes Hopkins and puppets by Blind Summit Theatre"
The Guardian ★★★★★