Organization

Buxton International Festival

Conductor

Iwan Davies

Set designer

Nicky Shaw

Costume designer

Lighting designer

Jake Wiltshire

Adrian Kelly

Sound designer

Declan Matwij

Stage director

Kimberley Sykes

Choreographer

Nathan Wright

Singer

Audrey Brisson

Vera Brittain

Alexander Knox

Roland Leighton

George Arvidson

Edward Brittain

Kit Esuroso

Bobby

Stuart Pendred

Arthur Brittain

Bernadine Pritchett

Edith Brittain

Orchestra

Northern Chamber Orchestra

English

The Land of Might-Have-Been

Buxton

United Kingdom

Buxton Opera House

Public

Approved

Buxton International Festival and Norwich Theatre are delighted to present the world premiere of the co-production The Land of Might-Have-Been, in 2023. With...

The Land of Might-Have-Been Iain Farrington

Buxton International Festival and Norwich Theatre are delighted to present the world premiere of The Land of Might-Have-Been.  This new musical is written by Michael Williams, co-creator of the UK Theatre Award winning opera Georgiana.  

The story follows Vera and Roland, and Edward and Bobbie who unexpectedly fall in love over a long hot summer in Buxton in 1914. They all have their own ideas about their glittering futures but are faced with the prejudice and conventions of their time. The war in Europe shatters all their hopes and dreams but compels Vera into a life-long campaign for peace and equality.

Return to the halcyon days of that long-ago perfect summer where ragtime was sweeping through every ballroom; where debutant balls were the Tinder of today and chaperones were the curse of every young woman in love; where the call of King and Country stirred the imagination of young men everywhere and the power of love kept hope alive in the darkest of times.

The musical is built around the songs of Ivor Novello and is based on the lives of Vera and her brother Edward Brittain before and during the first world war.  Vera Brittain, the author of the best-selling war memoir Testament of Youth and Ivor Novello, the most successful British musical theatre composer of the 20th century, were both 21 years old when Keep the Home Fires Burning brought cheer to the British public.

Iain Farrington’s new orchestral arrangement of songs like My Dearest Dear, Waltz of My Heart, My Life Belongs To you and Why Is There Ever Goodbye captures Ivor Novello’s extraordinary gift of melody and harmony.

The Land of Might-Have-Been by Farrington, From (2023/2023), Directed by Kimberley Sykes,, Conductor Iwan Davies, Buxton Opera House, Buxton, United Kingdom

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble

Program, About & Synopsis

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