
Waxwings at Tete a Tete
Waxwings is a joyfully multi-sensory, interactive opera for children aged 3–8 and their families.
- Composers
- Clive and Mark Ives
- Director & Libretto
- Tim Yealland
- Designer
- Ruth Paton
- Soprano
- Emily Blanch
- Mezzo soprano
- Katie Grosset
- Tenor
- Guy Elliott
- Cello, bass, percussion
- Jonathan Kitchen
- Film and animation
- Babis Alexiadis
- Dancer
- Ricardo Campos
Waxwings is a joyfully multi-sensory, interactive opera for children aged 3–8 and their families.
The story is about a boy called Olly and his sister Cilla. Olly is obsessed with birds and when they find an injured waxwing on their way to a new school they take it with them. Olly struggles with the simplest questions, and when the teacher hears the little waxwing sing in his pocket she calls for the Head, who turns out to be part cook, part monster, with an appetite not just for small birds, but for Olly too. Somehow they have to escape, and they make wings of wax and feathers.
The opera features beautiful new music by Clive and Mark Ives (of the celebrated ensemble Woo Music), words and direction by Tim Yealland, and interactive design by Ruth Paton. The cast includes singers Guy Elliott, Katie Grosset and Emily Blanch, and cellist and percussionist Jonathan Kitchen. The show also includes animated film by Babis Alexiadis featuring dancer Ricardo Campos.
The cast interact with the audience throughout the performance, with tactile props, gorgeous projection and opportunities to join in.
The opera lasts 50 minutes.
Waxwings on CD
You can now enjoy Waxwings at home with this recording featuring the original cast of Emily Blanch, Guy Elliott, Katie Grosset and Jonathan Kitchen.
The cost is just £5.99 including postage and packaging.
Showing At
- Tête à Tête Festival
6th Aug 2015 - 12:00 pm
- Tête à Tête Festival
6th Aug 2015 - 2:30 pm
- Tête à Tête Festival
7th Aug 2015 - 12:00 pm
- Tête à Tête Festival
7th Aug 2015 - 2:30 pm
-
Tête à Tête Festival
— 6th Aug 2015 - 12:00 pm
Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG
-
Tête à Tête Festival
— 6th Aug 2015 - 2:30 pm
Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG
-
Tête à Tête Festival
— 7th Aug 2015 - 12:00 pm
Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG
-
Tête à Tête Festival
— 7th Aug 2015 - 2:30 pm
Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG
Featured Crew

Clive and Mark Ives
Composers
Brothers Mark and Clive (of Woo Music) have been recording since the mid seventies. They combine acoustic instruments, mainly guitars and clarinets, with electronics in ways that often leave the listener wondering how the music was created. Their sound is unique, but has been described as pastoral, ambient and new age, simultaneously Caribbean, Balkan, Parisian, jazz with psychedelic improvisations, and as ‘pop music for another universe’. Woo Music have re-released five albums of their early work within the past five years, receiving world wide recognition for their recordings from the 70s and 80s. The commission to write music for the Waxwings opera is their first collaboration with the English Touring Opera.

Tim Yealland
Director & Libretto
Tim read English at Cambridge, then studied singing at the Guildhall and the Munich Hochschule . His performing career included roles in opera and theatre, including work for Opera Factory, Opera 80, ENO, ROH, Opera North and Chichester Festival. His passion for education has led him to devise and direct projects for all the main opera companies, and many others here and abroad. He has led the education work at ETO since 2003, bringing a particular commitment to integrating special and mainstream schools. He has created 3 community operas for ETO: One Breath (Sheffield), A House on the Moon (Wolverhampton) and One Day Two Dawns (Cornwall). He has also written the libretti for several operas for young people, including Voithia and In the Belly of the Horse.

Ruth Paton
Designer
Featured Cast
Emily Blanch
Soprano

Katie Grosset
Mezzo soprano
Guy Elliott
Tenor

Jonathan Kitchen
Cello, bass, percussion

Babis Alexiadis
Film and animation

Ricardo Campos
Dancer
Showing At
- Tête à Tête Festival
6th Aug 2015 - 12:00 pm
- Tête à Tête Festival
6th Aug 2015 - 2:30 pm
- Tête à Tête Festival
7th Aug 2015 - 12:00 pm
- Tête à Tête Festival
7th Aug 2015 - 2:30 pm