September 22nd sees the premiere in Bristol of a thought-provoking new opera, based on the true story of three young British soldiers trapped behind enemy lines on the Franco-Belgian border in the early days of the First World War.
A Foreign Field tells the story of the three young British soldiers. They are taken in by French villagers and absorbed into country life, working in the fields. One of them, Robert Digby, falls in love with a village girl who becomes pregnant. Petty jealousies spring up and the men are betrayed. They escape and hide in nearby countryside. The German administrator demands that they give themselves up to be prisoners of war, adding that, if they don’t, there will be reprisals against the village.
The opera was written by the BBC South and West’s former Senior Music Producer, Eric Wetherell. Now retired, Eric has composed, arranged and orchestrated music throughout his professional life. He will conduct each of the three performances.
The producer of A Foreign Field is John Telfer who trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and has appeared in many plays with the Bristol Old Vic company.
The opera performances are supporting two local charities, with a proportion of ticket sales going to Bristol Urological Institute Prostate Cancer Appeal and ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.