Rye students design costumes for community opera

Students at Rye Studio School are set to play a key role in bringing an ambitious community opera to life.
Award-winning designer Ele Slade (centre) working with students at Rye Studio School. SUS-160627-152128001Award-winning designer Ele Slade (centre) working with students at Rye Studio School. SUS-160627-152128001
Award-winning designer Ele Slade (centre) working with students at Rye Studio School. SUS-160627-152128001

This week, multi award-winning Ele Slade was revealed as the designer for PUSH, a collaboration between the Battle Festival and Glyndebourne.

Ele has been working with Rye Studio School where students are researching and designing the costumes for PUSH.

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Inspired by events that shaped our history, PUSH explores themes of invasion, loss and the redeeming power of human kindness.

Award-winning designer Ele Slade working with students at Rye Studio School. Picture shows a few of the students at work. SUS-160627-152143001Award-winning designer Ele Slade working with students at Rye Studio School. Picture shows a few of the students at work. SUS-160627-152143001
Award-winning designer Ele Slade working with students at Rye Studio School. Picture shows a few of the students at work. SUS-160627-152143001

Written by internationally acclaimed composer Howard Moody, the opera is inspired by the true story of Simon Gronowski, who was pushed from a train bound for Auschwitz by his mother in 1943.

Soloists from Glyndebourne and musicians from some of the UK’s major orchestras will be joined by a choir of 250 children and adults from across 1066 Country in a thrilling and innovatively staged production from director Simon Iorio.

Catherine Bell, of Rye Studio School, believes the students are very fortunate to be involved in PUSH.

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She said: “This contemporary theme provides an excellent cultural and historical context for the students to increase their knowledge and understanding of political and societal issues within a creative subject such as textiles.

Award-winning designer Ele Slade working with students at Rye Studio School. Picture shows a few of the students at work. SUS-160627-152143001Award-winning designer Ele Slade working with students at Rye Studio School. Picture shows a few of the students at work. SUS-160627-152143001
Award-winning designer Ele Slade working with students at Rye Studio School. Picture shows a few of the students at work. SUS-160627-152143001

“The resourcefulness of the students to investigate the various components of this brief from research, sampling and experimentation is in conjunction with the Rye Studio ethos of collaborating with industry to provide insight and experience for our learners in their progression towards a creative and successful career in the Arts.”

Battle Festival’s producer Sally Lampitt sums up this unique production by saying: “PUSH is a very special project that sees world class artists working alongside community choirs to present a truly remarkable story.

“The central character’s tale is historic, yet the themes of identity, tolerance and peace are completely relevant to everything that’s happening in the UK and Europe right now.

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“PUSH will undoubtedly be a landmark event in the UK’s cultural calendar this year.”

See page 13 for more about PUSH.

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