Bishop backing school’s flood opera

A special guest dropped in to watch the rehearsal of Noyes Fludde performed by young thespians from Symondsbury Primary School.

The new Bishop of Salisbury Cathedral, The Rt Rev Stephen Lake, dropped into St Swithun’s Church in Allington unannounced to encourage performers and organisers. The opera, which was written in 1957 by Benjamin Britton, tells the story of Noah’s Ark and in this production, the children’s choir represented the procession of animals boarding the Ark to escape the flood.

Composer, musician and parent Matt Kingston directed the performance, along with teacher and musician Ruth Wakefield, which drew upon the talents of professional and amateur musicians, the huge array of supporters and helpers and the musical efforts of every pupil, from older children taking lead solo roles to the smallest child in the chorus.

Ruth said: “We were due to perform the opera just before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and it sadly had to be cancelled. We are so delighted to stage the work at St Swithun’s and the story’s message of hope and new life is especially poignant. This really is a celebration of the children’s resilience and the power of community collaboration.” Bishop Stephen said: “It was a great joy to drop in on the children during their rehearsal and to see and hear their enthusiasm for this retelling of the centuries old mystery play.

Canon Deb Smith, Rector of Bridport, said: “We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome this wonderful group of musicians and this lovely children’s choir here.

“The sound is wonderful and the enthusiasm infectious. St Swithuns has great plans for the future and events like this are very much part of our vision.”